How to Clean My Bissell Carpet Cleaner

On this page (9 sections)

1. What do you need to clean a Bissell carpet cleaner?
2. How do you empty and rinse the dirty tank?
3. How do you rinse the clean tank and solution lines?
4. How do you flush the hose and tools?
5. How do you clean the brush and brush housing?
6. What should you check on the nozzle and dirty water path?
7. How do you dry and store the machine so it stays fresh?
8. Which Bissell machines need which cleaning routine?
9. When should you give the machine a deep clean?

Empty the dirty tank, rinse the clean tank, flush the hose and wash the brush, then let every part air dry with the lid off. Clean your Bissell after each use so odor, foam and clumped hair never set in.

The steps below work for the upright machines and the portable models, because they share the same basic parts. Do the quick rinse first, then the deeper strip-down when the brush looks packed or the machine starts to smell.

What do you need to clean a Bissell carpet cleaner?

You need warm water, mild dish soap, a soft brush or old toothbrush and a dry towel, plus a bucket or sink large enough for the tanks. Skip harsh cleaners, bleach and abrasive pads, which cloud clear plastic and dry out seals.

Keep a second dry towel for the brush housing. If your model has a removable nozzle or tool caddy, set those aside before you start.

Have the manual within reach for the tank release points. Most Bissell uprights lift the clean tank off the back and the dirty tank off the front, while portable models open from the top.

The order matters, because a full dirty tank is heavy and easy to spill. Plan about 10 minutes for the after-use rinse, and closer to 20 or 30 minutes for the full brush and hose clean, mostly drying time you don't have to watch.

How do you empty and rinse the dirty tank?

Lift the dirty tank off the machine, pour the wastewater down a toilet or drain, and rinse the tank until the water runs clear. Then wipe the outside and leave it open to dry.

Pour slowly so debris doesn't splash. Swirl warm water with a drop of dish soap, dump it, and repeat until no suds remain.

Pay attention to the float shutoff inside the tank lid. Hair and grit collect around it and can stop the machine from cutting suction when the tank fills.

A soft brush loosens that film without scratching the plastic. Don't put the dirty tank away damp, because standing water in a closed tank is the main source of the sour smell people notice a week later.

Set it upside down on a towel so air reaches the inside. If the wastewater looks thick with foam, the mix was too strong, so rinse the tank and use less formula next time.

How do you rinse the clean tank and solution lines?

Fill the clean tank with warm water and run the machine over a scrap of carpet or a towel until the water comes out clear. This pushes leftover formula out of the pump and lines.

Do this after the dirty tank is empty, so the rinse water has somewhere to go. A short pass over a section you plan to clean anyway works fine.

You don't need to flood the floor. For an upright, tilt the handle back and pull the trigger as you move forward slowly.

Watch the clear tank level drop. When it stops dropping, the line is mostly flushed.

Leave the clean tank off the machine once you finish. A tank left full of water between cleanings grows a film on the inside, and that film ends up on your carpet next time.

How do you flush the hose and tools?

Fill the clean tank with clean water and draw it through the hose and tool into the dirty tank. That clears formula and debris from the path the water takes.

Hold the tool over a bucket or sink and pull the trigger until clean water comes through. Wipe the tool's brush and spray tip with a cloth.

A clogged spray tip shows up as a weak or uneven fan of water. Soak the tip in warm water for a few minutes, then rinse it and check the pattern.

Hang the hose so any water drains out rather than sitting in a low loop. Coil it loosely for storage and don't kink it against the tank.

This step matters most on machines used on stairs and upholstery, where the hose does most of the work. Our guide to how to clean carpet on stairs covers the tool technique so the hose gets less strain.

How do you clean the brush and brush housing?

Pull the brush out, comb the bristles free of hair and rinse them in warm water, then wipe the housing behind the brush. Hair wrapped around the brush is the most common cause of poor pickup.

Run a comb or your fingers through the bristles from root to tip. On machines with dual brushes, work on each row in turn.

Cut through stubborn wraps with scissors rather than yanking, which can pull bristles out of the holder. Wipe the clear window and the belt area with a damp cloth, and don't spray water directly into the motor housing.

A dry toothbrush reaches the corners where grit and carpet fibers collect. Let the brush air dry flat or standing on its end, because a brush left wet against a floor or inside a closed housing can grow mildew.

If the brush no longer spins freely, clear the hair first, since packed ends are the usual culprit.

Should you use shampoo in the machine?

Use a low-foam carpet shampoo made for machines, and measure it as the bottle directs. Household detergent foams too much for the dirty tank and leaves sticky residue in the lines.

