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The Best Home Carpet Cleaner

Glossy Shops considers Bissell’s Big Green carpet cleaner the best in its category. One of our writers has a wealth of experience using several home carpet machines and considers Big Green the number one cleaner. After purchasing, and using four home carpet shampooers before Big Green, she was ready to give up. Tired of too-small tanks, terrible suction/extraction, and leaks, our writer set out to find a better home cleaner/steamer.

For those who prefer a quick read, we are providing a short review here. The main review further down is long and in-depth. We realize not everyone has time to read multiple paragraphs. However, it is an outstanding review, so please bookmark and read its entirety when you have time.

Pros:

  • Works on the toughest stains – wine, high traffic areas, and pets
  • Good brush and suction – both important for stain removal.
  • Easy to use right out of the box
  • After five years of use, the tank has only leaked two times – and those leaks were minimal
  • Larger water and extraction tanks compared to most home carpet cleaners
  • Detachable hose with a mini extractor that lets you clean hard-to-reach areas and even automobile interiors
  • Big Green sprays cleaning solution evenly into the carpet. Not too much, but very consistent.
  • Thick, durable brush head

Cons:

  • More expensive than most home carpet cleaners
  • Heavy and cumbersome in small spaces
  • Not as wide as some commercial steamers
  • At the four year mark, replaced flow indicator

 

Bissell’s Big Green dominates the market with this particular model, and Glossy Shops considers it the best home carpet cleaner. Technically, it’s not a steamer. After all, it is intended for home use and doesn’t come with a heater. However, once one adjusts the water temperature while filling the shampoo tank, it produces enough heat to lift tough stains.

 

Big Green effortlessly balances between both home and professional categories. (Even some professional carpet cleaners are not equipped with heaters to produce steam.) We have noticed this steamer used in rotation among several professional carpet cleaning businesses.

best home carpet steamer

From $469.00 on Amazon.com 

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Tanks: Big Green’s water/shampoo and extraction tanks are larger than most home carpet cleaning units, and that is a plus. More substantial tanks allow you to clean more extensive square footage before dumping dirty water and adding more shampoo solution.

 

Shampoo Distribution: To release shampoo and water mixture, push the button under the handle as you pass over the carpet. For intense stains, you can release the cleaning solution and pass over the spot more than once. Shampoo distribution is even and leaves no leaks. Glossy Shops recommends releasing shampoo/cleaning solution over the first pass and then extract as you pull Big Green back towards you.

 

Extraction: Extraction is one of the most important steps when cleaning, shampooing, or steaming carpets. Extraction occurs when the pre-treatment and cleaning solution(s) is suctioned up from the carpet fibers. Without proper extraction/suction, too much moisture remains, and stains may reappear. Big Green provides excellent extraction, but it’s up to you to do it properly. Merely passing it over one or two times in quick movements is not proper extraction. You have to put effort and work into it, and we won’t lie – extraction is tedious. The slower you pass Big Green over the cleaning solution, the more it extracts.

 

This machine isn’t a light, flimsy home carpet cleaner. Big Green is robust and even feels heavy at times. You notice its weight and power the most when slowly extracting high-traffic and tough stain areas as recommended above. Because this machine is well made and robust, it’s one of the reasons it removes stains, cleans carpets, and receives such high accolades.

 

Don’t waste your money on sub-par (dinkier) carpet cleaners – we found the top one for you. Go with Bissell’s Big Green – it truly is the best home carpet cleaner.

