Bissell 1950-3 Quicksteamer Plus Vacuum

How to Identify and Fix Common Vacuum Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced Vacuum Technicians :

First, check to make sure the clean tank has water and/or the water & formula mixture in the tank. If your tank is empty, this could be the reason your machine is not spraying. You will need to fill your clean tank again. Reseat the tank and ensure it sits snug on the machine.
To start, first make sure your machine is off and unplugged. Next, remove your dirty water tank by pressing down on the colored tank handle. To empty the tank pull up on the rubber tab and pour out the dirty water. Fill the dirty tank with clean water and shake gently to rinse the inside.
Spray issues

Check the machine is set to carpet cleaning mode. Make sure you are holding down the red spray button on top of the handle. Check the red base tank has enough water, and refill if necessary. Check the braided hose on the rear of the machine is securely fastened.

Locate the brush reset button on the lower back right of the vacuum. Press the button to reset the brushroll To ensure the brush has been reset, plug the vacuum back into the electrical outlet.
You can try using 1 cup of white vinegar in your Bissell Spot Cleaner. Pour in the Vinegar, then fill the rest of the Bissell Spot Cleaner tank with hot tap water. Just be sure to follow normal safety guidelines that go with using vinegar as a cleaner.
Home Remedy: Beverage, Cosmetic, Medicine, Food, Household, and Pet Stains (use one full tsp liquid dishwashing detergent for these stain types) Before cleaning: test for colorfastness on hidden area.
In a spray bottle, mix one cup of distilled water, one cup of distilled white vinegar, and one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid. Shake well to mix and label the bottle.
Check your hose for any cracks or holes that can cause loss of suction. You may also have a clog in the lower hose. Pull down and at an angle to disconnect. A clog in the main hose could also be the problem.
Tap water contains minerals that can clog the steamer. Empty the water reservoir between steaming sessions. This is especially important for travel and handheld steamers. Dry components with a towel or air-dry before storing the steamer.
You don`t have to use the Bissell solution, but it is optimized for use in their machines. This means it won`t streak, leave residue, need to be rinsed, or leave buildup in your machine.
Yes, you can add other multi-surface cleaners or vinegar except it is recommended that during your warranty period to use the Bissel multi-surface cleaner to not void the warranty. Just make sure that after every use you thoroughly clean all parts to avoid clogging the spray nozzle.
Besides vinegar, baking soda can also be used in the Bissell powersteam pro carpet cleaner. This solution is great for removing pet odors, which can be embarrassing to visitors and unpleasant for residents. It is a great alternative to cleaning solutions that contain harmful chemicals.
If you`re wondering whether you can use the Bissell Crosswave without water, the answer is yes!
Therefore, to clean up those muddy messes or spilled Kool-Aid, you need to vacuum at least every few days, if not daily. Shampoo or steam clean your carpets at least every 6 months and consider having a professional cleaning service come in every 12-18 months to make sure your carpets stay fresh.
Laundry Detergents aren`t Formulated for Carpet Cleaning

Of course not! Cleaning solutions are specifically formulated to clean and not damage the machines they`re used in and the material they`re treating. Laundry soap is designed to be used in washing machines to clean clothing.

Use Some Water

A little bit of water can do wonders for boosting a suction cup`s grip. Using warm water, rinse the whole cup so it softens it up. Shake the drops of water off the cup quickly and then put it up on the wall. That can often do the trick.

Mix equal parts hot water and vinegar and pour in your carpet cleaner`s reservoir tank. Clean your carpets as per your cleaner`s instructions. Yes, vinegar might leave a temporary pickle smell in your home but it dissipates and disappears as your carpets dry.
Pour a generous amount of white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the white vinegar onto the carpet. Don`t worry – the smell will disappear (and it will actually absorb any other bad odors you`re trying to eliminate). Let it dry completely, and then repeat the process over again, as needed.
What`s happening with your vacuum cleaner is that a clog has built up and debris being agitated by the roller is spitting out or stirring up dust without sucking it in.
Unplug and check to see if your clean tank is seated properly. Also, remove the dirty water tank and make sure there are no clogs in the hose below it. Remove the filter and clean both the screen and filter of any build up or debris and empty the tank before replacing it.
Low suction or poor pick-up may be due to a clog in the vacuum cleaner. If you notice a change in the sound of the motor or a reduction in the spinning action, check for clogs. First, remove the Easy Empty dirt tank from the vacuum and discard all dirt and debris.
Vacuum means the absence of all matter including air. As there is no air in the vacuum, air pressure will be zero.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

