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In magazines, cream carpets are always pristine and unsoiled. In real life, it’s a different story. Boisterous kids, inconsiderate pets, big-shoed builders, extremely careful writers who just happen to every now and then drop a tiny glass of red wine that wasn’t even full! Why do you keep reminding me about it? That was 4 years ago!
Anyway, if your carpet is a place where unhappy little accidents take place, then the Vax Spotwash has been designed for you. It’s not going to clean your entire carpet – it’s for cleaning up that one patch of mud, or that wonderful new crayon artwork that appeared, or yes, even that microscopic amount of red wine that I spilled.
But does it work? Spoiler alert – pretty well, yes! Out of all the spot cleaners we’ve tested, the Vax SpotWash is one of our favourites.
Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner Pros
It’s convenient and compact.
Cleaning up is never fun and when you’re exhausted from the daily grind, cleaning up the family’s sudden messes is a huge chore. There’s a big temptation to procrastinate especially if you have to lug around a big piece of equipment.
Thankfully, the Vax is handy and light. It can be stored in a cupboard. You can just grab it fast as soon as spillage occurs and the best part is, you can congratulate yourself that the stains won’t have had a chance to set in.
It can clean most spills and stains.
We tried the Vax on a variety of new spills, old stains, and pet messes. Using the cleaning solution it came with, the Vax managed to clean them all out with one exception. Overall, the performance is excellent and it certainly does what it advertises.
Pro-tip: For best results, pre-spray, agitate, and leave for at least 20 minutes before cleaning.
The water guide takes out the guesswork.
The Vax SpotWash comes with 2 containers — one for clean water and the other for the post-wash dirty water. When filling up the first, the water markings are very helpful. It has markings for both small areas and large areas. With these guides, you don’t have to worry about over-filling your tank. The water to solution ratio is also laid out so you don’t have to waste time figuring out how much solution or water to use.
The water handle makes carrying the container easy.
The little design elements on the Vax are quite commendable. The containers are easily detachable and when detached, you can easily pick up the water container via the handle so you can bring it to the sink or to a faucet for a refill.
The clear nozzle lets you see all the action.
The nozzle is designed with a clear top cover. When you are doing suction, you can easily see the foamy watery gunk being suctioned in by the nozzle from your dirty carpets.
Another nice thing about this clear cover is that it is removable. This makes cleaning a breeze, and you can easily reach otherwise hard-to-clean corners.
It’s specifically designed to clean carpeted stairs.
The Vax is designed in such a way that it fits on a standard-sized stair, and the hose is long enough to reach a regular flight of stairs.
The water tanks are removable for easy cleaning and refilling.
We specifically like that the water tanks can be separated from the main body, especially the dirty water tank. In other brands and models, they are not detachable, and the drain holes are inconvenient. The gunk gets trapped in corners, and it’s hard to do a thorough cleaning. Not with this unit!
The hose self-cleaning function is an excellent feature.
One of the things we like best about the Vax SpotWash is the self-cleaning function for the hose. All you need is add an inch of warm water in the clean water container, remove the nozzle from the hose, insert hose into the hose self-clean port, and switch it on for 15 seconds. The hose gets cleaned quickly, and when you put everything away, you don’t have to worry about mildewy smells. It’s super fast and practically automatic.
It’s multi-use.
This little spot cleaner isn’t just for emergency spills. As per testing, it also works excellently on everyday dirt that accumulates on carpet and fabric upholstery surfaces. You can also use it to shampoo the carpets of your car and fabric upholstery. You can even use it for sealed hard floors.
For upholstered furniture, just make sure that your furniture can be wet-cleaned and that it is color-safe. You can check labels or do a quick spot test.
Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner Cons
The fill hole is in an awkward spot.
To refill the water container, you need to remove the water container, turn to the back, and unscrew the cap. To fill it with water, the container needs to be tilted at an awkward angle. This makes it impossible to immediately gauge the water level with the water guide we discussed earlier.
The design solution would be to put the spout at the top. However, it seems this might be a conscious safety design to keep users from filling the tank while the cleaner is turned on. Young children are also discouraged from playing with the spout since it is hidden from sight when the container is attached to the cleaner.
A practical solution to keep the container upright while filling it with water is to use a curved funnel or a right-angle funnel.
It can’t totally remove old coffee stains.
This little cleaner can remove most old stains we tried it on except for old coffee stains. To be fair, coffee stains are the hardest to remove, and even professionals struggle with them. Do note though that we only used the free cleaning solution that comes with the Vax. We did not use professional-standard cleaning solutions.
- Quickly, easily and conveniently lifts spills and stains combining powerful suction with deep cleaning.
- With two cleaning attachments designed to tackle stains and mess on different surface types, VAX SpotWash is suitable for use across carpet,...
- The slim design of SpotWash will comfortably fit on a step, and the 1.5m long hose allows you to easily clean further.
Last update on 2024-09-25 at 09:28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / More info
Vax SpotWash Cleaner FAQ
Can you use other cleaning solutions other than the one it comes with?
Yes, it’s possible but there are caveats. First, make sure to use low-foam carpet solutions. Regular solutions over-foam and may break your machine. Second, if you use cleaning solutions other than the Vax SpotWash, it will void your warranty.
How long is the warranty on the Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner?
It has a 2-year warranty when registered within 3 months of purchase.
Can the Vax SpotWash cleaner be stored wet in a cupboard after use?
No, always dry the machine after cleaning. Remove both water containers, empty them, and leave to air-dry. Storing them away wet or damp may cause bad smells or worse, damage to the motor.
Is there a longer hose I can buy?
The hose is a standard size and cannot be made longer. If you try to use a different hose that’s longer, it will affect the strength of the suction and likely invalidate the warranty.
How many watts does the Vax SpotWash use?
It uses an 800w motor similar to the Bissell SpotClean.
Can you clean a living room carpet with the Vax SpotWash Spot Cleaner?
The Vax is first and foremost a spot cleaner. It is designed to clean small areas. You can use it to clean a big living room carpet, but it will take longer and you’d have to clean on your hands and knees because it is handheld. For cleaning large carpeted areas, you are better off using a hoover with a long shaft.