A carpet cleaner uses water, detergent and suction to deep clean carpets and rugs, pushing water into the carpet and extracting it with powerful suction to leave it clean and fresh. 

A spot cleaner is a smaller, more portable version of a carpet cleaner, designed to remove stains, spills and spots from small areas – perfect for washing sofas and upholstery, car boot and floor mats, and removing stubborn stains from carpets and rugs. 

Got a stain on your carpet? From spilled drinks to stubborn dirt, some stains are too tough for a vacuum cleaner alone to shift. 

If you own a spot cleaner, use the recommended setting for carpet to lightly work at the stain until it begins to lift. Try the spot cleaner on a small, hidden area first to ensure the colour doesn’t lift. 

If you don’t have a spot cleaner, check out our guide to common carpet stains – and how to get rid of them. 

You can use a spot cleaner to target a stain on your carpet, but remember that spot cleaners are designed to focus on small areas and usually have a precision nozzle, so won’t be much good for covering large surfaces – if you want to clean a whole carpet or rug, go for a full-size carpet cleaner. 

Please note, Shark carpet cleaners are not suitable for use on wool carpets. 

Spot cleaners and carpet cleaners both have a place in the cleaning cupboard – the right one for you depends on your needs! If you want to focus on cleaning upholstery or removing stains, opt for a spot cleaner. If you need to generally freshen, brighten and clean your carpets, choose a full-size carpet cleaner. Shark also offers hybrid models that incorporate both elements.