You should be deep cleaning your carpet — here's how to do it, according to experts

You might think you've hit every corner of the house while cleaning — until you realize you haven't shown your carpets some love in what feels like forever. Even if you vacuum around your home on a regular basis, dust, mites and grime can still take up residence in your carpets and rugs, and a busy household can sometimes mean more spills and stubborn stains that require some extra elbow grease.

If you want to give your carpets a deep clean, you don't have to spend an excessive amount of money calling in the professionals or renting a machine. While purchasing your own carpet cleaner might seem like a bit of an investment at first, it will be one that you can reap the benefits of for years to come.

Plus, the winter time is one of the best times to give your carpets some new life as your heated home might help cut down on drying time, cleaning expert Maeve Richmond of Maeve’s Method, tells us.

A 2018 study found that carpeted homes house significantly more allergens, dust, mites and fungi and that "carpeted floors also contribute to increased amounts of suspended dust and microorganisms in indoor air." Regularly vacuuming your carpets is recommended to remove some of the inhabitants in your carpets and rugs, but giving them a deep clean might prove necessary.

A routine deep cleaning also helps the carpet in the long run. "[It] will remove particles that lead to soiling and long-term problems," a spokesperson for The Carpet and Rug Institute tells Shop TODAY. "This cleaning will also restore the carpet and make it last for its intended lifespan."

"I always recommend purchasing a carpet cleaning machine — it's great to have on hand especially if you have small children and/or pets," Becky Rapinchuk from Clean Mama and author of the book "Simply Clean" tells Shop TODAY. "Once you rent a machine a couple of times, you'll have paid for it and you won't be bringing in any other germs from other users."

When you get around to cleaning, there are two places you shouldn't overlook: carpet edges and carpets around the inside edges of a door.

"It’s worth taking some time to work these areas, as they collect dirt and dust as much as the main areas of the rug," Richmond says. "Dirty carpeting at the entrance to a room can be easy to ignore, but take time to clean them, as over time the dirt will begin to dull the look and feel of your room."

To make your search and the cleaning task at hand a bit easier, we asked the experts for their recommendations and found some other bestselling options.

Bissell ProHeat 2X Lift Off Pet Carpet Cleaner

Rapinchuk likes this model from Bissell "for a deep clean, most similar to a professional carpet cleaning." Instead of diving right in for a deep clean of your entire house, Rapinchuk suggests building cleaning habits one day at a time. "Set a timer for five to 10 minutes every day and do a little cleaning or decluttering — you'll actually get more done!"

Bissell 3624 Spot Clean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner

Focusing on spot cleaning? Rapinchuk says she uses this model for little messes and to clean her home's stairs. It comes with a travel size bottle of solution and two different tools to make cleaning stains and steps an easier process.

Bissell 2513W SpotClean ProHeat Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner

Richmond keeps this portable cleaner at hand for deep cleaning. "I prefer it over the upright styles as you can easily lift a portable size onto sofas, chairs or around corners to access small, tight areas," Richmond explains. "They are also super gratifying: take your portable Bissell to your home’s toughest carpet stain and watch as the return tank fills with brown, dirt-filled water — you won’t believe what you are removing from your home!"

Bissell 1785 Turboclean Powerbrush Pet Upright Carpet Cleaner Machine

This bestseller from Bissell has amassed more than 24,000 verified five-star ratings from Amazon shoppers, and holds a 4.5-star overall rating. It's designed for homes with pets and uses a two-tank system to ensure a true, deep cleaning. It's also said to weigh just 12 pounds, making it easy to carry around and give any carpeted area in your home some TLC.

Bissell 1785 CrossWave All-in-One Multi Surface Wet Dry Vacuum

Prefer a multitasking machine? While it is an initial investment, you'll likely save time and money in the long run with this two-in-one vacuum. According to the brand, it can vacuum and wash bare floors simultaneously, but it can also be used on area rugs for a quick clean. Rather than relying on a traditional sponge mop, it's said to utilize a brush roll that can mop and pick up debris on your floors, meaning you can skip some steps in your cleaning ritual without compromising quality. One verified reviewer called it a "must-have," stating that it replaced their mop and broom.

Hoover FH50700 PowerDash Pet Compact Carpet Cleaner Machine

With more than 55,600 verified five-star ratings, this affordable carpet cleaner targets value. It's said to be easy to use and store, according to one reviewer, and uses HeatForce technology to cut down on drying time. Thanks to an antimicrobial brush roll, it is also a perfect pick for homes with pets, as the brand says it helps cut down on odor.

Bissell Little Green Portable Spot and Stain Cleaner

The Little Green went viral on TikTok once users saw how deeply it cleaned car seats, couches and carpets with ease. It weighs just over 12 pounds and works best for spot-cleaning areas you wouldn't be able to reach with a large machine, according to the brand.

Hoover FH52000G SmartWash Automatic Carpet Cleaner

Cut down on elbow grease with this smart carpet cleaner — when you push it forward it cleans, when you pull it back it dries. Like other Hoover machines, it uses HeatForce technology for a faster drying time and it also mixes and dispenses carpet cleaning solution automatically for the best results, the brand says. More than 14,700 verified Amazon shoppers have given the machine a perfect five-star rating, with one reviewer calling it a welcomed addition to homes both with and without pets.

Folex Instant Carpet Spot Remover

If you only need to tackle small areas on your carpet, try this targeted stain remover. The formula is said to work on both old and new stains from pets, grease, oil, ink, red wine, coffee and more. And it's not just for carpets! One Shop TODAY editor who tried it said that easily took a two-year-old dirt stain off her mattress.

Carbona Carpet Cleaner with Brush

This carpet cleaning solution comes with a 2-in-1 brush head that features a sponge and bristles to clean both surface grime and deeper set-in stains. It has an average 4.5-star rating, and one shopper even said that it helped remove seven years worth of stains from the seats of their car.