For most homeowners, a complete cleaning process for their carpet involves using the vacuum cleaner and, every few months, deep cleaning to get rid of excess dirt and stains. Giving the carpet a good wash and rinse with hot water isn't always possible. Luckily, regularly using your Bissell vacuum cleaner can help you avoid excessive smell and dust.
Improvising a carpet cleaner in a Bissell can be a tempting thought, but don't fall for it. It is not advisable to use a cleaner other than one specifically designed for it by the manufacturers of Bissell.
Ideally, you should only use a Bissell carpet cleaner with Bissel carpet cleaning machines. That's because using other carpet shampoos can void the warranty of your Bissell carpet cleaner. You can also find this instruction written in your Bissell user manual. What's interesting about this instruction is that you do not need to follow it very strictly. Suppose you accidentally spilled nail polish, or your carpet may have muddy footprints that you want to get rid of. It is not always that you have the cash to buy a Bissell solution to clean your carpets. Your carpet need not stay dirty just because you can't afford to repurchase Bissell carpet cleaning products. It is okay to experiment sometimes! The good news is that many homeowners switched to other types of carpet cleaning mixtures and solutions to use with their carpet cleaner and got pretty good results.
Can you use other cleaners in Bissell carpet cleaner?
Bissell manufacturers agreed that it is possible to use other carpet cleaners in a Bissell on their official website. However, they recommended against them with their cleaning machines. This is for a number of reasons. The Bissell carpet shampoo formula is completely free of optical brighteners, dyes, and phosphates. Moreover, only the Bissell carpet cleaning solution comes with a formula containing Scotchgard protection. This is especially useful because carpet manufacturers recommend using a stain resisting formula at least twice a year. Bissell carpet cleaning products, along with a Bissell Proheat carpet cleaning machine, make for the perfect cleaning system that maintains Scotchgard protection's carpet stain warranty.
But what can you do when you have no choice? In such a case, when your Bissell carpet cleaner needs the formula to remove heavy stains from your carpet, you can use a different carpet cleaner. There are different types of carpet solutions made for different kinds of stains.
You don't always need a Bissell carpet cleaning product to clean your room. You can always use a vacuum cleaner like Bissell CrossWave pet pro. That is, except for when you have harsh stains that wouldn't go away without a cleaner.
Can you use Rug Doctor carpet cleaner in a Bissell?
While it is possible to use a cleaner machine by one brand and a cleaner solution by another, manufacturers tend to advise against it. They warn that cleaners from other brands can harm the machinery and interfere with the warranty time frame. They state that should your cleaner machine and solution brand stays the same. Many people also take it this way: brands want you to use their cleaners for their profit.
However, when it comes to Rug Doctor cleaner, they answered a similar question on their website. While explaining whether their products can be used in machines by other brands, Rug Doctor said yes to Bissell. Any carpet wash machine can use the Doctor Rug carpet cleaning solution to deep clean carpets and reduce the smell.
However, you should read your Bissell's user guide before using a Rug Doctor cleaner with it. Your machine model may have different requirements. Don't forget to read the label on the packaging for Rug Doctor cleaning solution.
Can you use Hoover cleaner in a Bissell?
Using Bissell formula like the deep clean and refresh variant, or the Bissell simple green, in a Hoover model. Similarly, you can use a Hoover cleaner in the Bissell as well.
To stay on the safer side and not damage your Bissell machinery, you should take a few safety precautions. Remember reading the label and instructions on the Hoover detergent. Also, make sure that you don't forget to refer to your Bissell user manual for any specific details that you may have missed earlier.
How to make your own Bissell carpet cleaner solution?
Bissell states in its user manual to only use a carpet cleaner by the same brand, but realistically, how often can you do so? Luckily, it is possible to make both chemicals and natural cleaners at home to use with your machine to remove stains. However, it is best first to do a spot-test to ensure that your homemade carpet cleaner does not cause discoloration or form faded patches on your carpet. After all, you don't want the floors and carpets to mismatch- it could end up affecting the interior decor in your room!
Homemade carpet cleaning solutions
Vinegar
You may already know that you can use white vinegar to clean just about any household surface, such as floors, tiles, and stains on upholstery. Fortunately, it's also a great cleaning product to use in your Bissell carpet cleaning machine. Here is an easy way to use it as a carpet cleaner while enjoying all of its other deep cleaning benefits:
- Pour one cup of white vinegar into the reservoir tank of your carpet cleaning machine.
- Fill the rest of the tank with warm water. This will dilute the vinegar not to fade away the color of your carpet.
For heavier stains:
- Remove excess mud or food using a paper towel to prevent the stain from setting in.
- Add equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Mix them by slightly shaking the bottle.
- Spray the mixture on pre-treated stains properly.
- Let the vinegar solution sit for about half an hour.
- Next, you can use the vinegar with your Bissell carpet cleaner machine, as mentioned above.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
The cleaning effect of white vinegar can be maximized if it's paired with another kitchen item: baking soda.
- Sprinkle a good amount of baking soda on the carpet. You can also sweep the baking soda over the pile. This will allow it to reach deep under the carpet fibers, where grime and dirt sit.
Two things that you can do next:
- Use your Bissell carpet cleaner that has the warm water and vinegar solution directly onto the carpet.
- Pre-treat heavy stains if your carpet has any by spraying the vinegar solution and letting it do the process for half an hour. Then, you can go over it with your cleaner.
Hot Water
Using hot water to clean your carpets is an expert recommendation by professional carpet cleaners. It will save your money and deep clean your carpet at the same time. Hot water can also clean and remove residue from carpet shampoos which trap more dirt inside the carpet fibers.
Homemade Carpet Shampoo
Many Bissell owners use this carpet shampoo to rid their carpets of dust, smell, grime, and stains. Here is how you can make it at home.:
- Use a large container to mix the following items:
- half a cup of bleach-free laundry detergent
- half a cup of liquid laundry softener
- one cup of ammonia
- one gallon of water
Once you properly mix them, your homemade Bissell carpet shampoo is ready to use. You can store this mixture for as long as you wish. It will also be enough for a number of cleanings. You can use your Bissell manual to find out how much cleaner you should add to it. However, one-fourth of a cup is generally enough. Don't forget to shake the container of your cleaner mixture before using it to clean your carpet.
Wrap-Up
Getting a Bissell cleaner is already an expensive investment. While it does go a long way and gets you your desired results, it can also cost you additional money. It would help if you used the branded cleaning solution with your machine to effectively remove dirt and grime from your carpets and get rid of tough stains. Many Bissell owners find it hard to repurchase a Bissell solution and tend to look for cheaper options. Others can't get their hands on a Bissell cleaner quickly and instead find Hoover or Rug Doctor products. In such cases, it may be fine to use a solution other than Bissell's. You can also refer to the above-mentioned ways of making homemade cleaners for your Bissell.