We tried the viral Shark StainStriker to see how it really performs on tough stains. Here’s what happened.
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Say what you will, but carpet flooring has perks—especially if you’re a small child or pet. It provides a soft cushion to what would otherwise be hard flooring. However, carpet (mainly white or light-hued) can be challenging to maintain without a proper carpet cleaner. While the best carpet cleaners are good, sometimes a portable spot cleaner for carpet and upholstery gets the job done better (and more efficiently).
When I first saw the Shark StainStriker advertised, I knew I had to try it. It’s a super-compact, lightweight carpet and upholstery cleaner that tackles spills and messes anywhere in the home. As someone who has paid hundreds to professionally clean their carpets, I was excited to see how the StainStriker would perform. Here’s how testing the portable cleaning machine went.
The Shark StainStriker is a portable carpet and upholstery cleaning machine designed for spot-treating and removing stains. It uses a dual-activated solution system that combines OXY and cleaning formula on demand to tackle messes on carpets, rugs, upholstery and furniture without any premixing or pretreatment.
Weighing less than 10 pounds, the compact machine is easy to carry from room to room, making it especially useful for quick cleanups. The dual-tank system targets tough stains like embedded dirt, pet messes and food spills while also helping eliminate lingering odors.
If you’re considering newer options, Shark has also introduced the EveryMess 3-in-1 Portable Cleaner, which expands on this concept with added wet and dry vacuuming capabilities and a self-cleaning function. That said, the StainStriker remains a more streamlined, purpose-built solution for fast, targeted stain removal.
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Shark StainStriker Product Features
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Dual-action cleaning system: Two separate solutions (OXY Multiplier + CarpetXpert) combine in the handle for on-demand stain removal. No premixing required.
Strong suction power: Extracts liquid, dirt and debris while cleaning to speed up drying time.
Targeted spot cleaning: Designed for carpets, rugs and upholstery, including pet messes and food stains.
Lightweight and portable: Weighs just 8.5 pounds for easy room-to-room use.
Compact storage: Slim design fits easily in closets or cabinets.
Extended reach: 4-foot hose and 12-foot power cord for cleaning stairs, furniture and tight spaces.
Multiple cleaning attachments: Includes reversible bristle tool, pet mess tool and crevice tool.
Odor elimination: Effectively removes lingering smells from spills, pets and smoke.
No premixing required: Separate tanks simplify setup and reduce user error.
Beginner-friendly operation: Simple controls with one-button functionality.
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How We Tested It
I tested the Shark StainStriker in a real home environment using a mix of long-standing stains and fresh, controlled test messes to evaluate performance across different surfaces and scenarios.
Packaging and Setup
Out of the box, I checked all included components, attachments and cleaning solutions. Everything was accounted for, though the dirty water tank had minor cosmetic scratches. Setup was straightforward: fill the OXY Multiplier tank and combine water with CarpetXpert solution in the second tank.
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Ease of Use and Handling
Even when fully filled, the unit remained lightweight and easy to carry between rooms. The compact design and intuitive controls made it simple to start cleaning immediately without a learning curve.
Carpet Testing
I first tested the machine on a heavily set-in wine stain that had resisted both DIY treatments and professional cleaning. As expected, the StainStriker couldn’t remove this extreme case.
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However, on a separate older brown stain (likely coffee or pet-related), the results were impressive. With repeated passes, the stain visibly lifted and eventually disappeared. This is something even professional equipment hadn’t achieved.
Upholstery Testing
To simulate real-world messes, I applied coffee grounds and ketchup to a light-colored fabric sample and let them sit for several hours.
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The machine removed most of the debris quickly, but faint staining remained after drying. This reinforced a key takeaway: The StainStriker performs best on fresh or lightly set stains rather than heavily embedded ones.
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Odor Removal
Even when stains weren’t fully eliminated, odors were. The cleaning solution left fabrics smelling noticeably fresh, which is a major win for pet owners and households with frequent spills.
Pet Stains
The included Pet Mess Tool performed just as well as the main head and helped isolate dirty water, preventing cross-contamination. This makes it particularly useful for repeated pet accidents.
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Maintenance and Cleaning
Cleaning the machine is straightforward but essential. The dirty water tank requires thorough rinsing after each use to prevent buildup and odor.
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Pros
Compact, lightweight and portable
Works on wet and dry stains
Strong performance on fresh messes
Excellent odor removal
Easy to operate
Useful attachments included
Great for pet messes
Affordable vs. larger machines
Cons
Noisy
Struggles with deep, set-in stains
Requires full tank fill each use
Cleaning solution can be wasted
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18-Month Update
After 18 months of regular use, the Shark StainStriker has proven itself as a reliable go-to for everyday messes, especially on carpet and upholstery.
“I love this machine for cleaning small stains on carpet and upholstery. It’s not going to replace a large industrial carpet cleaner for full-floor cleaning, but it does an excellent job of lifting new stains and spills of all kinds and completely eliminating odors,” says our tester, Mary Henn.
She originally started using the StainStriker as a new mom and quickly realized how often it came in handy. “I had no idea how many times it would rescue my couch (and my sanity) from spit-up and other baby messes,” she says. “A family member was even convinced to buy one for pet messes after watching mine in action. It really is that good.”