My Bissell Quicksteamer does not spray solution. The suction seems fine for what few drops of solution make it through.
ANSWER : My Does not spray solution??? Can you please, help me. I’m ready to go and it is’nt.

Bissell Quicksteamer I have a Bissell Quicksteamer that is about 5 years old. I went to use it today and hardly any solution was coming out. I could see it suctioning up what little came out, so I took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly. I tried to use again and no solution is coming out. Everything seems to being working just fine. Thanks
ANSWER : Here’s a kinda kick yourself quick fix that might be helpful, I took my whole machine apart all the way to the motor to come to realize that the small rubber piece that cover the tip of the water container was jammed in the hole you slip the water tank in. Blocking the tip of the water tank from releasing water, so make sure your rubber tip on the water tank is securely in place displacement can block water release. ( If you don’t see a rubber piece at the tip of your removable water tank its mostly stuck in the area below the tanks resting area.) Good luck!!!

My Bissell 9200 is not sucking the water into the dirty water resevoir. 1. The gasket on the clear-view seems fine. 2. The suction power just doesn’t seem powerful enough (feeling with my hand). 3. The brushes turn fine and belt is fine (not sure if that even matters for this issue). Any help appreciated. Thanks, – Matt
ANSWER : Disassemble all lines and check to see if all O rings are installed. If cracked missing or stretched out of shape no suction will be provided

My son dropped the vacuum down the stairs and now the vacuum works but the front part of the vacuum does not drop back down when vacuuming any type of floor. It slowly drops and does not stay on the carpet. hope this makes sense. I have cleaned filters and suction seems strong at the small hose. the beater bar rotate very fast still.
ANSWER : May be part missing. this is unit has 5-year warranty.you can send to service.

My Bissell ProHeat Pro-Clean upright cleaner won’t spray either water or solution onto the floor, however it does spray when using the attachments on the hose. The belt is fine, I’ve actually tried all of the troubleshooting steps indicated in the User Manual. I’m not even certain where it is supposed to be spraying out from! Any ideas where/what to check for?
ANSWER : Hi,

Here is a tip that will give you all the information you need to fix your BissellProheat Vacuum Problem.

Bissell Proheat Upright Wet/Dry Vacuum Problems

heatman101 .
.56

My Bissell Little Green won’t spray the solution. The suction seems to be working fine and the lines are all connected as they should be. What’s up and how can I fix it?
ANSWER : I also had the same problem as you.
.Try suctioning up a full tank of hot tap water into the collection tank to soften/release a possible kink in the tubing inside of the vacuum hose that carries solution out to the spray tip.
I did this a couple of times and it worked. This info I found on the Bissell website.
.Good Luck!

Bissell spray to floor not operating. Spray to upholstery fine.
ANSWER : Hi,

Here is a tip that will give you all the information you need to fix your BissellProheat Vacuum Problem.

