The best carpet stain removers you can buy

Why you'll love it: With the Mister Max Anti-Icky-Poo Odor & Stain Remover Combo, not only will the visible stains disappear, the lingering odors will too.

It's a good thing we love our pets because they can cause stains on carpets that have a double whammy. First, there is visual evidence, obviously. But the real problem is the odor that often lingers on carpet and upholstery. That's why the Mister Max Anti-Icky-Poo Odor and Stain Remover Combo is such a winner.

My precious rescue pup tends to urinate (or worse) when startled. When it happens, I clean up the accident and grab the Mister Max stain remover and give the area a good spray. After getting rid of the stain (follow the directions), one more spray with the Mister Max Anti-Icky Poo-Odor — with its live bacteria and enzymes to destroy the odor molecules — there is no residual odor remaining that attracts the pup or her friends to the same spot. Using the two together is the best of all worlds.

Mister Max offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee and the product comes in both a light scent and an unscented formula, in several sizes. Here's a tip for new parents: It also takes care of odors from diaper and vomit accidents on carpet or upholstery.

While you can buy the two products separately, the combo pack has a 5-star rating from 100% of its buyers on Amazon. One customer wrote, "This is the only brand I used for years and usually ordered it from my local pet shop. Very pleased to find it on Amazon. Great product."

Pros: Eliminates the toughest pet stains and odors, environmentally safe to use around humans and pets, 100% money-back guarantee

Cons: Not readily available in most mass-market stores

Buy Mister Max Anti-Icky-Poo Odor and Stain Remover Combo in two 32-ounce spray bottles on Amazon for $30.96

Why you'll love it: Tackle the toughest grease stains with the ChemDry Grease & Oil Carpet Stain Extinguisher.

Oil and grease stains are some of the toughest to remove from the carpet but ChemDry Grease & Oil Carpet Stain Extinguisher does an excellent job. I am not sure how I did it, but I tracked some heavy motor oil or axle grease onto the carpet in my car. It not only looked bad, it also smelled bad.

After doing a bit of research, I settled on ChemDry to treat the stain. I was familiar with the ChemDry carpet-cleaning franchise, and I like how the company uses carbonation to penetrate stains and lift them to the surface without a great deal of water and soap. I also wanted a product that is nontoxic and would not leave a heavily perfumed scent.

I was very pleased with the results. After giving the can a quick shake, I sprayed the ChemDry on the stain and waited a couple of minutes to allow it to penetrate the oil. With just a light scrubbing with a paper towel, the oil was lifted away.

Majority of Amazon reviewers (76%) gave it a 5-star rating. If you have oily stains from mascara, crayons, food, makeup, or automotive work, this is the product for you.

Pros: Nontoxic, removes oil and grease stains, safe to use on all colorfast carpet and upholstery

Cons: Does not effectively remove all types of stains

Buy ChemDry Grease & Oil Carpet Stain Extinguisher (two 18-ounce cans) on Amazon for $30.21

Why you'll love it: When you have a large area of dirty carpet with ground-in soil, Resolve Pet Carpet Cleaner Powder is the easiest way to clean it.

After you've treated and removed some very specific stains, does the rest of the carpet look dingy or have a different color completely from the recently cleaned area? That means the fibers are coated with ground-in soil from shoes, feet, etc.

You can hire a professional cleaner or rent a carpet-cleaning machine, or you can use Resolve Pet Carpet Cleaner Powder for a quick-and-easy treatment. This is a powdered formula that doesn't take hours to dry and will brighten and freshen a large area of carpet.

Even though it is labeled for use with pets, I use Resolve powder regularly between professional cleanings, even in rooms where my pet doesn't visit because it helps remove day-to-day odors by trapping soil molecules in the powder, which I then vacuum away. I just sprinkle the slightly damp powder on rugs and carpets and use a soft-bristled brush with a long handle (no kneeling) to lightly work it into the fibers.

After approximately 20 minutes, you'll be shocked by how much dirt and soil were embedded a carpet. The Resolve powder that goes on as white, will turn gray. But, your carpet will look brighter and smell much fresher than it had been 30 minutes earlier.

One Walmart customer wrote, "This is great to use when you have an area that can't be left wet for long. This product has a short dry-time as the powder only has a slight dampness to it. It cleans the carpeting and smells very nice. I have been using this product for years." Nearly 70% of Walmart reviewers gave it 4 or 5 stars.

Pros: Cleans and freshens large areas of carpet, removes light stains, helps remove pet hair, inexpensive

Cons: Scent can be strong for those with odor sensitivity

Buy Resolve Pet Carpet Cleaner Powder (18-ounce) from Walmart for $6.20

Why you'll love it: With no aerosol, petroleum distillates, or other toxic ingredients, Simple Green Naturals Carpet Cleaner is safe to use around children and pets.

I like that Simple Green has been designated as a Safer Product by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But, does it work to remove stains?

The Simple Green company is known for its environmentally-friendly cleaning products and its Simple Green Naturals Carpet Cleaner proves that less-toxic products can still stand up to tough stains. Containing no bleaches, petroleum-based products, or dyes, it can be used for spot-cleaning stains or diluted in water to add to steam carpet-cleaning machines. The product is available in a refillable 22-ounce spray bottle or in a one-gallon container.

I tested it on a coffee stain on a light-colored carpet. Just by following the directions and giving the product time to work, the stain was gone. The fragrance was light and not overpowering. The formula also contains a special protection agent that helps carpets maintain stain-resistance for the next time I slosh coffee out of the cup.

With an Amazon rating of 4.5 stars out of 5, other reviewers also found that Simple Green works well. "I've used it on carpet, a rug, and on a mattress (to clean a bed-wetting accident from our little son). I cannot believe how well it works to lift stains and smells. I love that it's more natural," wrote one customer

Pros: Nontoxic formula, can be used for spot-cleaning or in a steam machine, removes stains and odor

Cons: A bit more expensive than other carpet cleaning products

Buy Simple Green Carpet Cleaner (22-ounce) on Amazon for $12.01