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Make your upholstery look brand new again. upright glass washer
If you’ve got spills, pet messes, and dirt embedded in your couch, you’re not alone. Stubborn stains, accidental sloshes, and daily use can take a toll on upholstered furniture until it looks dirty and worn—a far cry from what it once was.
We know your furniture is an investment, and keeping it clean isn’t just about appearances—it’s about extending its lifespan. That’s why we put a range of upholstery cleaners—machines, sprays, leather cleaners, you name it—to the test.
After all that scrubbing, spraying, and deep cleaning, we found the eight most effective options you’ll find on this list. For extra expert insight about upholstery cleaning machines and methods, we also spoke to Tim Krushensky, owner of Soapy Suds Cleaning Service, LLC. So, get ready—your upholstered furniture is about to look brand new.
It lifted stains like wine, soda, marinara sauce, and pet messes better than any other model.
It’s loud when it’s doing its job.
The BISSELL 3624 Spot Clean Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is marketed as a carpet cleaner, but it went far beyond our expectations when we used it on upholstery. It was simple to set up, filling the water tank was a cinch, and we liked how intuitive it was to switch between spraying and suction. It was also lightweight, portable, and had great onboard storage for the hose and the electrical cord. In fact, it was so easy to maneuver it around the house that we found ourselves trying it on everything.
We put this cleaner through its paces on upholstery, carpet, and stairs, and we loved how easy it was to use—even in tight spaces and awkward angles. But, speaking of tight spaces, we found the release button for the attachments to be too small. (We had to use a thumbnail to get it to go.) There was also no storage space for attachments on the machine, but the tradeoff is how light and easy to move it is.
The biggest downfall was that it was very noisy to use; it was hard to carry on a conversation or watch TV while cleaning with it. That said, it completely removed wine, pet stains, soda, and marinara sauce, and it only struggled a little with mustard. Even after six months of use, it hasn’t lost any cleaning power or efficiency.
Weight: 13 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpet, stairs, car interiors, and area rugs | Tank Capacity: 96 ounces | Attachments: 3-inch stain tool and 6-inch stair tool
Setup was a breeze—it was simple to get started on tough cleaning tasks.
The suction wasn’t as strong as we’d hoped; it left some areas damp.
The Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner removed soda and wine spills with ease (and without leaving residue) and helped us clean up sticky pet messes like drool and paw prints. The setup is simple, and the machine is easy to use, too; it was intuitive and fast to fill up and empty the water tanks, and switching between attachments was as simple as a click.
The long power cord meant we didn’t have to think too hard about outlet locations, and it gave us enough room to keep on cleaning across the carpeting and couches. We also appreciated the ergonomic handle that made it comfortable to carry. The weight helped with that, too—at just under 7 pounds, it was one of the lightest models we tested. Its compact size also simplifies storage since it can fit almost anywhere.
However, if you’re looking for a home upholstery cleaner that can destroy deep-set stains, this might not be the model for you. While it did lighten tricky set-in stains like marinara sauce and mustard, shadows remained visible. That said, we felt that it performed strongly on most tasks, and its convenience and price point make it a solid choice for day-to-day cleaning. Even after six months of routine use, we’re still impressed by this mighty little upholstery cleaner.
Weight: 6.5 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpets, stairs, and car interiors | Tank Capacity: 19 ounces | Attachments: 4-inch stain tool, and 2-in-1 pet tool for pet messes and embedded dirt
The lightweight, ergonomic design makes it easy to hold, move, and use.
It struggled with some stubborn stains.
It’s easy to use, effective on everyday messes and stains, and doesn’t require frequent water refills—all in all, the Bissell Little Green Cordless Portable Carpet Cleaner 3682 was the clear winner in the cordless upholstery cleaner category.
Like all cordless models, we loved being able to use it everywhere, and we were especially impressed with its size and ergonomic shape. It seemed extra compact next to other cordless models, which makes it handy to grab for spot cleaning.
It initially impressed us by removing dried-on food and drink items, but we did have to use additional cleaning agents to fully eliminate some tougher stains. We also found that we had to be careful with the wide spray nozzle—it was almost too effective for some concentrated areas, and it could leave some fabrics a little damper than necessary. That said, it got the job done in almost every case.
In terms of battery life, it runs for 20 to 30 minutes of constant use before it needs to recharge. We also loved how easy it was to clean the machine after using it. In fact, you won’t need to scrub or scrape at all—it comes with a self-cleaning hose tool that quickly and easily flushes debris and detergents from the hose between uses, and the dirty-water tank detaches from the unit, so it’s a snap to empty and rinse.
