A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Lightweight and easy to use, the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner is one of the best machines to have in your arsenal of cleaning products.
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We all know that accidents happen. And when they do, they have an uncanny knack of happening on things like carpets, couches and other upholstered surfaces. That’s where the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner comes in. As one of the best portable carpet cleaners, it works wonders on everything from red wine to muddy paws and yep, even pet urine.
This lightweight, cordless machine costs $200, but we assure you it’ll pay for itself in no time. To prove it, our expert product testers took it into our studio to see exactly what it could do. When they were finished, they sent it home with a tester to see how it holds up to real-life messes over time. Here’s everything you need to know about the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner.
This portable carpet cleaner is lightweight, easy to maneuver and has a simple emptying process.
The Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner is a cordless, portable carpet cleaner that’s designed for use on carpets and upholstery. It has a 33.8-ounce water tank, a 62-inch hose and a wide spray that makes it easy to cover plenty of surface area. This machine comes with a 4-inch tough stain tool, an 8-ounce bottle of Bissell Pro OXY Spot & Stain solution and a charger. It also comes with a HydroRinse tool, which allows you to flush dirt and debris from the hose when you’re finished cleaning.
This machine has two tanks: one for clean water and one for dirty water. Both tanks are easy to remove, empty, rinse and refill as needed. Our testers especially liked having fill lines for max water and max solution for both large and small areas, depending on the size of your mess.
Product tester Dylan Fischer led the Product Testing Team in assembling, measuring and weighing the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner. According to Fischer, it was easy to set up and took two hours and 20 minutes to fully charge. With a full tank of water and Bissell cleaning solution, this machine weighed in at 9.9 pounds.
Fischer and the team put this carpet cleaner up against two rounds of stains: red wine, mud and yellow-dyed ammonia. The first batch of stains were set and the second batch of stains were new. The team then attempted to remove each of the stains with the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner, noting the visibility of the stain after 30 seconds of use.
Our team found that it took two to three rounds of cleaning to remove all stains and odors using the machine’s Turbo Mode. They especially liked being able to cover more area while cleaning. “The dispenser on this one has a good spread,” says Fischer. “And the streamline is wide and covers more area.”
However, after the first round of testing, the head of the hose began dripping dirty water onto Fischer’s hands. Our team notes that this could be due to turning it off too quickly after use, causing water to get stuck in the attachment rather than sucked up through the hose. After testing was complete, they emptied and rinsed the water tanks. Our team describes the emptying process as very simple.
Overall, our testers agree that this carpet cleaner is a great value. “The performance was outstanding. This was in our top three,” raves Fischer. Our long-term tester, Stacey Genaw, agrees, adding that it is super lightweight and easy to move around.
Genaw used this carpet cleaner to remove puppy pee from her carpeted stairs. “It wasn’t really ‘stained’,” she explains. “It was more of a smell. I used the vac to spray my solution over the smelly area and a few stairs above and below. I let sit for 15 minutes, went back and sprayed again and vacuumed with the machine.” The whole process took her about half an hour and she opted to use a homemade carpet cleaner comprised of vinegar and water as opposed to Bissell’s cleaning solution. “For a small cleaner, I really like the performance,” raves Genaw.
This portable carpet cleaner is lightweight, easy to maneuver and has a simple emptying process.
This editor-tested cordless carpet cleaner is available at a variety of retailers, including Walmart, Bissell, and Amazon, for around $200.
And if you’re in the market for more stain-busting solutions, don’t sleep on these other Bissell products our editors love, either. We tested and recommend the Revolution HydroSteam Pet, Pet Stain Eraser Duo, Spinwave, PowerForce Helix and Little Green Machine. This way to a healthy home!
Drying time really depends on your carpet—things like the type, thickness, how many times you go over a spot without spraying, and even the room’s humidity and airflow can all make a difference. As a rule of thumb, give it about four to six hours before walking on it after a deep clean, though it can take up to a full day to dry completely.
Yes, you can use a Bissell Little Green Machine on a couch. Just be sure to check the care label first to make sure water-based cleaners are safe, and always test a hidden spot to avoid any color bleeding
You should use hot tap water for the best cleaning results.
Your carpet make look dirtier after you shampoo it due to detergent residue or if hidden stains that get pulled to the surface. Sometimes cleaning makes existing wear and tear more noticeable.
Our shopping editors and product testing experts on the Product Testing Team have years of experience testing and evaluating every type of vacuum cleaner, mop and carpet cleaner on the market. Many of us are also pet owners and parents who understand the importance of having a good carpet cleaner on hand. We’ve tested everything from the best carpet cleaners for pet messes to the best vacuums for pet hair that will keep your home fresh and clean. After hundreds of hours and dozens of products, we’re confident in our recommendations for the best machines in each category. We strive to recommend the very best products using honest and fair testing practices regardless of a product’s price point or popularity.
For this series on the best portable carpet cleaners, our product-testing experts on the Product Testing Team spent over 40 hours conducting firsthand research in our Testing Lab on 11 different portable carpet cleaners, including the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner. We also sent this machine home with a tester for long-term use to see how it held up against real pet messes in a real home. We compiled all of their findings into this comprehensive Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner review so you can shop with confidence.
