Vax SpotWash Home Duo Spot Cleaner vs Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner
Get the Vax SpotWash Home Duo. Small enough for under the sink, good on fresh spills, with a separate tool for messy jobs. The Rug Doctor Portable scrubs for you, but weighs about 8 kg and leaks if laid down.
We may earn a commission from these links.
Which one is for you?
Vax SpotWash Home Duo
Small and quick to grab, the odd spill on a sofa or in the car, little storage? Then it's the SpotWash.
Is the Vax SpotWash Home Duo Spot Cleaner worth it?Rug Doctor Portable
Get the Rug Doctor if this sounds like you: pets and regular accidents, a brush that does the work, stairs and car seats often.
Is the Rug Doctor Portable Spot Cleaner worth it?Key differences
Scrubbing
Size and weight
Tanks
Leaks
Pet mess
What owners say
Verified buyers only; every 1–3 star review read by us. How we do this
Vax SpotWash Home Duo
Owners love how it lifts stains, works on sofas, stairs and car seats, is easy to use and stores away small. Very few are unhappy, and no complaint comes up more than once.
- Lifts stains
- Good on sofas, stairs and car seats
- Easy to use
Nothing came up often enough to list.
Rug Doctor Portable
Owners love how well it lifts stains, pet accidents especially, and how easy it is to use. The unhappy ones had one leak or stop working early.
- Strong suction that lifts stains
- Easy to use
- Great for pet accidents
- Leaks
- Stopped working after a use or two
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Expert Reviews, Which?, Real Homes, Vacuum Wars, manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the Vax SpotWash Home Duo: 172 verified buyer ratings at Currys, read November 2026.
Owner reports for the Rug Doctor Portable: 167 verified buyer ratings at Costco (US), read November 2026.