Glossy Shops

Bissell Big Green In-Depth Review + Thoughts

I’m sitting in my parents’ home staring at their carpet – its hue is nearly white and monochromatic without a pattern. Who in their right mind chooses such a light shade of carpet? It reminds me of an old lady or museum carpet; where you view the room from behind a velvet rope. It’s a carpet that needs protective rugs on top of it in case someone, or a dog, actually wants to enjoy the space. Resting in their living room, taking a deserved break from shampooing the carpet, I bounce between different thoughts as fatigue settles in behind my eyes. Late summer leaves rustle outside as sun rays bounce off the carpet and I drift off thinking how most people are enjoying their Sunday. I know most are not whooping it up cleaning carpets. I’m not sure why I’ve become known as the Keeper of Carpets in my family, but I’ve earned this moniker. Who knows how it began because I have no recollection of vacuuming or polishing floors as a child or teen. (My chores centered around making the nightly salad and helping keep bathrooms clean- not that you needed this info, but there you have it.) I’m the go-to person for stain removal.

For the past decade, I’ve steamed my parents’ carpets and polished their wood floors and furniture. Tedious chores don’t necessarily bother me; however, this particular carpet induces loads of frustration. This specific color of their carpet has riled me up more than a few times. Again, who in their right mind chooses a shade of carpet that is even lighter than off-white? Insanity, I tell you. If I were to pinpoint this carpets exact color, I’d say it’s light eggshell. In theory, eggshell colored carpet sounds appealing. It’s light and lends an airy feeling to a room. Light carpet is neutral enough that it lifts the eye rather than down and sets a calm tone showcasing a room’s furniture and decor. However, it’s a beast to keep clean, especially since it’s not wool. (I’ve long suspected it wasn’t the quality they initially chose and purchased – someone switched before installing.)

Perhaps you are wondering why I steam my parents’ carpets in the first place. After all, they aren’t my white carpets, so why clean them since they could do the job themselves. First of all, I love my parents and would do nearly anything for them. The other reason I do this every year is that I’ve perfected what I think is an outstanding technique, and one I couldn’t do without the perfect carpet cleaner. For my own home, I’ve purchased four different steamers, rented one dirty red monstrosity, and hired a team, all with the hope of dazzling my eyes with sparkling clean carpets. I know what works. 

The only carpet cleaner that has never let me down is Bissell’s Big Green. It’s not perfect, but it removes the toughest stains, and the tank has had only minor leaks. If you have experience cleaning/steaming carpets, you know one of the biggest frustrations with home steamers is a leaky tank. There is nothing more frustrating than passing the cleaner over a swath of carpet until it’s clean, and then the tank leaks depositing heavy dark stains.

Amazon Rabbit Hole

Let’s go back nearly five years one humid July. Frustrated by a brand new carpet cleaner that worked ok, but leaked a narrow stream of dark water, I found myself browsing Amazon. At first, I searched professional steamers, but quickly realized they’d be too expensive. What I wanted was a machine that mimicked a professional steamer, but for home use. I also steered away from any cleaner that used a plastic bag for water storage. (Those jelly-like bags are the worst offenders!) From thin, sleekly designed steamers to old-fashioned models used in hotels, there was an overwhelming amount of choices to tread through. Deciding on a better method, I refined the options based on reviews. (This was before many fake reviews flooded Amazon.) Across the Internet, reviews are often paid for or made up without the person ever trying the product, but reviews for Big Green seemed genuine. As I do with many purchases, I turned to other sites such as Youtube for more comments and demonstrations. After watching several videos, consider my arm twisted. The purchase price was tough, but at the same time, I felt confident that I’d made the right choice.

Not All Carpet Cleaners are Equal

Those who shampoo/steam/clean carpets understand that not all machines are the same. Home steamers are especially weak. As consumers, we know costlier products do not always equate better performance, but as far as carpet cleaners, I’ve found the opposite to be true. The most expensive carpet cleaning machine I purchased worked the best. Had I bought Big Green first, my bank account and I would be happier. Even though they are budget-friendly, most home steamers do not lift intense stains. Most home carpet cleaners don’t come equipped with heat, suction is sub-par, and they usually leak. Shampooing carpets is frustrating enough; but when you are nearly finished cleaning a large-ish room and the feeling of accomplishment sets in, everything comes crashing down when the machine leaks on the last lap. A leaky machine has caused me to nearly rip carpets from the floorboards more times than I care to admit – it’s worse than defeat. (Leaky cleaners don’t want you to win.)

