• Foaming carpet cleaners remove dirt and oils embedded into carpet.boots on carpet image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
  
  Foaming carpet cleaners go a step beyond regular vacuum cleaners by removing dirt that has adhered to carpet. These machines spray on detergent, work it in and suck up the residue. You can rent one, but if you have children and pets, purchasing one may be more cost-effective. When shopping for a foaming carpet cleaner, Consumer Reports magazine recommends purchasing a unit that has features such as attachments, moving brushes and a large tank.
  
  

Hoover Dual V Steam Vac All Terrain with Spin Scrub F7452-900

• This foaming carpet cleaner can be used on a variety of surfaces in your home, from drapes to hardwood floors. With an 8-foot hose and a 30-foot power cord, you can reach just about any area in your house. This machine received a score of 75 out of 100, the highest score of all foaming carpet cleaners reviewed by Consumer Reports. The Dual V Steam Vac has excellent coverage and can operate longer than most before the canister needs emptying. Although some carpet cleaners can leave up to a pint of residue in the cleaning area, the Dual V Steam Vac left less than all other machines. The poorest aspect of this 26-lb. foaming carpet cleaner is the noise level it generates. Consumer Reports recommends wearing hearing protection when in use.
  
  

Hoover Steam Vac w/Spin Scrub F5914-900

• One of the advantages of the Hoover Steam Vac w/Spin Scrub F5914-900 is that it has multiple spin brushes that can be removed when cleaning. This belt-free carpet cleaner has two separate tanks for clean and dirty water, and uses direct heat to dry cleaned areas. As the second best cleaner on Consumer Reports' list, it received a score of 62 out of 100. Although it received a "Fair" rating for coverage area and "Poor" for noise level it generates, this machine does have excellent drying and cleaning power.
  
  

Hoover Platinum Collection Carpet Cleaner F8100-900

• The Hoover Platinum Collection Carpet Cleaner F8100-900 rated third on Consumer Reports' list of the best foaming carpet cleaners. This machine has an ability to cover a large amount of square footage before needing to be emptied; however, its ability to clean only received a "Good" rating. Integrated technology that helps make this an adequate carpet cleaner includes multi-action agitation, carpet washing, dirt removal and direct heat drying. Other functions include dual scrubbing, multi-directional brushes and separate attachment for stairs and upholstery. One of this machine's advantages is that since it's part of the platinum series, it comes with a six-year warranty.
  
  

Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush 2080

• With an affordable entry level price of $100, the Bissell QuickSteamer PowerBrush 2080 is recommended by Consumer Search reviewers. The upright design -- most carpet cleaners sit on the floor -- makes this cleaner easy to use in tight spaces and on stairs. This model is ideal for apartments and smaller homes, since the dual canisters are perfect for cleaning rugs 8 feet by 8 feet or smaller.
  
  

Bissell SpotBot

• Tough stains are easily removed with the Bissell SpotBot cleaner. This lightweight and portable machine has rotating brushes that enable users to set the unit directly over a carpet stain and leave it there. The brushes steam, clean and vacuum up the residue on its own. Consumer Search says that the biggest drawback reviewers noticed is that SpotBot does its job a little too well; if the entire carpet is dirty, the newly cleaned spot will stand out.