Bissell upright carpet cleaners are a heavy-duty carpet cleaner for at-home use. They are ideal for homes with lots of carpet, heavy traffic and pets.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Prepping Your Bissell Proheat Pet

  1. 1
    Pretreat your carpet with a spray-on pet stain remover. This is best for discolored areas, heavy traffic areas or noticeable pet stains or smells. Leave it to sit while you prep the machine.
  2. 2
    Lift the handle from the water compartment at the front of the Proheat cleaner. Pull up and take the container to your sink.[1]
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  3. 3
    Pull the plastic lever on the back of the container and lift the top section out. You will see a hole in the bottom part where the hot water will go. Fill with very hot water and replace the top portion of the container.[2]
    • Make sure the plastic lever snaps shut.
    • Replace the plastic container on the front of the machine and release the handle.
  4. 4
    Remove the plastic solution container from the back of the carpet cleaner. Take the container to the sink. Pour in the solution or a mix of solution and hot water, according to the directions on the back of the cleaning solution bottle.[3]
    • Pay attention to the fill line.
    • Replace it on the back of the machine.
  5. 5
    Set the dial on the front of the machine to “floor cleaning” rather than “tools.” Any time you use an attachment, you need to change this setting.
  6. 6
    Use the dial at the top of the machine to set the intensity of your cleaning, such as “rinse,” “normal cleaning,” or “heavy cleaning.”[4]
  7. 7
    Remove all the furniture from the carpet you are about to clean.
  8. 8
    Plug in the machine and start at the area furthest away from you. Starting at the edges and working toward the door will ensure you don’t tread on the newly cleaned carpet as it dries.[5]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Cleaning Your Carpet

  1. 1
    Go to the first section of the carpet. You will work in small areas, cleaning several feet at a time. Turn on the power button and the heater button.
    • The heater button helps the carpet dry faster.
  2. 2
    Step on the small lever on the bottom left edge so that the cleaner reclines and you can push it. Identify the trigger on the handle. When you pull the trigger, cleaning solution is released.
  3. 3
    Depress the trigger and push the cleaner forward as far as you can comfortably reach. Keep the trigger pressed down and bring the cleaner back toward you. This is referred to as a “wet pass.”
  4. 4
    Let the trigger go and make several “dry passes” when the cleaner and water are not being used. Repeat until no more water is being pulled up.
  5. 5
    Repeat until the area of the carpet is cleaned.[6]
  6. 6
    Switch the dial to “tools” to use the attachments to clean smaller areas. You will use the same general instructions with the brush as you would with the floor cleaner. Make a wet pass with the trigger depressed and then make several dry passes.[7]
    • Remember to change the dial to “floor cleaner” before you use the upright function again.
  7. 7
    Allow the carpet to dry completely before replacing furniture and walking on it.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Changing the Cleaner

  1. 1
    Pay close attention to the dirty water in the front container on your Bissell cleaner. When it fills up, you will need to change it. Consider moving it to linoleum to reduce the chance that you will spill the dirty water on the carpet.
  2. 2
    Turn the cleaner off. Lift the handle and remove the water basin. Pour the dirty water into the sink.
  3. 3
    Refill the water basin with hot water. Check that you have enough solution to continue. You will change the water tank more frequently than the solution tank.
    • You will need to change the water several times for larger cleaning jobs.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    Where can I find the Bissell Proheat Pet manual?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    If you’ve lost your original paper manual, you can find user’s guide online on the Bissell website. Do a search for “Bissell Proheat Pet user’s guide” and download the PDF file to your computer or mobile device.
  • Question
    What do I do if my Proheat Pet has no suction?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    A loss of suction could mean that the tank is cracked, the machine is on the wrong setting, or the nozzle is cracked or clogged. Another problem could be that the tank lid isn’t attached right or the motor duct gasket screen is blocked by debris. Examine the various parts of your Proheat Pet to make sure that there are no problems in any of these areas.
  • Question
    How do I clean my Proheat Pet?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Turn off the power and remove the water tank. Empty the tank and rinse it with hot tap water. Clear any debris from the lint trap and replace the tank. Remove the flow indicator filter and rinse it, as well as the cap and rotor. Remove any loose hair or lint from the brush roll. To clean the outside of the machine, wipe it down with a soft cloth.
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Things You'll Need

  • Carpet cleaning solution
  • Hot water
  • Pretreating solution
  • Sink

Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about using a carpet cleaner, check out our in-depth interview with Margaret Maragh.

About This Article

Margaret Maragh
Co-authored by:
Green Cleaning Expert
This article was co-authored by Margaret Maragh. Margaret Maragh is a Green Cleaning Expert based in New York City. With over 11 years of experience, Margaret and her team at Eco-Friendly Green Cleaning specialize in using environmentally friendly products for deep cleaning services. Margaret has also created a plant-based, unscented, all-purpose cleaner to further support the mission of using eco-friendly cleaning supplies in her work. This article has been viewed 196,022 times.
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Co-authors: 10
Updated: March 26, 2023
Views: 196,022
Categories: Cleaning Floors
Article SummaryX

To use a Bissell Proheat Pet, start by lifting the handle on the water compartment at the front of the cleaner and bringing it to a sink. Then, pull the lever on the back of the container and lift the top section out so you can pour hot water into the container. Next, remove the plastic solution container on the back of the cleaner and fill it with a mix of solution and hot water. Once you've placed both containers back on the cleaner, set the dial on the front to "floor cleaning," choose an intensity, and plug in the machine. To learn how to change out dirty water in the cleaner, scroll down!

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