Bissell is a well-known and respected manufacturer of vacuum cleaners. Bissell carpet cleaners are outstanding in deep cleaning your carpet, removing tough stains, and maintaining a clean home. Since it is a worthy investment, it would be good to know how long a Bissell carpet cleaner lasts.

A brand new Bissell carpet cleaner will last 8 to 10 years with proper maintenance. Pre-owned carpet cleaners may have a shorter lifespan depending on the previous usage.

Some factors will determine how long your carpet cleaner will last. I will explain some of these factors and give tips on how you can maintain your Bissell carpet cleaner for a longer lifespan.

What Factors Affect a Bissell Carpet Cleaner’s Lifespan?

Improper Storage

How you store your Bissell carpet cleaner will determine how long it will last. If you keep it immediately after use with the water tank full, you will expose your carpet cleaner as a breeding spot for germs that are dangerous to your home.

A full water tank will also expose the motor to moisture, and after some time, the motor will get damaged. If your Bissell carpet cleaner has a water hose and you leave it attached and undrained after use, the water droplets will get trapped and ruin the carpet cleaner’s hose.

It is advisable to store your Bissell carpet cleaner indoors, in a cool, dry area. Keeping it outside will risk exposing it to extremely high temperatures or freezing conditions. These extremities will cause your carpet cleaner to break down or malfunction.

Cleaning Formulas

When buying carpet cleaning formulas, get Bissell products or products recommended by them for your Bissell carpet cleaner. Bissell carpet cleaning products contain no dyes, optical brighteners, or phosphates.

Other products used with your Bissell carpet cleaner may damage it, or you may not achieve optimal performance. You will also void your Bissell carpet cleaner warranty if you use other brands of cleaning products.

How to Troubleshoot a Bissell Carpet Cleaner Malfunction?

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Malfunctions do not necessarily mean your Bissell carpet cleaner is worn out. It could be that a part of the carpet cleaner is faulty and needs replacement, or you need to re-look at your cleaning process to solve the problem.

There are several ways you can troubleshoot your Bissell carpet cleaner to detect a severe or minor malfunction.

Check the Brushes

Check if your brushes are rotating correctly. Recline the handle and check if the brushes spin. If they do not, unplug your carpet cleaner from the power and remove the water tank to avoid spillage.

Take a look at the pump belt on the right side of your Bissell Carpet cleaner. Check if the belt is tight and in good shape and whether it has debris. Check the floor brushes for debris and large dirt particles or objects that could interfere with the brush rotation.

If you see any, remove them by hand and manually turn the brush severally to confirm movement. You can also check the brush housing and the brushes themselves for any physical damage.

If there is apparent damage, you can call a technician or replace the damaged parts altogether.

Failure to Spray Solution

Ensure the water tank is full and aligned correctly, as this could be a reason your Bissell carpet cleaner fails to spray.

If the water tank is full and the carpet cleaner is still not spraying, it could be that the solution is clogged. It would be best to unclog it by turning the carpet cleaner off, unplugging it from the power source, and removing the water tank to avoid any spillage.

Remove the solution cap from below the carpet cleaner, then remove the filter by pulling it out of the unit. Once it is out, rinse it with cold water, ensure it is clean, and return the filter and solution cap back to position.

Failure to Suck Properly

If your Bissell carpet cleaner is not sucking up water, check the dial setting and ensure it is on ‘floor cleaning.’ Ensure the water tank is secure and well connected to the machine. Check the doors and latches on your carpet cleaner and close all of them tightly.

Open doors and latches will interfere with your carpet cleaner’s suction ability.

Clumps of Debris on the Carpet

Suppose your Bissell carpet cleaner leaves clumps of debris and materials such as hair after you clean your carpet. In that case, it is because the rotating brushes are cleaning your carpet deeper than regular vacuums.

It will collect dirt and debris that is not visible on the surface, and as it suctions the water out of your carpet, it might miss debris and fuzz of hair that collects to form these clumps.

It does not mean that your Bissell carpet cleaner is faulty. To address this issue, once you clean your carpet and it is dried up, manually pick up the debris, or use a hand vacuum to clear them up.

How to Extend Bissell Carpet Cleaner Lifespan?

Investing in a Bissell carpet cleaner means you have chosen quality, and you will need to take measures to protect this investment and lengthen your carpet cleaner’s lifespan.

Empty your carpet cleaner’s water tank after every use. If it has a water hose, detach it from your carpet cleaners and drain all the water collected within it so that no water droplets enter the machine during storage.

Use carpet cleaning products that are specific to Bissell carpet cleaner brands. You can use Bissell cleaning products or visit the nearest Bissell store and ask for guidance on what products to use.

Read the instruction manual that comes with your Bissell carpet cleaner’s packaging. Not all carpet cleaners have the exact instructions, even though their designs might look the same. Follow Bissell’s specific instructions on handling your carpet cleaner.

Check your carpet cleaner’s brush and belt for dirt and debris. If they are dirty, use a damp cloth to clean the belt and remove the brushes, rinsing them with cold water until clean. The same applies to the solutions filters. Rinse them as well to avoid problems with spraying.

Store your Bissell carpet cleaner in an upright position and in a dry place like a closet.

How Often Should a Bissell Carpet Cleaner be Used?

You can use your Bissell carpet cleaner for surface cleaning weekly. Surface cleaning means removing spills and stains that occur regularly and are visible on the carpet’s surface. You can decide to clean spills immediately or wait till the end of the week to clear out additional dirt accumulated over the week.

You should deep-clean your carpet at least twice a year or four times a year if you have children and pets. Deep-cleaning removes deep-down dirt that is not visible on the carpet’s surface.

This type of dirt includes skin cell articles, pollen, small dirt particles from shoes, and food particles. Since this dirt is not noticeable, even if they exist, it is not advisable to deep-clean your carpet every week or even monthly.

The deep-cleaning process is rigorous and will reduce your carpet wear,  making it dull and unattractive. Your carpet can hold up to a pound of soil and other elements like animal fur before you need to deep-clean it.