Another essential aspect of stain-free carpets is the cleaner’s suction. Most home machines do not adequately extract moisture and spot treatment from carpet fibers. Mose home machines come equipped with extraction plates that are too wide, so there isn’t enough forced air to properly remove moisture. Also, many home steamers are manufactured as a vacuum steamer combo. Again, this sort of machine will not properly remove severe stains and debris. In theory, it sounds good, but never purchase any kind of carpet shampooer that doubles as another cleaning device. For serious carpet cleaning and stain removal, it’s a must for the machine to do only one task.

Big Green Works

Immediately out of the box, before its first test run, I knew Big Green would be with me for the long term. The top reasons ‘I’ve yet to sway from this steamer for five years are threefold: 

Big Green’s brush head makes a difference in stain removal. The machine is equipped with a fantastic water container (no plastic/jelly bag insert!). And third, it has incredible suction. 

best carpet cleaner

Make note, Big Green does not heat water like some commercial steamers. Warm water supply depends on how hot you make the tap water. It’s suggested not to get the water too hot.

If your steamer/cleaner doesn’t correctly remove as much cleaning solution and moisture as possible, stains may not fully lift, or they may reoccur in the future. For deep stains, I make sure to slowly pass Big Green over several times so the suction can take up as much moisture as possible.

Two downsides I notice with every use: weight and width of the machine. I can feel the weight of the machine in my upper arms and legs, but the cleansing results are incredible; especially on a nearly white carpet. When the cleaner is in use with a full tank of water, it’s bulky and hard to move depending on where I’m cleaning. Tight corners are a struggle. Wide-open spaces are easy, but in contained parts of a room, this is not a steamer that quickly turns on a dime. I’m also not a gym buff so that could be part of the problem.

If the base of this machine was broader, it could easily clean more carpet with each pass. However, because of its weight, a wider base would make it even heavier.

best home carpet cleaner

Big Green working its magic on my parents’ carpet. It’s hard to push the machine and snap pics.

(Bissell Big Green is a workhorse that also burns calories.)

Take Your Time and Plan Accordingly

Since Big Green doesn’t have a wide base and motor power as some industrial steamers, it’s time consuming steaming a heavily trafficked carpet. I allow myself a block of time to shampoo a room. For instance, my parents’ living room takes longer to clean than their dining room, and I plan accordingly. 

My scheduling strategy looks something like this: I break the two rooms up over two weekends. On a Friday evening after work, I head over to their place to begin prep. I like to tackle the largest room first, so I dive into the living room and remove specific furniture. Next, I vacuum and then apply pretreatment. (More on my favorite spot treatments below.) I know this carpet and its problem areas like a well-read book, so I know exactly where to apply an overnight pretreatment. I recently started using another spot treatment on tough stains that don’t require an overnight application.

The next day is when the fun and sweat begin. I fill Big Green’s tank with warm water (Not hot water. More on that lesson learned later.) Add the required amount of cleaning solution and sometimes (not always) two teaspoons of powdered Borax. Borax adds a subtle, yet noticeable kick, and when I’m working with very light carpets, I need every extra tip that works.

I begin steaming the back part of the room and work my way towards the front. This way, I don’t step on damp carpet. (It sounds obvious, but I want to state where I start in a room for people who have never used a steamer.) As I pass over a section, I don’t rush. I’m deliberately slow when using Bissell’s Big Green machine. 

Slow Movements

There are two reasons I take my time and work in slow motion when passing Big Green forwards and backward. First, the forward pass releases cleaning solution into carpet fibers. (You push a button while moving the machine forward.) If you quickly push the machine while releasing cleaning fluid, it won’t evenly saturate the carpet. Secondly, pulling Big Green back towards you is when it suctions up shampoo and water. A tip to removing stains and steaming carpets is proper and thorough water extraction. Many experts in the carpet and flooring industries believe home steamers and rental units are not powerful enough to extract all of the water from the fibers.