Performance-wise, the machine still works just as well as day one. It continues to shine when used quickly after a spill, with the best results typically within the first few days of a stain appearing.
That said, long-term use has highlighted a few drawbacks. Cleaning the machine remains one of the biggest pain points. “The waste tank gets pretty gross, so it’s important to clean it thoroughly after each use,” Henn says. Skipping this step (even once) can lead to more difficult cleanup later.
Another ongoing frustration is the cleaning solution system. The machine requires fully filling the tank each time, and leftover solution can’t easily be stored or returned to the bottle. Since the solution is relatively expensive, this design can lead to unnecessary waste.
Despite these minor inconveniences, the StainStriker continues to deliver where it matters most: fast, effective spot cleaning. For households with kids, pets or frequent spills, it remains a worthwhile and dependable tool.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
Shark StainStriker reviews on Amazon have a 4.5-star rating overall with more than 4,700 customer reviews. The consensus among customers is that the machine is lightweight, easy to operate and works well on carpet and upholstery. Many buyers say they’ve had success removing stubborn stains, too. Additionally, several people like the clean smell the cleaning solution leaves behind and appreciate the impressive suction power.
Verified purchaser Mal says, “I bought this to treat some old stains when it was on sale, and shortly thereafter had a pet that got VERY sick and managed to do significant damage on the rugs, couches and chairs in my home (including vomit, urine, feces, you name it). It has been worth its weight in gold and made the horrible experience somewhat manageable. Seriously, the house is even cleaner than it was before.”
“I’m a Shark devotee for life now,” Mal adds. “Blew my old Bissell out of the water. Love that it has a handle for easy carry, long cord for mobility, and you can leave the solution in the unit between uses. Also super easy to clean out the dirty water bin and cleaning heads. The suction is great. I wish the hose was a tad longer (have to move it around a bit) but can deal with that.”
“Honestly if you are on the fence and have a pet or kids, just buy it for the peace of mind,” they say.
Shark StainStriker vs. New Shark StainStriker HairPro vs. Bissell Little Green HydroSteam
Shark recently released the new Shark StainStriker HairPro, which is made specifically to clean pet hair and treat pet stains. It also comes with a special cleaning solution designed for pet messes. It has an onboard self-cleaning mechanism (unlike the original StainStriker, which self-cleans with a special hose attachment) and four cleaning tool attachments. The machine itself, however, looks almost identical to the original and maintains the same lightweight, compact design—but it will set you back an extra $30.
The Shark StainStriker is comparable to the Bissell Little Green HydroStem, which we tested for our guide, Best Carpet Cleaners for Pet Stains. However, when comparing the two products, the StainStriker is more compact and simpler to use (with a single-button on/off switch) than the HydroSteam. The HydroSteam also has a steam cleaning setting, which the StainStriker does not have, plus quieter operation.
Both carpet cleaning machines have easily removable dirty water tanks that can be dumped and cleaned thoroughly in the sink. Additionally, the StainStriker has a hose-cleaning tool and a pet-cleaning tool that keeps pet messes far away from the machine, and the HydroSteam does not have either. The StainStriker takes two cleaning solutions, while the HydroSteam only takes one, and the StainStriker has a wider cleaning brush head but a smaller dirty water tank.
Lastly, perhaps most importantly, the StainStriker retails for $90 less than the HydroSteam.
Final Verdict
At such a reasonable price point, I think the Shark StainStriker is a great tool to have in your arsenal of cleaning products. Of course, the machine’s effectiveness will depend on several variables: the fabric or carpet you’re cleaning, the stain (red and oil-based stains are often more challenging to treat, for instance), and how long the stain has been left to sit.
However, the StainStriker is affordable, easy to operate, portable and effective on many stains—including old stains that professional carpet cleaners couldn’t even get to budge! For that reason, I’d recommend it to anyone who needs to stain-treat fabrics and carpets frequently (aka, people with pets and children).
An impressive carpet cleaner for spot-treating stains
You can buy the StainStriker directly from Shark, at Walmart and on Amazon. The retail price is $140, but the machine is often marked down.
FAQ
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Can you leave water in Shark StainStriker?
According to Shark customer support, you leave clean water in the StainStriker for a short period of five to seven days. For long-term storage (weeks), they recommend storing unused cleaning solutions in the tank off the unit to prevent clogging or build-up in the machine. However, unused CarpetXpert solution (the solution that’s diluted with water) should be discarded after short-term use.
The dirty water tank should be emptied and cleaned after each use to prevent odors, mildew, mold and bacteria.
Does the Shark StainStriker use steam?
No. It does not use steam; it uses water, suction, and two cleaning solutions.
Why You Should Trust Us
As an award-winning writer and shopping editor in the home and DIY space, I have extensive experience in product testing household cleaning tools and products. I’m also a toddler mom, so I know how messy things can get around the house. For this article, I put the Shark StainStriker to the ultimate test, using it on old pet stains, ketchup stains, coffee stains and more. I also tested it on carpet and furniture, tried out the multiple included attachments and cleaned the machine. Above, I detail my full, honest experience with the cleaning machine.
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