Whether you’re a commercial operator with lots of carpets to clean, or a driven homeowner looking to go all-with cleaning your carpeting, this guide is for you!
We explain the ins and outs of buying a commercial carpet cleaner, and introduce you to our recommendations for the best commercial carpet cleaners & extractors on the market today.
Read on to see which commercial models we currently recommend, and to find out why!
Best Commercial Carpet Cleaner & Extractor Reviews (2022)
1) Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Deep Carpet Cleaning Machine
- For professional-looking results within the comfort of home, use the lightweight, compact, carpet-friendly Rug Doctor Mighty Pro X3 Pet Pack, a deep cleaning machine to remove pet smells and stains
- Rotating brushes dig deep into carpet fibers to extract dirt, grime, filth, stains, spots, pet hair, pet urine, or mud tracked in from outside
- Deters remarking and renews carpets; pro-enzymatic formula within Rug Doctor Platinum Professional Urine Eliminator 24-ounce spray permanently removes pet stains and odors
- With little refilling, the enhanced vacuum motor sucks up and extracts soils into the 3. 9-gallon recovery tank, leaving carpets looking and feeling truly clean, fresh, and renewed
- Endlessly versatile, the handheld soft surface versatility tool deep cleans soft surfaces in the home or office: chairs, stairs, couches, mattresses, pet beds, car mats, car seats, or vehicles
This Rug Doctor carpet cleaner is the least expensive pro model we recommend. It’s the same basic format as the nicer options we’ve included below, but costs significantly less money.
We recommend it to casual commercial operators on a tight budget, or to home users who want a big, commercial-style machine without paying too much more than you would for a standard machine.
Despite being so inexpensive, the X3 is a full-size machine. It’s fairly easy to use, and the 3-stage cleaning process does a good job on most carpeting.
Just like the more expensive Bissell, it includes a tool for cleaning upholstery, carpeted stairs, pet furniture, and more.
The biggest difference between this and other commercial models such as the Big Green is the brush design.
The Rug Doctor agitates carpet fibers using brushes that move from side to side on the carpet, rather than the standard roller bar.
It’s similar to Hoover’s household models, quite different from Bissell. Some folks swear by this design. We find it’s more finicky and delicate and doesn’t do any better of a job. Still, it certainly cleans pretty well for the price!
There are some key reasons why you may want to pay more for the Bissell or Galaxy, though.
The Rug Doctor isn’t as reliable as more expensive options. It comes with pretty terrible warranty coverage and customer service, too, so we recommend getting a Square Trade policy if you can.
Ergonomics aren’t as good as the Bissell or Galaxy, either. If you can afford to spend more for at least the Bissell, we suggest doing so–even if you’re a home user. You’ll simply have a better experience, especially over the long run.
2) Bissell Big Green Professional Carpet Cleaner Machine
- Every Purchase Saves Pets. BISSELL proudly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation and its mission to help save homeless pets
- Outcleans the Leading Rental. Get professional grade cleaning results, Power Rating:12 amps
- XL DirtLifter PowerBrush. Eight rows of bristles penetrate carpet fibers to loosen and lift embedded dirt
- 9' Long Reach Hose & 6 inches Tough Stain Tool. Easily clean stairs, upholstery and hard-to-reach areas
- Use with BISSELL PRO MAX Clean with Protect Formula. Remove tough, ground-in dirt and stains
The Bissell Big Green is our recommendation to the majority of buyers. We suggest it to any homeowners with an entire place full of carpet to clean.
It’s also a good choice for pros who need something powerful, rugged, and reliable without putting a hole in their budget by buying the Galaxy below.
There are a lot of things this has in common with the Rug Doctor model above. It’s full-size, with a wide set of cleaning brushes and an extension hose for spot-cleaning and dealing with carpeting that’s not on the floor.
Why spend more for the Bissell? It’s more reliable than the Rug Doctor, for one thing. That’s huge when you’re looking at a big, expensive commercial machine.