Good professional cleaners have the proper equipment to extract moisture from the carpet, leaving it almost dry. If you do find that your carpet is wet after cleaning, then use fans to help it dry faster before wicking can occur. Should you decided to purchase Big Green, do not quickly pass over the moisture extraction step. Too damp carpets dry unevenly and often cause stains to reoccur days or weeks later. Big Green excels in moisture extraction. However, the passes you make during extraction should be slow. The longer you take with each extraction pass, the more it suctions up water and shampoo.

(Glossy Shops Suggestion: Rent a carpet cleaning machine or hire someone if you don’t want to own a cleaning machine, or you don’t have time and patience to do it yourself. Big Green is the best home carpet cleaner; however, it’s not a machine to use hastily or if you are in a rush. We can’t stress enough – moisture extraction is incredibly vital for clean, stain-free carpets.)

Extraction

Let’s go back to extraction/suction for a steaming minute. Moisture removal is one of the most critical steps in cleaning and stain removal. 

Those with experience using standard, home carpet cleaners will relate to this scenario: First, you spray pretreatment to stains before steaming. Let it sit for 15 minutes or longer. Next, you prepare steamer with water and cleaning solution. So far, all is good. Right? Eager for clean, sparkling results, you begin passing the machine over small amounts of carpet. As you work across the room, it looks like you are removing stains and built-in grime. The carpet starts to look uniform and clean. Finally, you are finished steaming the room and stand back to take in your work. But you left the carpet cleaner in the middle of the room, and it starts to leak.

It’s the sort of leak that produces lots of swearing. You watch as water droplets create new stains – almost black. You emptied the dirty water, so the inky leak is more than surprising. After several years and different machines, you begin to realize the curse of most home carpet steamers. That jelly bag holding the water? Fuggetaboutit. The poor suction and extraction? Fuggetaboutit.

There are two main points concerning most home carpet cleaners: 1.) They leak without warning. 2.) Home steamers do not extract water and cleaning solution properly.

Extraction is hugely important when choosing the best carpet cleaner. The machine deposits a mixture of water and cleaning solution. (Some home shampooers only deposit cleaning solution separate from the main water tank.) If the cleaning solution is not correctly extracted, two things may occur: You are left with stains not successfully lifted and sometimes even watermarks are left behind. For novices, the final passes, when cleaning/steaming, are when you extract water/moisture. Extraction is arguably the most crucial step. Without proper moisture extraction, sticky cleaning solution sometimes remains on the carpet fibers, which later attracts more dirt. 

This is what I consider a quick pass extraction. I’d already slowly extracted several times before, but I couldn’t film it since I needed one hand to hold the phone.

Let’s go back to the scenario mentioned above after cleaning up the leak. With the charcoal leak spots removed, you step back to admire your work – it looks nice when still damp. A day later, you realize that the dampness covered a multitude of sins. With the carpet nearly dry, you begin to notice recurring stains. Sure, they are lighter after steaming, but they are still there.

Poor extraction leads to wicking and stains that reappear – even after cleaning. (Wicking and leftover residue are two main reasons stains reappear.) The first time using Big Green, I was floored by its extraction.

Glossy Shops recommends extracting moisture until carpet fibers feel about 88 percent dry.

Wicking

What is wicking? It’s when stains resurface because they originated below the carpet fibers. The original stain traveled deeper into the carpet, backing, and, padding compared to surface stains.

Since these types of stains are extensive and stubborn, they may take more moisture when steaming; especially during the rinsing phase. Once the water reaches deeper behind the carpet fibers, it mixes with the stains and becomes splotchy and dirty. When wicking occurs, spots usually reappear because not all moisture was adequately extracted.  

If spots and stains reappear after the carpet dries, wicking is most likely to blame. Wicking occurs when over-wetting the carpet, backer, and pad.

