Most people who buy a deep cleaner give up on it because the trigger-and-tank routine feels like a full-body workout. The Hoover SmartWash Pet Complete automatic carpet cleaner removes that hurdle by dropping the manual spray trigger entirely: push forward to lay down solution, pull back to extract. That single design change is why it lands on so many pet-owner shortlists. This guide walks through what the machine actually does, its real specs, where it shines, where it frustrates, and how to get salon-level results out of your own carpet.
What the SmartWash Pet Complete Actually Is
The SmartWash Pet Complete is Hoover’s upright, corded, full-size deep carpet cleaner built specifically around homes with dogs and cats. It uses HeatForce for faster drying, an Automatic Cleaning system that senses your pace, and a bundled set of pet-focused tools. Unlike a spot cleaner, this is a whole-room machine meant to clean stairs, area rugs, and wall-to-wall carpet in one session. It plugs into the wall, so you never wait on a battery.
The headline feature is that “automatic” behavior. There is no separate spray button to hold. Move the unit forward and it dispenses a metered mix of hot tap water and Hoover cleaning solution; pull it back and the vacuum motor pulls the dirty water up into a separate recovery tank. It essentially turns a two-handed chore into a one-motion push-pull.
Key Specifications at a Glance
Knowing the numbers helps you decide whether it fits your home and your storage closet:
- Clean water tank: roughly 1 gallon (128 oz), enough for a large living room before a refill
- Weight: about 18.5 pounds empty, closer to 27 pounds with full tanks
- Power cord: around 20 to 25 feet, so you can cover most rooms from one outlet
- Brush system: SpinScrub multi-directional brushes that groom carpet fibers from several angles
- Drying tech: HeatForce airflow to speed carpet dry times
- Included tools: pet upholstery tool, pet stain remover tool, and a supply of pet formula solution
The dual-tank layout keeps clean and dirty water fully separate, which matters. You never recirculate filth back onto the carpet, and emptying is a matter of lifting one tank off the front.
The Pros That Win People Over
The push-forward, pull-back automation is genuinely less tiring than trigger-style machines. Over a 300-square-foot room, your hands and forearms notice the difference. That alone convinces a lot of buyers who dreaded their last rental cleaner.
Extraction is strong. On most household soil and old pet accidents, two slow passes lift a surprising amount of brown water into the recovery tank, which is oddly satisfying and a good visual sign of progress. The SpinScrub brushes agitate matted traffic lanes well, reviving flattened fibers in hallways and in front of the couch.
The bundled pet tools also earn their keep. The handheld pet stain tool clears set-in accidents from stairs and edges the big head cannot reach, and the same tool works on car seats and upholstery, so you get more than a floor machine for the money.
The Downsides Worth Knowing
Weight is the biggest complaint. At nearly 27 pounds loaded, hauling it up a flight of stairs is a two-hand, careful job, and the top-heavy balance takes getting used to. If you have a multi-story home, plan your route so you refill on the same level you are cleaning.
Tank access and cleanup can be fussy. The recovery tank and the brush area trap hair and grit, and if you skip rinsing them after each use, they develop a wet-dog odor within a few sessions. Some users also find the automatic dispensing lays down more water than they want, which lengthens dry time if you over-pass a spot.
Finally, it is a big machine to store. This is not a grab-and-go spot cleaner; it lives in a closet and comes out for scheduled deep cleans, not a two-minute mess.
How to Get the Best Results
Technique matters more than most owners realize. Start by vacuuming the room thoroughly with a regular vacuum first. The SmartWash is a wet extractor, not a debris vacuum, and dry hair or kibble will clog the brush housing fast.
- Pre-treat heavy stains with the pet stain tool and let the solution dwell for three to five minutes before the main pass.
- Fill with hot tap water (not boiling) up to the fill line and add solution to the marked cap measure.
- Work in overlapping lanes, pushing forward slowly to wet and pulling back slowly to extract.
- Do a dry pass at the end of each lane, pulling back with no forward wet stroke, to pull up extra moisture and shorten drying.
- Empty and rinse both tanks and the brush window immediately after, then let everything air-dry with the lid open.
Keep foot traffic off the carpet for four to six hours, and run a ceiling fan or box fan to hit that HeatForce drying window. Skipping the final dry pass is the number-one reason people complain their carpet stays damp too long.
Who Should Buy It
This machine makes the most sense for households with wall-to-wall carpet and at least one shedding, occasionally-messy pet. If you clean carpets a few times a year and want something better than a rental without paying for a professional truck-mount, it hits the sweet spot. Owners of mostly hard flooring with a couple of area rugs may be better served by a smaller portable spot cleaner they can wield one-handed.
It also suits people who physically dislike the trigger-spray motion of older Bissell and Hoover models. The automatic dispensing is the whole reason to pick this specific unit over a cheaper trigger design.
Solution and Long-Term Care
Use Hoover-branded or a compatible carpet-cleaner formula, and match the pet formula for enzyme-based odor control on accidents. Never pour straight household cleaners, bleach, or excessive detergent into the tank; over-sudsing can leave sticky residue that attracts dirt faster and can trip the float shutoff. If odor lingers between deep cleans, an enzyme spot treatment does more than another water pass.
Every few months, run a tank of clean warm water through the machine with no carpet contact to flush the internal lines, and check the brush roll for wound-up hair. Treated well, these units run for years; neglected tanks are what kill them, through mold and clogged jets rather than motor failure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Hoover SmartWash Pet Complete dry carpet quickly?
With HeatForce airflow and a proper final dry pass, most carpets are walkable in four to six hours and fully dry within a day. Running a fan and avoiding over-wetting any single spot shortens that window considerably.
Can I use hot water in the SmartWash?
Yes, use hot tap water, but never boiling water. Hot tap water helps the solution work and pairs with HeatForce, while boiling water can warp the plastic tank and seals.
What cleaning solution should I use?
Use Hoover carpet-cleaning solution, ideally the pet formula for odor and stain control. Avoid pouring in generic household cleaners or extra detergent, which causes residue and excess foam that can trigger the shutoff.
Is it good for pet urine and old stains?
It handles most surface and semi-set pet stains well, especially with the handheld pet stain tool and a few minutes of pre-treat dwell time. Deep, dried-in urine may need a dedicated enzyme cleaner before extraction.
How heavy is it to carry upstairs?
Empty it weighs around 18.5 pounds; with full tanks it approaches 27 pounds. Carry it with both hands and, ideally, empty the tanks before moving it between floors.
