NaceCare TP 4X Portable Carpet Spotter and Detailing Extractor, 4 Gallon, 60 PSI

Coffee on the lobby carpet at 8 a.m. Muddy prints up the office stairs. A car seat that has to be spotless by noon. A full-size extractor is too much machine for jobs like these, and a spray bottle and a towel only push the stain around. The NaceCare TP 4X portable carpet spotter sprays at 60 psi and pulls the dirty water back with a 2 hp vacuum and 120 inches of water lift, so the stain leaves with the water.

It holds 4 gallons of solution and 4 gallons of recovery, comes with an 8-foot hose and a 4-inch hand tool, and the upper and lower tanks come apart into two pieces for the van. That's why contract cleaners and auto detailers keep one on the truck.

What sells me on the TP 4X is the vacuum. 120 inches of water lift is more than the 84 to 89 inches on the Tornado spotters we carry, and it matches NaceCare's bigger AVB 4X. More lift leaves less water in the carpet pad and the seat cushion, so spots dry faster and are less likely to wick back up.

Be realistic about the size, though. A 4-inch hand tool is for spots, stairs, upholstery and car interiors, not a whole conference room. For small rooms, add the floor wand package below. For whole rooms every week, the TP 8X box extractor with its 130 psi pump and 20-foot hose is the better buy.

One thing the manual is firm about: use a low-foam chemical and keep defoamer handy for the recovery tank. Foam that reaches the vacuum motor is the fastest way to shorten its life.

• 120 inches of water lift. A 2 hp, two-stage vacuum pulls the dirty water out instead of leaving it in the carpet.

• 60 psi pump. Enough pressure to flush a spot out of the fibers and the backing.

• 4-gallon tanks. Room for a morning of spots before a trip to the sink.

• Two-piece body. The tanks separate, so one person can lift it into a van or a car trunk.

• Rotomolded polyethylene. The same tough plastic as NaceCare's full-size extractors, with 10 years of warranty on it.

• 33-foot cord and 8-foot hose. Work a stairway or a whole vehicle from one outlet.

Spotter only. The TP 4X with its 8-foot solution and vacuum hose, 4-inch hand tool and 33-foot cord. Everything you need for spots, stairs, upholstery and car interiors.

With the transport cart. Adds NaceCare's 1500C15 metal cart, a frame on locking casters with a utility tray and handle. The TP 4X rides on it from room to room with your chemical and towels on the tray. It adds about $390.

With the floor wand. Adds the 12270MPE single-jet wand with a hard floor squeegee, the wand NaceCare lists for the TP 4X. Connect it to the hose and you can clean a small office or a vehicle floor standing up. It adds about $300.

With the cart and the floor wand. Both add-ons, about $690 more. Each package costs the same as buying the parts separately, rounded to the dollar.

Not sure which you need? Tell us what you clean and how often, or call (855) 601-5678, and we'll tell you, including when the spotter alone is enough.

Vacuum the area first. Fill the solution tank with cold or warm water and a low-foam extraction chemical at the dilution on its label, and pre-spray heavy stains so the chemical has a few minutes to work. Wool carpet gets cold water only.

With the vacuum and pump on, squeeze the valve on the hand tool to spray, and pull the tool slowly back over the spot to pick the water up. Finish with a pass or two without spraying to pull out as much moisture as you can. Test upholstery in a hidden spot before you start.

After the job, empty the recovery tank, rinse it, and check the vacuum filter between the two tanks. It takes two minutes and keeps the suction strong.

The TP 4X costs $1,111.94 with the hose and hand tool. Here's how it compares with other spotters and small extractors we sell.

Smaller and lighter. The Tornado PS Spotter holds 2 gallons, sprays at 55 psi and has 84 inches of water lift, for about $110 less.

Gentler on fabric. The NaceCare GVE 370 George holds 1.6 gallons and sprays at 30 psi, so it's the better pick for upholstery, for about $260 less.

No cord. The NaceCare CTB 370NX runs on an NX300 lithium battery for up to 40 minutes, for about $440 more.

Hallways and lobbies. The NaceCare AV 4X is an upright with an 11-inch path and the same 4-gallon tanks, for $106 more.

Whole rooms. The NaceCare TP 8X box extractor has 8-gallon tanks, a 130 psi pump and a wand with a 20-foot hose, for about $1,080 more.

Want a lighter spotter or hot solution? The Sandia Spotter 50-1000 weighs about 19 pounds with 3-gallon tanks and a Super motor option, from $928, and the Sandia Heated Spotter adds a 600 W in-line heater, from $1,434.

See them all in our carpet spotters collection, or call (855) 601-5678 and we'll help you choose.