When using Big Green, I’m careful to take several slow passes over the area I’m working on to make sure I extract as much moisture as possible. The machine lets you see the moisture as it’s sucked up and deposited in the dirty water tank. I pass over until I sill no moisture coming up through the machine.

Residue

Residue is a culprit with some stains not lifting or reappearing. Stains due to residue originate in the carpet fibers. Residue stains are not as deep as those found below carpet fibers. Soap, shampoo, and other cleaning agents left behind during shampooing cause residue stains. Because shampoo and spot treatments are sticky, they attract dirt and dust. Every time someone walks on the carpet, soil, and dirt from their shoes will stick to the carpet fibers.

Residue stains on newly shampooed carpets are due to excessive shampoo. To avoid residue marks, thoroughly extract all shampoo properly from the carpet.

We found this excellent explanation online concerning extraction, wicking, and residue:

“Without proper extraction, you’re loading an already filthy carpet with detergent that later gets STICKY and attracts more dirt. If you deposit water and soap only, everything seeps further into the carpet pad and the minute it dries it wicks back up. 

Extraction, extraction, extraction. Glossy Shops will harp on extraction as long as we have to – and then some. Most home carpet cleaners are not manufactured with top of the line extraction – Big Green delivers with incredible extraction.

Detachable Hose

Big Green includes a detachable hose along with a small cleaning head. Attach the cleaning head to the hose and then attach the hose to the top tank. Now you can clean steps, upholstery, and hard-to-reach areas. The smaller cleaning head works as the main brush base; it distributes water and shampoo and also suctions moisture. For a detachable, smaller cleaning tool, it also has incredible extraction.

Despite Bissell claiming the hose is extra long, I can only clean a few steps before it’s extended to maximum length. The hose is not long enough to clean a full flight of stairs. Keep that in mind if you are purchasing Big Green to use only on your home’s stairs. Technically, you can then take off the tanks and carry the machine, along with parts, to the top of the steps; however, we don’t recommend this. As you begin your ascent cleaning the top stairs, Big Green could quickly turn top heavy and tumble down. You don’t want to be killed by a carpet steamer. You don’t want anyone you know learning you went out because of a carpet cleaning machine.

I do have an excellent first-hand account using the detachable hose. Two years ago, a relative purchased a brand new car. He stopped by so I could take it for a test drive, breathe in the new car smell, and look it over. I noticed a visible stain in the back seat. He didn’t see it during inspection before driving off the lot. The next day he took it back to the dealership. 

At first glance, the dealership removed the stain – but once home and dry, it reappeared. I recommended stopping by my house, and I’d use Big Green’s detachable hose and accompanying cleaning head on the seat. I spot treated the stain, including a half-inch surrounding the offensive spot. (When treating an intense stain, I’ve found it’s not only important to spot treat the stain, but a small parameter around it as well.) Using the smaller detachable head connected to the hose, I passed over a few times and then took a long time to use the suction moisture. Next, I drove the car into a sunny spot in the driveway and kept the back door open so the sun could dry it naturally. The stain was less intense, but still there.

The next day I repeated the process with Big Green’s detachable hose and head unit. Again, it dried naturally in the sun. This time it worked! I’d entirely removed the stain – no visible signs were left behind.

For those who know me – the past twenty years, I’ve been the go-to person for stain removal. Spill spaghetti sauce on your shirt? Drop it off, and I’ll see what I can do. A two-year-old stain you say on your great-aunt’s living room carpet? Give me her address, and I’ll swing by. This vehicle upholstery stain is one of the toughest and most stubborn to date. The dealership convinced him to purchase a stain-resistant coating for the car’s interior. My theory is that the stain was present before the coating was applied, or perhaps the coating itself spilled and left the deep stain. The fact that the dealership’s steamer did not lift the stain is a testament to Big Green – even if I did use it twice. (They named it Big Green for a reason! Lame, I know.)

Flow Indicator Problem

A real-life review can’t be one-hundred percent glowy. I have a good BS detector as I’m sure you all do as well. I never fully trust a review that doesn’t point out flaws; primarily if they have used the product for years. I’ve used Big Green since 2014, and although I LOVE this machine, and it’s the best home steamer, I did run into a roadblock.

