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With two dogs in the house 24/7, we NEED a powerful carpet cleaner more often than we’d like to admit!
I can’t tell you just how many times I’ve used our Bissell Pro Heat steam cleaner to clean up even the toughest of pet stains.
If you’re wondering how it works, and whether or not it’s worth the money, consider this…
We’ve used our Bissell Pro Heat steam cleaner to clean up “pet stains” including:
Not to mention how often we use it to clean up “people stains” including:
- strawberry smoothies
- grease
- Diet Coke
The best part:
Regardless of how long the stain has been there (…2 hours, 2 days, or 2 MONTHS!) the Bissell Proheat carpet shampooer cleans it up like a champ. I can personally attest to this. I’ve had mine for years!
How The Bissell Proheat Works
Here’s how the Bissell works in 2 simple steps:
#1 – Choose Your Cleaner.
First, you fill up the liquid soap container…
My all-time favorite liquid cleaner for the Bissell Proheat is: Zep Extractor Carpet Shampoo.
It’s what the professionals use. I get it from Home Depot.
I like it because:
- It’s “low-foam”, so it doesn’t gunk up your carpet with soaps or sticky residue.
- It dries quickly.
- It smells good.
#2 – Load It With Water & Start Vacuuming!
Simply fill up the bladder with hot water, and from there — it’s like a typical vacuum cleaner. Just push & pull.
The Bissell Pro-heat works in such a way that every time you depress the trigger on the handle the perfect combination of cleaner and water are sprayed onto your carpet.
For the best effects, you PRESS the trigger as you’re PUSHING the machine over a stain, then RELEASE the trigger as you’re PULLING it back over the same stain. Whenever the Bissell Proheat is not dispensing liquid onto your carpet, it automatically sucks the liquid up from your carpet. It’s really powerful too.
That’s it!
Check Out The Duo-Water Container
The coolest thing about the Bissell Pro-Heat is the fact that the clean water and the dirty water are stored in the same container — clean water remains in the bladder, dirty water surrounds the bladder.
To empty the water, you simply hold the duo water container upside down over the sink, bathtub, or toilet and both the clean and dirty water go right down the drain.
The best part is… regardless of what you’re cleaning up, your hands never touch the yucky water.
Trivial sidenote: The amount of water you choose to start with largely affects the weight of the cleaning machine itself. Therefore, if you’ve just got a small job at hand, you could just fill the bladder partially full. (A great tip, if you plan to carry the Bissell up a flight of stairs or something.)
The photo on the right reveals the dirty water that resulted from this one small cleaning task (above).
The photo on the left shows the same spot moments after cleaning with the Bissell Proheat steam cleaner.
It’s a very powerful cleaner. And your reward is the volume of murky dirty water that results after even small cleaning jobs!
Hop On-Board
While I typically use the entire vacuum cleaner-like machine itself for all stains — large and small — you can also use a number of onboard tools for cleaning up smaller stains, carpeted stairs, etc. The tools have their own small trigger which dispenses the proper amount of cleaning fluid and water, directly onto the spot.
Another great feature is the tiny red button on the back of the machine. It allows you to turn “on” or “off” the internal heating element. When it’s on, you are using the hottest water possible to zap up stains. (Not sure why you’d ever want this to be “off”… it works amazingly with super-hot water.)
It’s Not A Vacuum Cleaner
While the Bissell Pro-Heat Steam Cleaner looks like a normal vacuum cleaner, it is not anything like a vacuum cleaner and it cannot be used to sweep your carpet!
Despite its very powerful suction underneath, it can only suck up LIQUIDS and no solids can get through the tiny holes. (Which is a good thing, since solids would clog the inner workings of this liquid cleaning machine.)
On a related note, you must thoroughly vacuum the area FIRST before you steam clean your carpet. Otherwise, dog fur and other “carpet goodies” will gather underneath and you’ll have to manually wipe off the underside of the machine every few minutes.
It’s The Best Carpet Cleaner In The World!
I’ve had my Bissell Pro Heat steam cleaner for over 4 years now, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything!