Both the warranty coverage and customer service are wildly better on this one, too.
We think the ergonomics are significantly improved as well. The tank design is easier to manage, as well as the handle.
Rug Doctor’s design involves a fixed clean water tank, so you can’t pull it off to fill it. The Bissell design uses two removable tanks, so you can simply remove the clean water tank and the dirty water tank in the same way.
We like that it cleans in both directions, too! The Rug Doctor (and most other commercial models) only clean going forward, so you have to constantly go back and forth over the same area, while only scrubbing in one direction.
You don’t waste any time using the Big Green. Just switch between cleaning and extraction modes and save yourself all the backtracking.
Most importantly, though, it’s simply a more effective, consistent cleaner. We know some folks are absolutely sure that Rug Doctor brushes do a better job, but that’s not what we’ve found. Bissell’s design is simpler, more effective, and more reliable.
3) EDIC Galaxy Commercial Carpet Cleaning Extractor
The Galaxy is our ultimate recommendation for a commercial carpet cleaner/extractor. It’s industrial-grade and the best thing on the market for demanding commercial users.
The biggest difference between this and our other recommendations is that it works with a wand and a cleaning head, much like a canister vacuum cleaner or a canister steam cleaning system.
You can add on a heater at any point, which makes for by far the most effective cleaning performance.
With a heater onboard, the Galaxy cranks out shampoo solution and rinse water that’s piping hot. You get things cleaner on the first pass and remove more detergent on your rinse pass.
The heater is external, too, which is actually better for the rest of the machine.
These machines are made in the USA and are the pro’s go-to’s for a reason! The body is covered for life, while you get 2 years of coverage on all the moving parts and other components.
These things are very reliable and get the job done both thoroughly and quickly.
Plenty of commercial users will be perfectly happy with the Big Green, though. This one is absolutely not appropriate for homeowners, either.
While the Big Green is easy to justify for homes that are entirely carpeted, this one is absurd. We’ve certainly heard of folks using this at home, but we think that the 12-gallon tank is wildly overkill for home use. It’s just impractical for the average person to manage.
Be aware that you have to call the company and order the wand separately!
Deciding which is the best commercial carpet cleaner isn’t easy with so many excellent models to choose from, however overall we would recommend the Bissell Big Green as our top performer.
Buying Guide – Things To Consider When Buying a Commercial Carpet Cleaner
Who Needs A Commercial Carpet Cleaner?
Most commercial operators, for sure.
That might seem like a no-brainer, but there are certainly some instances where a commercial operator might stick with a consumer-grade machine: for smaller jobs, to be able to operate out of a smaller vehicle, etc. still, if you’re cleaning carpets professionally in any kind of quantity, you definitely need a commercial machine.
Likewise, while it might seem counterintuitive for the ordinary consumer to buy a commercial carpet cleaner, there are some perfectly valid reasons why you might consider doing so.
If you live in a house that’s entirely carpeted, working with a commercial machine will cut a huge chunk of time out of your cleaning routine. You can do a better job and get it done faster!
Though, you probably won’t need a commercial-grade carpet cleaner if you’re just cleaning a couple of rooms.
Decide On Your Budget
Commercial carpet cleaners and extractors can cost anywhere from $300 to $3000, so be sure to narrow down your budget before you start shopping!
If you’re a homeowner who’s looking for a commercial-grade machine without spending an arm and a leg, we think you can do perfectly well under $1000. Many commercial operators will find that models under $1000 get professional carpet cleaning jobs done.
However, if you have a huge amount of carpeting to clean on a regular basis and can justify the cost, something above $1500 may be worth the investment.
What’s Next
Now that you’ve read through our entire buying guide, we hope you’ve seen at least one commercial carpet cleaner that seems like a good fit for your needs.
If so, perfect! Click on the links in our reviews to find out more about any of our recommendations. That’s the easiest way to check current prices and see all the pertinent specs.
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