In June 2018, the flow indicator burst. I was midway through steaming my parents’ living room – you know, the carpet as mentioned above that is maddeningly almost white – when water began squirting from a round dial located next to the dirty water tank. Over the years I’d observed this round dial as I passed the machine back and forth over carpets; on this day I had no idea its proper name, but I knew it was busted.

Through online searches, I learned it was the flow indicator. After watching a youtube video on how to repair it, I ordered a new indicator. It was either the video or several articles I read stating that water too hot can cause this piece to malfunction. Guilty. I’d added super hot water to the tank that morning and during previous uses. And let’s be honest, when you use a machine like this steamer for several years, something is bound to break.

After the new indicator arrived, I fixed it myself. This repair was more stressful than I’d imagined. I’ve made numerous repairs to my Dyson, and I thought switching the flow indicators would be no big deal. It proved to be a big deal, and I found myself wishing I’d dropped Big Green off at a vacuum repair shop. The problem is, there are no such shops where I live.

My biggest struggle switching out the indicators were two plastic hoses which monitor water flow. Water flow makes the indicator’s dial zoom in circles. The tubes were easy to detach but incredibly hard to reattach; I was lucky I didn’t pierce one or both. Metal clasps attach the hoses to the indicator, and they are tough to open and close. At one point, I was so frustrated, I almost threw in the towel and ordered a new Big Green.

The average person can change a broken flow and indicator, but keep in mind that it’s a small but stressful job. (The type of job that on a humid summer day you consider adding another layer of deodorant. This job made me sweat!)

Leaks

With over five years of use, Big Green leaked twice. The first time, it felt like it Big Green cheated on me. How could it be? Due to purchasing and using a handful of carpet cleaners, I’m now quick-tempered when it comes to leaks. Before Big Green, leaks from other machines were atrocious; many times they were worse than the stains I was trying to remove. Just as I finished cleaning a room, sludgy water often leaked from the bottom, leaving a trail of inky splotches that seeped deep into the carpet. I loathed having to re-clean parts of a room due to leaks and crappy carpet cleaners. And make no mistake – leak stains from these dinky carpet shampooers were awful.

Leaks from previous carpet cleaners initially lead me to discover Big Green. With other machines, I often spent as much time trying to remove the leak stains as I did cleaning the carpet itself.

The leaks from Big Green are nothing compared to the dark, sludgy marks left from its competitors. One pass over with the cleaning solution in Big Green’s tank, and methodical extraction, the leaks lifted without fuss or a meltdown on my part. I don’t like that Big Green had two small leaks, but I know that over time any carpet cleaning machine will have a few minor hiccups.

Pretreatment and Shampoo

On Amazon’s site, you’ll notice Bissell suggests to use their brand shampoo in Big Green: Deep Clean Pro 2X Deep Cleaning Concentrated Carpet Shampoo. It is usually my go-to shampoo I use in the water tank, and I like it. I’ve tried several different brands and even others within Bissell’s range. I still prefer Bissell’s Deep Clean Pro 2x because it produces excellent results. 


best carpet shampooFrom $28.92 via Amazon.com

The key is not to use too much shampoo in the water tank; this leads to cleaning residue left behind. Fill the capful to the designated line and stop. Sometimes, you can even use less shampoo than suggested. Because I spot treat beforehand, I often use less shampoo than the directions state. If I do overdo the shampoo and it’s too soapy on the carpet, I’ll often go over the area with only water in the machine’s tank. And then, of course, I take an extra-long time extracting.

Treating a spot before using Big Green is my weapon of choice to remove stubborn stains or spots that reappear months after shampooing. Since I’ve been in the stain game a long time, I’ve used many pretreatments. If you are new to all of this, spot treating is pre-treating certain areas before steaming the carpet. (I use spot treating in the same vein as pre-treating, but most see the terms differently. Spot treating also means you are removing just one spot by hand – sans steamer.) Pre-treating a place before using Big Green helps lift deeper stains and also removes dirt and dust in high traffic areas.

