How To Use A Bissell ProHeat 2x Carpet Cleaner (Do This!)
As our living space becomes larger and changes in a variety of ways, so too do our cleaning habits. Introduce kids and pets into the mix and those needs only continue to evolve. Spills, pet accidents, and even heavy foot traffic can leave your carpet looking dingy and worn.
The Bissell ProHeat 2X carpet cleaner will quickly become one of the tools that you depend on. Carpeting can be a wonderful thing to have in the home, but it helps to have to the proper tools to take care of it. Using it is relatively simple and it works to shampoo to perform a thorough job on even the toughest of carpet spots. You just have to prepare the carpet, the cleaner, and then go to work.
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Using a Bissell ProHeat 2X Carpet Cleaner
Step 1: Prepare the Carpet
Before you can do anything, you need to properly prepare the space that is about to be cleaned. Smaller stains may not need a lot of preparation, but it helps to give yourself the proper setting when doing a larger carpet cleaning task.
- Create space. It is important that you have the proper amount of room to work. Move any furniture that is obstructing you from doing a proper cleaning. Smaller stains may not require this but if you plan on doing the entire carpet, you will need access.
- Vacuum. Another extremely helpful thing to do is vacuum beforehand. There is dust, hair, and animal hair that can accumulate in your carpet over time that you don’t even see. When they get wet, they clump together, and your Bissell may not be able to pick it up. In the case of pets, there are few things grosser than picking up a big, wet clump of animal fur.
- Pre-treat. For stains or areas with a lot of foot traffic, pre-treat is your best friend. The pre-treat works to break the stains and grime down so that the carpet cleaner can come in and get the rest. Those pre-treat sprays are great for getting out particularly tough stains that may be above the scope of your Bissell Proheat 2x.
Step 2: Prepare the Carpet Cleaner
Though the Bissell ProHeat 2X has a lot of built in cleaning power, it helps to do a little prep work ahead of time. By preparing your carpet cleaner, you give it the best chance to perform the cleaning that it was meant to do.
- Fill the tank. There is a water tank at the base of the Bissell Proheat 2X. Simply remove it and take it over to the sink, lifting the latch so that you can fill up the bottom portion. Fill it with it with hot water and then reattach the top to the bottom. Make sure that the tank hooks have seated properly and that the latch is secured, otherwise you could wind up with a nasty mess.
- Formula tank. Look for the formula tank; it should be on the back of the Bissell Proheat 2X. Fill the formula tank up (there is a fill line) and then add in the carpet cleaning formula. Fill the latter up to the formula line and then put the lid back on the tank and the tank back onto the carpet cleaner.
- Pick your setting. On the front of your Bissell Proheat 2X, there will be a setting dial. Your options should be water rinse, light clean, normal clean, and heavy traffic. For the “ready tools” dial, set it to floor cleaning.
- Heater switch. When you turn the Bissell Proheat 2X on, set the heater switch to “on”. The heater switch should be right next to the power switch. Give the cleaner a minute to heat up before you begin cleaning.
Step 3: Get to Cleaning
Your Bissell ProHeat 2X is now ready to clean. There are a few tips that will help you get the best clean possible, though you may have your own personal preferences.
- Decide a route. Having a cleaning route is a good idea. This helps you avoid going over areas that you have already cleaned and are still wet. Planning a route means you leave the room easily while the carpet dries.
- Slow passes. When you are ready to go, release the cleaning agent and water. Give the handle a quick squeeze and move the carpet cleaner slowly forward. Hold the trigger down, pull the appliance back, and then move forward again. Repeat a few times for tougher stains or heavy traffic areas.
- Keep going. Keep making your passes, watching to make sure that all of the water is being sucked up by the machine. Be careful not to overwet your carpet but make as many passes as you need to in order to get the stains up.
Step 4: Emptying the Tank and Continuing (if needed)
Depending on the size of the space and the severity of the filth, there is a chance that you may need to empty the tank and start again. Keep an eye on the dirty water tank. When it gets full, lift it off of the machine and empty the dirty water out into the sink.
- Emptying and refilling. Since the Bissell ProHeat 2X uses the same tank for dirty and clean water, you will have to empty it when it gets too murky. Simply dump the contents into the sink and then replace it with clean water.
- Check the formula. Another thing to be aware of is how much formula is left in the tank. When cleaning large rooms, there’s a chance that you will have to refill that as well. If you are using the water rinse setting, however, you don’t need to put any formula in.
Step 5: Cleanup
When you are finished cleaning your carpets, it is time to clean up the machine. Doing so is important to the longevity of the Bissell ProHeat 2X and doesn’t take much time or effort. Besides, no one wants dirty water just sitting in the tank for long periods of time.
Simply dump out the dirty water tank and rinse it thoroughly. With the caps off, give the tank time to air dry. Finally, put the tank back on the unit and put it away until you need it again. It is also advisable to keep an eye on how much cleaning solution you use as you don’t want to waste more than is necessary.
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Maintaining Your Bissell ProHeat 2X
Does the Bissell ProHeat 2X Vacuum?
While the Bissell ProHeat 2X is a great carpet cleaner, it is not meant to act as a vacuum. Yes, the machine has suction power to it, but it is not meant for lifting loose dirt, pet fur, and hair from your carpets.
It is important that you vacuum beforehand to get all of that loose dirt and debris up. When those things become wet, they can clump up, making for a disgusting surprise as you go. Moreover, the clumps become big enough that they can get sucked into the machine and hinder the cleaning process. Vacuum ahead of time to save yourself the hassle.
Why is my Bissell ProHeat 2x not Suctioning?
From time to time, you may notice that your Bissell Proheat 2x is not suctioning quite the way that it was meant to. Don’t worry, it is not necessarily indicative of a major problem that requires repairs or even replacement.
Most of the time, the lack of suction is do to an insecure dirty water tank. Make sure that the tank is secured tightly and check the rubber tab to ensure that it is secured to the edges. If that doesn’t work, check the accessory hose door. Make sure that the door is locked properly into place before trying to clean again.
Can a Bissell ProHeat 2X Clean Tile Floors?
While the name may make it sound one dimensional, most carpet cleaners can actually clean flooring, too. The Bissell Proheat 2X has a “hard floor” setting that works to clean tile, wood, laminate, and so much more.
There is a separate solution to be used to clean those floors, but that is really the only thing that you need. The Bissell Proheat 2X is versatile enough to clean any of the floors in your home in a snap with the right preparation.
Ryan Womeldorf has more than a decade of experience writing. He loves to blog about construction, plumbing, and other home topics. Ryan also loves hockey and a lifelong Buffalo sports fan.
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