I probably use it for spot cleaning at least once a week (dogs!), and I give ALL of the carpet a complete cleaning every 2-3 months.
There hasn’t been a stain that it couldn’t pick up yet… and with 3 dogs, you never know what you might need to clean up next.
No doubt about it, the Bissell Pro Heat carpet cleaner is doggie-approved… it gets a 4-paws rating!
More About Dogs & Cleaning Tips
- Nothing Cleans A House Better… than the Bissell Pro-Heat Carpet Cleaner, TECH Stain Remover, and the Oreck Vacuum Cleaner!
- Home Remedies For Doggie Diarrhea… things you can try at home for treating diarrhea in your dog.
- Dog Neuter Gone Wrong… when pet surgery results in a messy house.
- Parts & Repair Manuals Online …find free owners manuals online, plus my favorite place for ordering repair parts online.
- Hoover SteamVac Carpet Cleaner …this one gives the Bissell a run for its money. (Check out all the comments.)
- Dealing With Dog Smells …how to rid your life of doggie odors that tend to linger.
- Bissell Customer Support …for answers to all of your Bissell repair questions or to find a service center near you.
I like to help people find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about “outside the box” Household Tips and Life Hacks that most wouldn’t think of. I’m super-organized. And I LOVE to clean! I even enjoy doing laundry (but not ironing). I’m also a lifelong dog owner — so I often share my favorite tips for living with dogs inside your home (like smart home design choices and dog-friendly cleaning & decorating ideas). Career-wise, I’ve been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started… and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). Prior to that, I worked in Higher Ed over 10 years before switching gears to pursue activities that I’m truly passionate about instead. For example, I’ve worked at a vet, in a photo lab, and at a zoo — to name a few. I enjoy the outdoors via bicycle, motorcycle, Jeep, or RV. When I’m not cleaning, organizing, decorating, or fixing something… you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I’ve personally written over 200 articles about cleaning, organization, DIY repairs, and household hacks on this site! A few have over 2M shares; many others have over 100K shares.
After reading your article and your proof of use, there is no denying that Bissell Pro Heat steam cleaner is the logical choice.
my roller brush will not spin., Belt is intact… need to find out EXACTLY what part needs to be replaced to fix this
Refer to your manual — should have a list of parts. Or go to the Bissell website to order. Another thing you might try is repair.com — excellent site
I have a question. I have purchased 2 (two) new Billess Carpet Shampooers over the past 4 years. Both have only lasted one year before they would no longer function. I start it up and shampoo only a very small area and the machine will no longer put any liquid on the floor. It only works for the first few minutes and ceases to put any liquid on the carpet. After purchasing 2 new ones, I feel that there is most definately a flaw somewhere in the machine that causes it to stop functioning in this manor. Both machines have ceased working in the same manor.
Is there anything that I am overlooking that could possibly allow me to fix the problem?
thank you
the best thing to have clean your carpet is stanley steemer not this piece of shit!
mr tanley – I agree, stanley steemer is great for a complete deep-cleaning of all the carpet in your home. But not for spot-cleaning. If you have dogs or kids, you need an in-home carpet cleaner. This Bissell has always worked like a gem for me. (I have dogs. For a few years, we had 3 large dogs at one time.)
Can you clean furniture with this? My couch is microfiber and could use a good clean
Hester – yes, using the hose attachment and small brush head (that you can see in the last 2 pictures), you can spot-clean furniture, carpeted stairs, and anywhere else that the full machine is just too heavy to lift or to big to do the job right. The most powerful suction and cleaning power though comes from the heavy-duty main brush head that’s built onto the machine at floor level.
Hope that helps…
Thank Youfor helpp i did not know how to use mashine, because may doughter give to me without instruction (used) Thaks again for your helpp owesom
How To Reassemble model 8920
Bissell Pro Heat 2
I am using a Bissell 2X Proheat Carpet Cleaning unit.
It does not pull up the water that is displaced on the rug during the cleansing phase.
