Best Portable Carpet Cleaners for Pet Accidents (2026)

A spray bottle and paper towels can lift the surface of a pet accident, but urine soaks into the carpet pad underneath. A portable spot cleaner sprays solution into the fibres and sucks it back out, along with what's below. For most pet homes, the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe is the one to buy. The Hoover CleanSlate Plus is the alternative if your messes cover more area.

We haven't tested these machines. We compared them on their Amazon listings, checked through Amazon's product API on publication day; all five are sold by Amazon.

How we chose

We kept corded portable spot cleaners from Bissell and Hoover, the two brands that dominate the category on Amazon, all sold by Amazon itself. We picked a pet-focused model, the classic, a compact one, a wide-tool alternative and a steam model, and compared tank size, included tools, weight and the formula in the box. We left out renewed units and cordless handhelds, which hold far less water.

The five cleaners

1. Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe: best for most pet homes

The Pet Deluxe is the Little Green set up for pets. It has a 48 oz tank and comes with three tools: a 3-inch Tough Stain Tool for scrubbing, a Stain Trapper Tool, and a HydroRinse tool that flushes the hose clean afterwards. Trial bottles of Bissell's PET Spot and Stain formula and PET Oxy Boost are in the box. It weighs about 9.7 lb.

Buy it if you have pets and carpet, rugs or upholstery. Skip it if you mostly clean large areas.

2. Bissell Little Green Multi-Purpose 1400B: the classic

The original Little Green: 48 oz clean tank, spray, scrub and suction, and Bissell's triple action formula. It does the same basic job as the Pet Deluxe with fewer pet tools.

Buy it if spills outnumber accidents in your house. Skip it if you want the Stain Trapper and hose-rinse tools.

3. Bissell Little Green Mini 4075: best for small spaces

At 7 lb and sized to fit a cabinet or closet, the Mini is for apartments. It comes with a 4-inch Tough Stain Tool and the HydroRinse hose tool, and Bissell lists pet beds, car interiors and upholstery among its uses. The smaller machine means more refills on a big stain.

Buy it if storage space is tight. Skip it if you clean large stains often.

4. Hoover CleanSlate Plus: best for bigger areas

Hoover's answer to the Little Green adds a 7-inch WidePath tool for larger areas and a TightSpot tool for crevices. It has separate clean and dirty tanks, with 40 oz of clean solution, and a hose rinse tool to flush the system afterwards.

Buy it if your messes spread across a rug. Skip it if you want the largest tank.

5. Bissell Little Green HydroSteam: for set-in stains

The step up: three modes, a 64 oz clean tank, a 5-inch Tough Stain Tool and a Multi-Surface Tool for tile and grout. Bissell's own listing says to use Wash mode for enzyme-based stains like pet accidents, and to save SteamWash for tough, oily messes. It comes with PET PRO OXY Spot and Stain Urine Eliminator and a 3-year limited warranty, but it weighs about 13 lb and costs roughly twice as much as the Pet Deluxe.

Buy it if you also deal with old, set-in or greasy stains. Skip it if pet accidents are your main mess.

All five compared

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

How to clean a pet accident with a spot cleaner

1. Pick up solids and blot liquids with paper towels, pressing hard. Don't rub; it spreads the stain.
2. Use a pet or enzyme formula in the machine, or pre-treat with an enzyme cleaner and let it sit for the time on the label. Our enzyme cleaner guide explains why ammonia and vinegar can draw a pet back to the same spot.
3. Spray, scrub and extract, then make extra dry passes with no spray to pull up as much water as you can.
4. Use cool wash modes on urine. Bissell's HydroSteam listing points pet accidents to its Wash mode, not steam.
5. Let it dry with a fan, and keep your pet off the spot until it's dry.
6. Flush the hose and empty the dirty tank straight away, or the machine starts to smell.

Test a hidden patch first on wool rugs and delicate upholstery, and check the furniture's cleaning code.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do portable carpet cleaners remove pet urine smell?

They pull urine out of the carpet, which removes much of the smell. For lingering odour, use an enzyme cleaner, which breaks down what's left; a dog or cat that can still smell a spot may use it again. Bissell's pet formulas and the HydroSteam's included urine eliminator are designed for this.

Can I use steam on pet urine?

Bissell's HydroSteam listing recommends its Wash mode for enzyme-based stains like pet accidents and SteamWash for oily messes. Follow the machine's guidance for each kind of stain.

Is the Bissell Little Green worth it for pets?

If you have carpet, rugs or upholstered furniture and a pet that has accidents or vomits, a portable cleaner pulls out what paper towels leave behind. The Pet Deluxe adds pet tools and trial pet formulas to the classic Little Green.

Bissell Little Green or Hoover CleanSlate?

Pick the Little Green Pet Deluxe for the larger 48 oz tank and pet tools. Pick the Hoover CleanSlate Plus for its 7-inch tool if your messes cover bigger areas.

Can I use a spot cleaner on a dog bed?

The Little Green Mini lists pet beds among its uses. For a bed with a removable cover, washing the cover is usually easier.

The Bottom Line

Buy the Bissell Little Green Pet Deluxe for most pet homes, the Little Green Mini if storage is tight, or the Hoover CleanSlate Plus for bigger areas. The HydroSteam is for set-in stains. Whatever you use, finish urine spots with an enzyme cleaner.

Related: enzyme cleaners for pet stains and odours, Nature's Miracle vs Rocco & Roxie, washable and disposable pee pads and pet hair removal tools.

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PetProofLab is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Claims are the makers' own. This guide is for general information and is not veterinary advice.