Bissell says the Deep Clean Pro 4X formula is its most powerful, aimed at heavily soiled areas. It also carries StainProtect technology, which forms a protective barrier on carpet fibers to resist future stains.

Keep the mix to what the bottle states. A stronger mix doesn't clean better, and extra suds are hard to rinse from both the carpet and the machine.

Store the bottle closed and out of reach of children and pets. Skip it on wool or other delicate fibers unless the carpet maker allows a wet shampoo, and use a plain water rinse for the machine's lines between jobs.

What should you check on the nozzle and dirty water path?

Inspect the nozzle and the dirty water path for hair and grit after every cleaning. A partly blocked path shows up as streaks, weak suction or water left on the carpet.

Remove the nozzle if your model allows it. Rinse it under a tap and use a soft brush to clear the slot where water enters.

Don't push wire or a screwdriver through the opening. Wipe the gasket and the mating surface where the nozzle sits.

A poor seal there loses suction and lets dirty water bypass the tank. Re-seat the nozzle fully and check that any clips snap closed.

Check the dirty tank's lid and the float area once more before storage. Debris that dries in place is much harder to remove later than when it is still soft.

How do you dry and store the machine so it stays fresh?

Store the machine with the tanks off, lids open and the brush removed, in a dry spot. Airflow through the parts is what keeps mildew and odor away.

Wipe the outside with a dry cloth and run a dry pass over a towel to pull water out of the brush path. Leave the clean tank cap open and the dirty tank upside down on a towel.

Don't store the machine in a damp garage or shed, or against a wall where air can't reach the back. Coil the cord loosely rather than wrapping it tight around the handle.

Before the next use, empty any water left in the clean tank and check the brush for new hair. A dry machine also means the first pass on your carpet is clean water, not a stale mix from last month.

Which Bissell machines need which cleaning routine?

Every Bissell needs the tank and brush routine, and the portable models need the tool rinse more often. The uprights add a larger brush housing and a bigger dirty tank to dry.

The Little Green 1400B is a compact portable cleaner with a 48 oz clean water tank. It sprays, scrubs and suctions, and it comes with a HydroRinse self-cleaning tool and a 3-inch tough stain tool.

That tool makes the hose rinse quicker, but the dirty tank and tools still need a hand wash.

The ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet 1548F is a full-size upright with dual DirtLifter PowerBrushes and 12 cleaning rows. It has a hose with a pet stain tool and a 3-inch tough stain tool.

With more brush rows and a larger tank, expect the brush clean to take a little longer than on a portable.

Whichever model you own, the routine is the same in order: dirty tank, clean tank, hose, brush, nozzle, then dry. Compare machines in our guide to carpet steam cleaners if you're shopping for a new one.

For a smaller budget, see the cheap carpet cleaner options. If you own the big upright model, how to use Bissell Big Green carpet cleaner covers its own tank and hose handling.

When should you give the machine a deep clean?

Give it a deep clean when the brush looks packed, the dirty tank smells after rinsing, or the spray pattern turns weak. A monthly strip-down keeps a machine in regular use from building up residue.

Take the brush and nozzle off and wash both in warm water with a drop of dish soap. Flush the hose until the water runs clear.

Wipe the housing and gaskets dry, then leave everything open to air. A short rinse after every job means fewer parts to scrub later and no smell to chase.

If a sour smell returns right after a deep clean, check that no water is trapped in the hose or under the tank. A dry, open storage spot solves most of it.

Recheck the brush and nozzle next, then run a clean water pass before the next carpet job.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I clean my Bissell carpet cleaner?

Clean the dirty tank and brush after every use, and give the hose and nozzle a full rinse at the end of each cleaning day. A deeper strip-down of the brush and housing suits a monthly rhythm, or sooner if the machine sits in a garage or you notice a sour smell.

Can I put Bissell carpet cleaner parts in the dishwasher?

No. Wash tanks, brushes and tools by hand in warm water with mild dish soap.

Heat and long soaking cycles can warp clear plastic and loosen seals, so rinse and air dry instead.

Why does my Bissell carpet cleaner smell after cleaning?

Odor usually comes from dirty water or damp solution left in the tank, hose or brush housing. Empty and rinse the dirty tank, flush the hose, and store the machine with tanks off and lids open so air can reach every wet part.

How do I stop foam from building up in the dirty tank?

Use only the amount of formula the bottle states and never substitute household detergent, which foams heavily. Rinse the dirty tank fully after each use, and skim or dump suds before they climb toward the float shutoff.