Must-Have Carpet Deep Cleaner for Homeowners

• 18 pounds
• 12 amps
• extra long power cord
• powerful 6 bristle brush
• hose and attachment
• heater (185 degrees)
• $149 (at Target)

Deep cleaning carpets is an essential chore for homeowners desiring to rid their floors of all dirt, dust and even pet dander.

I have been on such a mission, and in particular am trying to remove all pet dander embedded deep down in our carpets since my husband has pet allergies. In addition to air purifiers, HEPA filter vacuums, and the like, I have now added the Bissell PROheat deep cleaner into my arsenal of weapons for this war on pet dander, dust and dirt.

While researching the best way to clean carpets and rid them of allergens, I discovered that pet dander is "sticky" and actually clings to dust and dust mites. By removing the dust with a deep cleaner that vacuuming misses, pet dander should also be eliminated.

Billed as being powerful and the only heated deep cleaner, I selected the Bissell PROheat 2x from Target. Additionally, Bissell has a variety of carpet cleaning solutions to add to the machine; I selected the allergen formula.

It only took 10 minutes to fully assemble my new deep cleaner!

From the moment I removed the rather-large Bissell box off the store shelf and put it into my shopping cart, I was pleased. The carton itself has two pre-cut handles, one on the top and one on the side, making lifting and carrying a snap.

Anxious to take my new deep cleaner on its maiden voyage, I figured assembly would slow me down. I could not have been more wrong. It seems the product engineers are as "thoughtful" as the packaging engineers.

The Bissell carton only contains three items:

1. The deep cleaner itself with the hose already attached and water tank already in place
2. The upper part of the handle
3. A small box containing two brackets, four screws, a brush attachment for the hose, and directions

Assembling the deep cleaner is as simple as snapping and screwing the upper handle into the lower body; sliding one hose bracket into slots on the machine; and screwing the second hose bracket with two screws. Only one tool, a Phillips head screwdriver, is needed. Once the brackets are attached the hose is easily wound around them for convenient storage.

Figuring out how to use this deep cleaner is a breeze.

The Bissell PROheat 2x is equipped with:

• An attached PowerBrush that lifts out deep-down dirt as the cleaner is pushed and pulled along the carpet
• A long, flexible hose with attachment to clean small, hard-to-reach places
• A large dial with two settings: "floor" or "tools" (Tools is selected when using the hose)
• Two foot pedals: gray for lowering the handle, red to power the cleaner on and off
• An on/off heating switch
• A tank for the water/cleaning solution
• A trigger on the handle to release the cleaning solution as needed

The 2-in-1 water tank makes it incredibly simple to combine the correct amount of Bissell cleaner formula and hot tap water.

The lid to the water tank contains a built in measuring cup with a "fill to here" line for the formula. (See pictures below.) Making the cleaning mixture is as simple as adding the formula up to the "fill to here" line, pouring it into the tank, and then adding hot tap water until the tank is full. For ease of use, the tank has a handle so it can easily be carried from the sink to the machine.

If you expect to clean carpets in the same amount of time it takes to vacuum them, you will be disappointed. But, by working in small sections at a time, and patiently moving the cleaner back and forth over the same path, the action and suction of the cleaner have the opportunity to perform their cleaning magic and remove most of the water.

I doubt Benjamin Franklin was thinking about cleaning carpets when he said, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail," but the concept is applicable. For the very best results, it is a good idea to prep the carpet for deep cleaning before even plugging it in.

Preparing the carpet: In order to clean the entire carpet, remove as much furniture from the room as possible. With the room cleared out, vacuum thoroughly, making sure to get close to the baseboards, as well. Consider vacuuming a couple times in different directions to remove as much dust and debris as possible.

Cleaning the carpet: Since the carpet will get damp and needs a little bit of time to dry, it's best to start the deep cleaning in a back corner and work your way out of the room.

After filling the water/cleaning tank and putting it on the machine, plug the machine in, making sure the dial is set to "floor."

One thing that makes the Bissell PROheat exceptional at cleaning carpet is that the water can be heated up to 185 degrees. Turn the heat switch to "on" and wait about one minute. The heater will heat the tap water added to the tank an additional 25 degrees but will not exceed 185 degrees total.

Release the handle (gray foot pedal) and use the spray trigger on the handle to wet the carpet on the first forward and backward pass over the same area of carpet. As you move the deep cleaner over the carpet you will see the water being sucked back into the machine. Continue to move forward and backward slowly over the same area until not much water is being sucked up anymore. By not saturating the carpets, and removing most of the water, the carpets will dry within a few hours. Repeat this process until the entire carpet is clean.

For smaller or hard to reach areas, switch the dial to "tools" and use the spray trigger on the hose which is equipped with the attachment.

Throughout the cleaning process dispose of the dirty water and add more hot tap water and cleaning formula as necessary.

When I purchased my Bissell deep cleaner I gave absolutely zero thought to the type of water tank that is included. After operating this machine, however, I came to realize what an important feature the tank is to achieving the best cleaning job.

The 2-in-1 tank makes the Bissell an ingenious machine since the single tank contains two chambers keeping the cleaning solution and dirty water separated.

• Bladder (chamber 1): The bladder is a heavy-duty plastic bag within the bucket, and it expands when the cleaning formula and hot water are added to it.
• Bucket (chamber 2): At first the bucket is empty, but as the spray trigger is squeezed as paths are made along the carpet, cleaning solution empties out of the bladder and dirty water is sucked into the bucket.

Additionally, the size of the 2-in-1 tank is perfect for most typical rooms in a home - not too big, not too small. As you clean, expect to make several trips to a sink to empty and refill the tank per room (depending on the size of the room). Just remember, if the tank was larger it would be difficult to carry when full, as well as awkward to pour out the dirty water.

The Bissell PROheat deep cleaner is a must-have appliance for any homeowner, especially homes with pets and children.

A lot of value is packed into this $149 deep cleaner. With 12 amps of power, a rotating brush of bristles, and heated cleaning solution, this machine does an excellent job of removing deep down dirt (and hopefully pet dander) that a vacuum does not have any hope of getting. The Bissell Allergen cleaning formula did an effective job at cleaning stains, making the carpets like new.

From well-placed handles on the carton, to ease of assembly and use, the Bissell PROheat is a hit from start to finish. The addition of a stair cleaning attachment and a sample of pre-treating stain solution are the only improvements necessary.

It's easy to see why Bissell is the #1 brand in deep cleaners. For a small investment, some time and old-fashioned elbow grease, any homeowner can keep their carpets deep-down clean.