I am trying to use the bissel proheat carpet cleaner and it’s not shooting out the water or cleaner. what do I need to do?
The pump in it is gone bad. You can go to online and find the part. what is your model number?
this is the same problem that I have….with no help from the Bissell co.
Nice article!
There isn’t one brand who’s the best out there. There are a lot of great brands nowadays…
we have the Bissel, I used it with just water AFTER Stanley Steemer left and was amazed at the dirty water and muck I picked up. Stanley Steemer does not rinse and I am glad I went back and did it again. It was easy and Now I feel like the carpet is clean.
I want to let you know that I think Bissell Fiber Cleansing shampoo is the best I’ve ever used. We moved recently and I used a different brand because I didn’t know where my full bottle of Bissell was at the time. A week later I shampooed again with my Bissell Fiber Cleansing shampoo because the carpet didn’t look clean and it felt “gummy” when barefoot. After I used the Bissell shampoo my carpet looked clean, smelled clean, and did NOT fell gummy when walked on. I also have a Bissell ProHeat cleaner that cleans real well….the only thing I don’t like about it is the fact that if I take it apart to clean after use, it is a BEAR to put back together. That feature needs some improvement. Thank you
Thanks for the review, I’m thinking to rent a Bissell Pro cleaner from a local Phoenix carpet cleaners as they have an offer going at the moment on them. I’m glad to read that even old stains can be removed, I have some stains that have been stuck in my carpet for almost 3 years that I’m hoping to get rid of once and for all!
I agree this machine works well, but the heater failed after 2 uses (blocked and leaking – very dangerous combination of water and electricity) and then after replacing that the suction failed due to a bad seal (leaving soap and water on the carpet). I wouldn’t recommend a Bissell Pro Heat.
I have had my Bissell cleaner for almost 5 years. I love it but there is something wrong with it now. Where can I find a place to take it to to check it out.
@ Patty – To find a local repair center to fix a broken Bissell product, go here:https://www.bissell.com/customer-support/…scroll down to the “find a service center”Hope that helps 😀
I have had 3 Bissell cleaners, and all of them were broke within a few months. All of them had the same problem: they will not pick up water that is displaced when cleaning, so you ended up with sloppy wet carpeting. When they work, they work great, but they don’t work for long. I’m looking for another brand.
The first Bissell carpet clean I bought worked great…..The Bissell Heat pro is a piece of crap. When I called Bissell all I got was the run around….Nothing works right on it. I will never buy anothere Bissell product….too bad they had to make all the fancy changes and screw it up
me too mine is crap wont spray the water
have the same problem & had it in the shop, used it once afterwards & the same problem!!! Loved it for the first time it worked!!!
Do you use the Zep’s steam cleaner just like the standard Bissell fluid? Meaning, do you simply fill up the container or do you need to water it down at all?
MrBissell – I don’t dilute it at all. Just use it straight / full-strength.
i too have dogs in my house 24/7 i bought the bissel pro heat 2x i love it i can not say enough good things about this machine! it is awesome and when we bought our new home with white carpet i was like ehhhhh! dogs kids and white carpet…… my bissel gets the job done =)
I have the bissel pro heat. I think something is clogged and won’t allow it to spray from the tank. It works fine with the attachments. Is there a way that I can clean the unit itself to make sure there is nothing stuck. Taking it to a repair shop is an option but it is nearly 75 miles for a dealer. Please help! Thanks
The Bissell Heat pro is a piece of crap. When I called Bissell all I got
was the run around….Nothing works right on it. I will never buy
anothere Bissell product….too bad they had to make all the fancy
changes and screw it up
I have read from the Humane society of the us site that the worst thing you can do is steam clean pet stains because the proteins in their accidents will set in forever if heated by a steamer by attaching themselves permenantly to man made fibers. While this steamer may take care of stains I assure you your dogs still smell the markings.
would / could any recommend this great steamer/shampo vac. . . for cleaning tile?
I wouldn’t recommend the Bissell Pro Heat for tile. It’s made for carpet. I don’t think it would work well at all on tile.
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