We tend to over-romanticise aspirational appliances - sleek espresso machines that promise Parisian-style mornings, robot vacuums that vow to reclaim your time and steamers that supposedly change lives (and bedsheets).
But real domestic loyalty is often earned not by the glamorous gadget, but by the workhorse. The one you reach for when something’s gone wrong - when red wine hits wool, or the cat hits the carpet.
Shark, long considered a kind of practical counterweight to the Dyson dynasty, understands this dynamic well. Its devices aren’t designed to lounge on Instagram countertops; they’re built to intervene. The Shark StainStriker HairPro Pet Stain & Spot Cleaner (RRP £189) is the latest iteration of this ethos.
Spot cleaners have always lived a somewhat neglected life in the household cleaning hierarchy. Tucked behind ironing boards and last year’s fan, they occupy the realm of what I like to call ‘just in case’. But this new generation of targeted cleaners is beginning to feel less like backup and more like the frontline. In the age of soft furnishings, multi-pet households, and increasingly anarchic snacking habits, having a tool that can undo mess with speed and conviction is a must.
What Shark appears to have tapped into is not novelty, but necessity. A machine like this doesn’t compete with your vacuum; it complements it.
Of course, design still matters. Usability, too. And there is a legitimate question to be asked about whether anyone needs a device solely for spots and spills. But perhaps that’s the wrong way to frame it. What if the real luxury isn’t a gadget that does everything, but one that does one thing exceptionally well?
Shark StainStriker HairPro key specs
- Weight: 3.5kg
- Dimensions (cm): H38 x W29 x D33cm
- Cord length: 4.5m
- Floor types: Carpet
- Capacity: Clean solution tank: 2.1L, Dirty water tank: 0.72L
- Wattage: 450W
- Hose length: 1.3m
- Guarantee: 3 Years
- What’s included: Main Unit, HairPro Tough Stain Tool, Hair Pro Wide Tough Stain Tool, HairPro Pet mess collector, HairPro Pet hair collector, 177mL Deep Clean Pet Starter and 355ml Oxy Multiplier Starter Bottle
Design
One of the more garish spot cleaners I’ve seen, the StainStriker HairPro is brightly adorned in fuchsia and cyan with yellow details. I did, however, enjoy its surprising simplicity. Two compartments on either side click in and out with ease – one for dirty water, one for clean water mixed with the included deep clean solution. An additional blue compartment sits within the clean water tank and can be filled with extra-strong Oxy Multiplier (not to be diluted) for tough and particularly gnarly stains.
The machine is lightweight and easy to store, and I liked the fact that the hose wraps neatly around the machine in a purpose-built divot. There’s also a set of handles for wrapping the power cord.
This may be too much to ask of a cleaning appliance, but I’d appreciate a purpose-built container for all the attachment heads so that I don’t have to buy yet another transparent plastic box to put them all in. Imagine a world where attachment heads magnetically click into place both atop the hose and within their respective storage areas? A person can dream…
User-friendliness
While I review products for a living, don’t mistake me for someone who enjoys reading the fine print. What I look for in a device, as I’m sure most of you do, is simplicity. I want to be able to take it out of the box and use it immediately without any qualms. While I did have to consult page one of the manual, I had the machine up and running in around 10 minutes.
Fill the tank with clean water up to the indicated level, add solution up to the secondary level shown on the tank, click in a tool, plug in, and go. The hose and nozzle swivel freely and never feel like they’ll pop off mid‑stroke. Emptying the recovery tank is straightforward and, if handled promptly, rather hygienic too.
If you want to get the most out of this machine, it’s essential to embark on a bit of a deep dive. Shark Home has myriad helpful videos for those who find trawling through instruction manuals too painful. I found this brilliant one on rinsing the nozzle with the help of the “rinse & go self-wash cycle” feature.
It’s as simple as turning on the unit and popping the hose onto the blue square atop the clean water section. With a gentle push and a rocking motion, clean water shoots up and through the nozzle into the hose for a deep clean. Everything is designed to avoid fuss and reduce that daunting “post‑clean” chore that often derails the user’s goodwill.
Functionality
I ferried my spot cleaner over to a friend’s house in order to, three months after my dog decided to go to the toilet on their rug, attempt to lift the aged stain. A tough first test for my machine, but a worthy one – especially given it’s billed as a device “built for homes with pets.”
Naturally, I used the pet stain attachment for this clean. It’s fantastic because it collects the dirty water in a separate, smaller container to prevent contamination. I then went over it with a normal attachment for a deeper clean.
While the bristles did indeed agitate the stain effectively, they also pulled up a fair bit of fabric, giving the rug a bit of a shave. Any additional fibres and hairs picked up through the clean, however, were caught by the filter in the dirty water tank – which separates solid muck from liquid grime with ease. Though it took a while for the cleaning solution to fully dry, once the wet patch disappeared, so too did the old stain.
Thanks to this demo of a slightly different model, I didn’t feel the need to sully my expensive rug with ketchup. I was already reassured that my device worked in much the same way, thanks to its ability to get rid of the older stain.
Verdict
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Shark StainStriker HairPro Pet Spot Cleaner
The Shark StainStriker HairPro might not win any awards for visual restraint, but its function more than makes up for its form. Whether or not you live with pets, this is a spot cleaner that earns its keep. It’s particularly good on sofas, rugs, and soft furnishings that don’t warrant a full deep-clean but occasionally fall victim to spills, snacks, or general life.
It’s simple to set up, easy to store, and delivers a solid clean without demanding much in return. The attachments are well thought out, especially the pet-specific one with its separate muck trap, but even in pet-free homes, the core cleaning tools do a thorough job.
The lack of onboard storage for accessories is a small irritation, and the colour scheme might not be to everyone’s taste. But if you’re after a compact machine that handles messes quickly, without fuss, and without soaking your furniture in the process, this one does exactly that.
No drama, no gimmicks — just a very competent, very useful household tool.
Buy now £189.00, Amazon