Bissell Proheat Upright Wet/Dry Vacuum Problems

heatman101.
.urr

Bissell carpet cleaner
ANSWER : The water sprayers on your Bissell are probably clogged. I had this problem this morning, myself, with my machine, about 15 months old. They get clogged up with mineral deposits. This is a *fairly* easy thing to fix yourself. Read all the way to the end before trying this fix.
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.Unplug the Bissell. Remove the water container pieces from the top of the base. You’ll probably reveal two red plastic pieces mounted in the Bissell’s base, about .75″ x .75″. These spray water on your brushes when you press the water-and-soap trigger at the top of the Bissell’s handle. These water sprayers tend to clog. See the metal spring running up the hose, behind each red water sprayer? As you squeeze the red plastic sides of one red water sprayer, use a screwdriver or other tool under the spring to wedge up the hose, to release the sprayer from its mount in the base. Stick a finger in the hole of the base of the Bissell where the sprayer was mounted and run it around the edges there including on the underside of the base to clean out any gunk you can find. Clean any gunk you can off the red water sprayer with an old toothbrush.
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.Now you need to remove the water sprayer from the hose. You need a pair of pliers. Use the pliers to squeeze the brass colored clip that is keeping the red water sprayed mounted to the end of the small hose there. Move the clip down the hose so it compresses the spring and is no longer on the red plastic water sprayer. Now you can twist and pull the red water sprayer out of the end of the hose. You’ll need a little hand strength to do this. Just be careful not to break the water sprayer by using a tool. They’re not particularly delicate, but breaking one would render your Bissell useless until it was replaced, so use a little care.
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.When you’ve removed a red water sprayer from the hose, put the outer end of the red water sprayer in your mouth and seal your lips around it, and try blowing through it. You can’t blow air through it, right? It’s clogged. Open up a paper clip and push it back-and-forth through the small hole in the end of the water sprayer back towards its middle. You’ll probably push out a line of white mineral deposits. Clean them off the water sprayer with the old toothbrush, and try blowing through the water sprayer again. If air passes through clearly, you’ve fixed it. Now you have to put it back together. Push the water sprayer back on the end of the hose. Use the pliers to reposition the brass clip on the end of the hose over the water sprayer. Push the red water sprayer back into position in the base of the Bissell.
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.Now do the same for the other red water sprayer.
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.I had a problem when I fixed this on mine this morning, because when I pulled one water sprayer off, the hose advanced up under the spring and I couldn’t reattach the red water sprayer, because it couldn’t reach the end of the hose. So try to use the brass clip or some other means (rubber band, tape, another clip) to keep the hose from crawling up inside the spring after you pull the red water sprayer off the hose. If the hose gets up under the spring anyway, despite your best efforts, I fixed this by removing the six screws on top of the Bissell base (the surface of which the water tank mounts on top of), and then pried it up. You can pull out the hose, reattach the red water sprayers to the hoses, position the hose *very carefully* inside the base (there are mounts under there they need to fit into, so you don’t break anything), push the red water sprayers through the mount holes and mount them, and then reattach the screws to the base.
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.There’s something else you may need to do that can help get the water flowing. This one’s easier. The Bissell uses pumps, which need to be primed. Sometimes an air pocket inside the machine keeps water from flowing. To prime the pumps, separate the two water tank pieces. Fill the base as usual and mount it on the Bissell without the top water tank piece. Plug the Bissell in and **turn it on**. (The Bissell must be running to do this.) Kneeling on the floor in front of the Bissell, reach up and press the soap and water release trigger at the top of the Bissell’s handle and hold it in as if you wanted water to go through. On top of the water tank is a plastic grommet hole about 1 inch in diameter, through which you pour water to fill the tank. Seal that hole with the flat of your hand. You’ll feel a bit of suction. Lift your hand up and down a few times. Release the trigger and repeat a few times. Now that you’ve cleaned out your water sprayers and primed the Bissell’s internal pumps, I’m hoping water will GUSH through your Bissell once again.
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.As you probably have learned the hard way, as I did, it’s VERY important to do a lot of cleaning of the Bissell after each use, more than the manual tells you to do. Clean the bottom of the unit. Empty all the water. Thoroughly rinse out both water container pieces. Unscrew the three clear plastic pieces, one in front, two on the sides, that surround the brushes, and rinse them thoroughly in water. Clean off the brushes and all the lint and gunk around and above the brushes. (A water spray bottle and toothbrush are helpful here.) Tip the machine and blow all the water out of the hole in the base. Release the red clip springs on the red water sprayers and blow on them. Doing this will slow the failure of the Bissell. It’s a great little machine for the money, but it does have a learning curve and need more pampering than a vacuum cleaner, doesn’t it??
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.Good luck!