Weight: 7 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpet, stairs, and car interiors | Tank Capacity: 34 ounces | Attachments: 3-inch tool, HydroRinse tool for cleaning the hose
Its compact design and portability make it easy to handle, especially for quick cleanups in smaller areas.
It doesn’t have a water-only rinse function.
At-home upholstery cleaners aren’t known for their suction power, but the Shark StainStriker is the exception. Of all the models we tried, its suction power let it quickly and effectively remove wine stains, pet stains, odors, and more. The extra attachments were handy, switched out easily, and performed well on a variety of surfaces, fabrics, and spills—especially fresh spills. We liked how we were able to use it right out of the box with no setup.
We also loved the small size. In fact, its petite package made the powerful suction even more impressive; we didn’t expect that much power from an upholstery cleaner weighing under nine pounds. We found ourselves carrying it all over for lots of little jobs on stairs, furniture, curtains, and just about everywhere else.
If we could make any adjustments, we’d add a plain water option for easier, more thorough rinsing after cleaning. We found that the cleaning-solution-only spray could leave some surfaces a little sticky without an extra rinse. However, this model is great for those who want a compact cleaner for routine cleaning, especially for removing fresh spills before they turn into stains.
Weight: 8.51 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Carpets, area rugs, couches, upholstery, and car interiors | Tank Capacity: 24 ounces | Attachments: 3.5-inch reversible bristle tool, crevice tool, pet tool, and hose-cleaning tool
The larger tank capacity and powerful suction helps clean deep stains in one go.
It’s heavier, bulkier, and harder to maneuver.
Pet stains and other big messes need an oversized solution, and this extra-large spot cleaner delivers. It powered through pet messes and stains like dark soda and red wine with a smooth, even spray for complete and fast cleaning. It even removed stains we thought were permanent.
It comes with multiple heads, including one with rubber bristles, one for tight spaces, and another for cleaning paths up to seven inches wide. It weighs 11 pounds, and the retractable handle helps make it maneuverable, though we did struggle moving it up stairs and in tighter areas.
The large size does, however, give it more suction and ample room for a 96-ounce tank, which means fewer interruptions to refill, even when you’re powering through a big job. When we did have to pause, filling and emptying the water, solution, and dirty water tanks was a straightforward process.
It wasn’t overly loud for its size, either, and it was relatively easy to clean out after we were done using it. Six months after our initial tests, we were still pulling it out for big messes.
Weight: 11 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpets, stairs, and car interiors | Tank Capacity: 96 ounces | Attachments: 7-inch WidePath tool, TightSpot tool for crevices, and antimicrobial pet tool
Pet stains and odors were no match for this effective upholstery cleaner.
The limited battery life means frequent recharging.
Sure, this upholstery cleaner is marketed especially for pet stains, but we found it blows away the competition for cleaning car upholstery, too. It’s small, cordless, and lightweight at just under 4 pounds, which also makes it perfect for small spaces like stairs and apartments.
Of course, it’s a lifesaver for pet accidents and other small spills—we kept pulling it out to clean up spots before they could become stains. As a bonus, it comes with a specialized pet stain cleanser that is ready to use without dilution; it smells great, and it permanently removes pet odors.
Keep in mind, though, that its size limits its usefulness for larger jobs. It only holds 8 ounces of water in its tank, the battery life is fairly short, and it can struggle on deep-set stains. That said, we loved how convenient this cleaner was. At the first hint of a pet mess or spill, it was easy to pull out, clean up, and then store away again without hassle.
It took care of most coffee and wine stains in 10 passes or less, and it performed well on fresh spots. It’s quiet, too; it makes only a soft whirring sound when it’s running. For car owners, pet owners, and others who want a tool to proactively clean up spills fast, this is a great investment.
Weight: 3.6 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpets, rugs, and car interiors | Tank Capacity: 8 ounces | Attachments: Built-in brush head
It restores softness and shine to leather surfaces while effectively removing stains.
The multi-step process is time-consuming.
Leather gets dirty, too, but most experts don’t recommend using an upholstery cleaning machine on it—that’s where this leather cleaning kit comes in handy. We found that getting rid of stains was no problem, and the leather cleanser sponge made a gentle foam that lifted even ground-in dirt.
Even when we tried to challenge it with sunscreen, syrup, and foundation makeup, this leather cleanser worked quickly and left no residue or water rings. After cleansing, the leather conditioner made our test items feel soft, supple, and like new.
In addition to working on every type of leather, it also works on suede, nubuck, and dyed leather surfaces, so one kit can go a long way in your home and closet. The directions weren’t as clear as we’d hoped, and it took a little research and thought to figure out which product and sponge to use first, but once we figured it out, cleaning was a breeze.
Surface Compatibility: Leather, faux leather, furniture, car seats, shoes, purses, clothing
This spray erases a wide range of stains.
