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The Best Carpet Stain Removers We've Ever Tested

ByWade 2024年5月18日

Even though spills are bound to happen, getting a stain on your carpet or area rug can be an anxiety-inducing experience. The right cleaning solution, however, can make it look like it never happened.

To figure out which carpet cleaners are most effective at removing both fresh and set-in stains, we tested 39 different options in our Des Moines lab. We also sought the advice of two experts: Katie Berry, owner of Housewife How-Tos, and Becky Rapinchuk, owner of Clean Mama.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

OxiClean Carpet Stain Remover at Amazon
$18

Best Eco-Friendly:

Biokleen Bac-Out Stain + Odor Remover Spray at Amazon
$17

Best Enzyme:

SALE

Kids ‘N’ Pets Instant All-Purpose Stain & Odor Remover at Amazon
~~$14~~
$6

Best for Pet Stains:

The Spruce Stain & Odor Remover at Amazon
$12

Best for Odors:

SALE

Nature’s Miracle Advanced Cat Stain & Odor Eliminator Foam at Amazon
~~$12~~
$9

Best for Upholstery:

Bissell Advanced Oxy Stain Pretreat at Amazon
$15

Best for Red Wine Stains:

Emergency Stain Rescue Chateau Spill Red Wine Stain Remover at Amazon
$20

Best for Set-In Stains:

Krud Kutter Cleaner/Degreaser at Amazon
$9

Best Overall

OxiClean Carpet Stain Remover

OxiClean Carpet & Area Rug Stain Remover

PHOTO: Home Depot

$18 at Amazon

$7 at Home Depot

What Stands Out

It was the most effective at removing stains, including red wine.

What Could Be Improved

It takes some time to penetrate the stain.

Out of all the carpet stain removers we tested, this one not only worked the best but also required the least amount of effort for removal. All you have to do is clean up any residue left by the stain, spray, wait, and blot—then the stain is gone. We strayed from the instructions a little by adding light scrubbing, but overall, we found the brand’s instructions to be accurate and subsequently effective.

This stain remover did the best job at removing all the stains we threw at it, including red wine, barbecue sauce, wolf urine, and mud. Out of all of those stains, we found that it worked best on a dried red wine stain, and red wine is one of the hardest stains to get out.

The time it took to get a stain out varied by surface and stain type—for fresh stains, it took 18 minutes to remove while set-in stains took 21 minutes. Our least favorite thing about this stain remover was the wait time, but the incredible results proved that good things do come to those who wait.

Size: 24 ounces | Compatible Surfaces: Carpet and area rugs only

PHOTO: Wade Review / Henry Wortock
PHOTO: Wade Review / Henry Wortock
PHOTO: Wade Review / Henry Wortock
PHOTO: Wade Review / Henry Wortock