For the past two years, I’ve pre-treated with Stainmaster.

best carpet pretreatmentFrom $8.60 via Amazon.com

It does such a clean job that I can’t foresee using anything else. However, Bissell offers a spot/pretreatment I may try. Bissell makes the best home carpet cleaner and shampoo, so I wouldn’t hesitate to try their pretreatment. Stainmaster’s spray aids in lifting deep stains and doesn’t leave a spot after shampooing. (Some pre-treatments leave a light spot when the stain is removed. Years ago, I agreed to remove a small stain from one of my mother’s living room chairs. I spot treated with a spray that faded part of of the yellow fabric.)

Depending on the stain(s) I pre-treat anywhere from 2 to 24 hours before steaming a room. By now, I’m able to gauge how intense or deep a stain; if it’s relatively fierce, I spray it a few times and let it sit overnight or longer. Some stubborn stains won’t budge without pretreatment – Big Green and cleaning solution (shampoo) alone is not enough.

Always vacuum the entire room before pretreatment and steaming.

Borax

Did you know you can add Borax powder to your water tank and shampoo mixture? I had no idea until a few years ago. Borax gives an extra boost to your shampoo and cleaning solution because it softens the water. It also converts some of the water it’s mixed with into hydrogen peroxide. Since I’m usually working with very light-colored carpet, I have noticed a difference when adding a teaspoon of Borax to my water and shampoo. However, I don’t always use it since Stain Masters pretreatment works so well. If you decide to use Borax, make sure it is entirely dissolved in water first. Otherwise, it could clog your steamer. All cleaning solution in a carpet steamer must be liquified. 

Disclaimer: Glossy Shops does not recommend adding Borax to your cleaning solution. However, if you do, make sure it’s fully dissolved first and only use a small amount. Some comments online said it calcified the tubing of their cleaner/steamer. 

Bissell’ s Big Green is The Best Home Carpet Cleaner

Truthfully, it’s tough to motivate yourself to write about a carpet cleaner; it’s not a shiny new oven, nor is it the latest powerful vacuum. This article was nearly a year in the making. Over that time, I’ve cleaned countless family member’s carpets and tuck away tidbits to add to this article. I also marvel how well Big Green truly cleans a carpet. However, because I purchased several different steamers before Big Green, I know what works – so in that respect, I am excited to share my love of this Bissell carpet cleaner.

On a whim, I recently conducted an online search for industrial and professional carpet steamers or cleaners. The base price of a halfway decent machine begins at $2,500 and goes up to even $28,000. Many professional carpet cleaners do not have a built-in brush.

This past weekend, I stopped by three stores that rent rug cleaners. At the first store, the machine looked like it was last used to clean up a crime scene. The 2nd and 3rd outposts offered machines in slightly better shape, but the bottoms and brushes were grimy. I wouldn’t dare transport any of these machines in my car – let alone let them touch a carpet.

As consumers, we know many products don’t live up to their hype or expectations. Marketing can only do so much before shopping fatigue takes over. We also live in a time where false reviews are aplenty and even long write-ups, similar to this one, are fluff pieces. As a consumer myself, it’s sometimes hard to decipher what is real and what is false. But I must admit, Bissell truly delivers with this machine. Big Green pleasantly surprised me with its cleaning capabilities. It lived up to its mega-watt reviews. I still have an aversion to white carpets, but I’m able to make them look new again with one of the best carpet cleaners. It’s a testament to Bissell that this is the only carpet cleaner I’ve used in the past 5 years – and don’t forget, before discovering Big Green, I’d purchased several subpar models from different brands.

P.S. Please consider supporting our small, review-loving team by clicking our links before shopping or checking out at your favorite online retailers like Amazon. We truly appreciate your support!


by sally


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