It struggled with a few more challenging stains.
Of all the sprays we tried, we got the best results with the Bissell Advanced Oxy Stain Pretreat. It was impressive in how quickly and completely it removed pet accidents, wine, dark soda, and marinara stains.
We felt like all-star cleaners using it around our homes, knocking out stains and long-existing spots on upholstery, carpeting, stairs, vehicle seats, and car carpeting. When we used it to pretreat before cleaning with an upholstery cleaning machine, it made every machine more effective.
It has virtually no smell or lingering tell-tale odor, either. Like other products we tested, it wasn’t 100% perfect on every stain, though. We struggled to remove set-in mustard stains, and it left a little mark even after more than one treatment. It also struggled with some older, set-in stains. That said, its performance on the majority of stains, affordable price, lack of scent, and ease of use won us over.
Weight: 1.5 pounds | Surface Compatibility: Upholstery, carpeting, area rugs | Tank Capacity: N/A | Attachments: N/A
The BISSELL 3624 Spot Clean Pro Portable Carpet Cleaner is the best upholstery cleaner we tested. It won us over with features like easy setup, intuitive transitions between spraying and suction, and its lightweight and portable size. It was so effective that, six months later, we still find ourselves reaching for it when our pets and kids make a mess. The Dirt Devil Portable Spot Cleaner FD13000 was also noteworthy thanks to its budget-friendly price, portability, and ability to handle fresh spills.
To test upholstery cleaners and solutions, our testing process focused on real-world stain removal performance, ease of use, and drying time. For machines, we began testing by applying common household stains like mustard, wine, soda, and marinara sauce to rugs and couch cushions.
After letting them rest for 20 minutes, we used the upholstery cleaning machines to see how effective they were at removing the set-in stains. We counted the number of cleaning and suction passes, used decibel readers to measure noise level, and noted setup time and how efficient the attachments were.
We also tested cleaning solutions, noting how effective scrubbing the stains with a brush or cloth was. We let the solutions sit, timed the scrubbing, and followed up with conditioning for leather surfaces. All of our tests included observing drying times and residual moisture.
Different materials require different cleaning methods, so knowing the code of what you’d like to clean will help you take care of your furniture while getting the best cleaning results. Check your furniture’s label for the code. If you don’t see it, you can visit the manufacturer’s website for more information.
These are the most common labels you’ll find on upholstery fabrics:
One of the biggest factors when choosing an upholstery cleaner is portability. Since you’ll likely be using it on furniture, car seats, and other surfaces throughout your home, consider where you’ll want to take it and what that means for portability.
Your upholstery cleaner is one thing, but the attachments it comes with are another. Attachments make cleaning machines multifunctional, and they give extra reach and extra powers to simple devices. Depending on your upholstery cleaner, attachments may come as part of the package, or you might be able to buy certain add-ons from the manufacturer.
Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner: This smaller-sized upholstery cleaner impressed us with its powerful suction, compact size, large water tank, and specialized tools that made cleaning up smaller messes and everyday spills fast and easy. The spray is wide, though, so watch for overspray if you’re working in a small area or on a tiny stain.
Rug Doctor PET PORTABLE SPOT CLEANER: The suction of this machine was powerful on pet hair, dirt, stains and fresh pet accidents, and it didn’t leave flooring and upholstery wet. However, it’s a spot cleaner that’s not meant for tackling bigger jobs, so if you want to clean larger areas, this may not be for you.
If you frequently deal with spills, stains, pet accidents, and kid messes, an upholstery cleaner can help you keep your upholstered furniture clean between professional cleanings. Regularly cleaning your upholstery prolongs the life of your furniture and helps it look better for longer, too. However, to get the deepest clean and get the toughest stains out, you’ll probably need to hire a professional upholstery cleaning company.
In most cases, you shouldn’t use an upholstery cleaner on delicate fabrics, leather, and other specialty surfaces. You should also avoid cleaning silk and velvet, antique furniture, heirloom furniture, or furniture that is prone to stains or water spots. The labels on your furniture should tell you how to care for the fabric. If you have questions, call the manufacturer or a pro to give you specific advice, Krushensky says.
If you have expensive furniture or furniture that comes with a warranty, he recommends hiring a professional cleaning company that has Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) credentials.
portable glass cutting machine This article was written by Lauren Bongard, a contributing appliances writer for Real Simple. To find the best upholstery cleaners, we tested several options in home settings and evaluated each one based on factors like capacity, maneuverability, attachments, and more. For expert insight, Lauren also spoke to Tim Krushensky, owner of Soapy Suds Cleaning Service, LLC, an IICRC-certified cleaning company in Gallatin County, Montana.