Shark CarpetXpert review: the carpet cleaner that has brought my carpets back to life

When you live in a home with floors that are 90% carpet like me, it quickly becomes apparent that you have two boys under the age of four as well as a white haired dog. Stubborn stains, lingering smells of urine and mud trodden in from the garden are regular occurrences in our household. So, you can only imagine how thrilled I was to have the chance to test the Shark CarpetXpert recently. 

After all, no matter how much I try to keep on top of the muck on our carpeted floors, no amount of scrubbing on my hands and knees quite matches the results of a powerful, bacteria-killing carpet cleaner.

Naturally, within 10 minutes of delivery, my new Shark CarpetXpert Ex150 Series was unboxed, filled with water and shampoo, and put to work. Between my gleeful gasps and persistent shouts of “look at that” to my DH, I realised I felt my age. Excitement over a carpet cleaner! But you know what, I can finally have carpets that are actually clean and stop worrying about spag bol being chucked during mealtimes by my youngest. So, it’s totally worth feeling thirty something IMO. 

Read on to find out exactly how I tested the Shark CarpetXpert Ex150 Series and discover why all the mums at my local playgroup are wanting to borrow it.

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The Shark CarpetXpert doesn't saturate your carpets, meaning dry time is fast

Now, let’s talk about scent. The Shark shampoo pleasantly surprises with its not-too-overbearing fragrance. Although, it’s a shame that you’re restricted to using only Shark products with this cleaner. Owners may wish to choose more readily available carpet shampoos from their local supermarket. 

The dry function is a blessing and helps to banish excess moisture, making it bearable to tread on the carpets if necessary—although it’s best to wait until the little ones are elsewhere, unless you want a ‘Don't step there!’ game.

Admittedly, coming from a wireless vacuum, managing the cord during use takes a mental note or two. But it’s hardly a deal-breaker considering the results. Size-wise, it’s large enough to do the job but still conveniently stashes away in my utility cupboard. Setting it up post-unboxing was a breeze—clear instructions for the win.

Related: Find our guide to the best budget vacuum cleaners here

Now onto the capacity. While it’s a champ in cleaning, the smaller dirty tank means more frequent emptying, especially when covering larger areas. It’s the one downside that drops a star in my book.

Final thought: in a nutshell, for those of you searching for a more compact yet powerful carpet cleaner to conquer daily messes, the Shark CarpetXpert EX150 Series deserves a spot in your cleaning arsenal. 

Shark CarpetXpert: how we tested

• A month of testing at home

• Cleaned the carpets, my sofa, inside my car and also a pram 

• Tested both the brushroll and handheld hose cleaning tool

• Tested at night and in the morning to compare drying times 

Since unboxing the Shark CarpetXpert, it has been used probably three times a week minimum in our home. Within half an hour of opening it up and adding the water and carpet shampoo, I’d cleaned half of our open plan living/dining room while the kids scoffed their tea at the table. 

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The culprit for all the white hair on our carpets

I’ve used the brushroll to tackle the carpets in our main living area as well our eldest’s bedroom. Admittedly, I’m yet to clean our youngest’s nursery and our master bedroom upstairs - but this is mainly due to logistics and trying to fit cleaning sessions between nap times. The handheld has been used in our car boot to clean up some mud after a recent winter walk, and the stairs are looking impeccable these days. 

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I even went as far as cleaning our rug at different times of the day to see how long it would take to dry. Unsurprisingly, it took longer to dry during the night - but that’s mostly due to the fact we whack the heating up on a morning for 15 minutes or so, so it lasts all day. 

Shark CarpetXpert: what’s in the box? 

• Main Shark CarpetXpert body

• Tough stain hand tool

• Reversible bristles (two sizes)

• Crevice tool 

• Hose-cleaning tool 

• 355ml Deep Clean Pro Formula

The Shark CarpetXpert EX150 Series is an ‘out of the box’ cleaning solution - you’ll receive everything you need to get started almost immediately. The carpet shampoo is included, and thanks to the built-in hose cleaning tool, you can tackle your carpets and any stains in your way with ease from the get-go. 

The hand-held cleaning tool secures to the main cleaner

Shark's deep clean solution is included - but you're not able to use any other brands

The downside is that, once the cleaning formula has run out, you’re restricted to Shark only products. This might put you off if you’re looking for a carpet cleaner that can use supermarket shampoos that are more easily available - and more affordable. 

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Shark CarpetXpert: how easy is it to assemble?

Very easy. The main body of the carpet cleaner comes intact. So, all you need to do is:

• Insert the pole into the top until it clicks into place

• Store the hose-cleaning tool by clipping it onto the pool

• Attach your chosen hand tool to the crevice tool 

• Make sure that the rubber seal is seated in place under the dirty water tank

• Install the dirty water tank and then fill your water tank with water and your cleaning solution

Lastly - this might be obvious - but you do need access to a mains plug for it to work. 

Clear instructions are included on how to setup the cleaner

It's very easy to switch between the brush roll bar and the hand-held tool

Shark CarpetXpert: how does it look?

Like… A carpet cleaner. I mean, the main body of the cleaner is blue with grey and orange accents. It’s not outlandish, and as it’s smaller than other carpet cleaners, it sits neatly in my utility cupboard next to my vacuum without getting in the way or taking up too much space. 

The design of the carpet cleaner isn't garish

The colours complement each other, and the orange accents are a nice colourful touch

Shark CarpetXpert: what’s it like to use day-to-day?

I’ve not used it daily as there hasn’t been a need to. Using the Shark CarpetXpert is more of a once or twice weekly thing, I’ve come to realise. Otherwise you’re dodging carpets all week - and with two small children, that’s virtually impossible. So, I’ve set myself a schedule to use it weekly in different rooms - that way each room is done at least once a month. And I mean, a full cleaning. 

For spot cleans, it’s handy to pull out after tea time to suck up the spaghetti bolognaise my youngest likes to chuck across the room. Oh, and the spilled cups of juice on my sofa. 

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Shark CarpetXpert: how effective is it at cleaning?

For me, personally, it is very effective. Not only has it actually deep cleaned my grey carpets throughout the home, but they look brand new. And so is my seven year old cream IKEA rug (you can imagine the colour of that dirty water afterwards… Ugh…). 

Clean carpet to the left of me, dirty carpet to the right (here I am...)

The hand-held cleaning tool in action

Shark CarpetXpert: how easy is it to clean?

As easy as you’d normally expect when cleaning a vacuum/carpet cleaner, to be honest. I’ve not yet had to clean the brushroll, but judging by the instructions included, all you need to do is remove the outer cover, lift the inner cover then remove the brushroll. 

If hair is wrapped around the brushroll - which in my house is inevitable - you simply cut away with scissors, then rinse and air dry before reinstalling. 

Just LOOK at the colour of that water, bleurgh...

The dirty water tank is very easy to empty and clean. If it becomes too full during use, the cleaner will stop and a blue light will notify you that the tank is full. All you need to do is press the release button to remove the tank, then remove the lid and discard its contents. I’d recommend pouring it down the loo! Then, clean the tank with soap and warm water. 

To clean the filter, which I’ve not yet done, it’s also a case of removing it and washing with soap and warm water, and finally letting it air dry. 

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About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she commissions, writes, and edits to bring parents content designed to make life easier. Having birthed two DC just 15 months apart, she knows all too well how stressful it can be trying to keep on top of cleaning at home. So, she's fully invested in finding the best cleaning solutions for families.

Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum of two toddlers and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog.

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