Photograph Credit: Wal-mart
Most people would request a new gadget, clothing item, or service for their birthday present. Since I am far from “most people,” you might be surprised to learn that my birthday wish was a carpet cleaner. Yes, I really wanted a cleaning helper for my carpets.
With baby one and baby two, I was able to keep up with the messes they made. I would use Resolve Carpet Cleaner on the spots, and keep my carpets nice and clean. With baby three, my schedule is much busier. If I can stay on top of the laundry and meals, then I had a successful day.
The little messes on the carpet are no longer a high priority. By the time I vacuum the floors, the spots are too much for hand scrubbing. I would be exerting lots of energy and spending precious time cleaning.
Dining Room Floor - Before using the Carpet Cleaner
Desiring to have a clean, organized home and balancing home life, family activities, and blogging, I needed some added assistance with the carpets. Though hiring a carpet cleaning service would have solved the immediate issue, I still would need to keep up the spot cleaning.
In looking for a more permanent solution, I found this Bissell PowerSteamer PowerBrush Deep Cleaner for carpets at www.walmart.com for $125. Paul and I compared some other carpet cleaners, and this model had the options we deemed necessary for our household.
With my birthday around the corner, Paul purchased this steam cleaner. We used it the weekend after it arrived, and my carpets sparkled (if that’s possible). I have been thrilled with this carpet cleaner!
Dining Room Floor - After using the Carpet Cleaner
Favorite Options
1. The Settings. This model offers normal, heavy traffic, and water rinse settings. On the first pass, Paul used the normal setting which brought up dirt, dust, and hair. After allowing the floor to dry, he then water rinsed the area to remove all the cleaning solution. The heavy traffic setting was needed on our hallway to bring the carpet back to its “normal” color. 🙂
2. The 2 in 1 Tank. Having used another carpet cleaner where the solution and water were mixed in the same container, I really like how this cleaner keeps the solution separate. The solution does not need to be refilled when the water is replaced. Having the solution in a separate compartment stretches the solution which saves money.
3. Attachment for Stairs. With little spots from sippy cups, drool, and super-saturated diapers on my stairs, I really like this attachment. Though we have not used it yet, I am thrilled to have this option. Most of the other carpet cleaners, within our price range, did not offer this attachment.
4. 25’ Cord Length. Some of the other models had shorter lengths. With the longer cord, I can complete an entire room without having to change outlets.
5. Deep Clean. This cleaner pulled up so much dirt. You could see the difference immediately. I love having clean carpets!
Possible Drawbacks
1. Type of Carpet Cleaner. Though the title is a PowerSteam, this cleaner is NOT a steam cleaner. The machine does not heat the water like a steam cleaner instead hot water, added to the container, cleans the carpet. To get the carpets clean, you need to add the hot water and then clean immediately. This option works fine for our family. We only have fish for pets, so most of my spots are food or liquids.
2. The Weight. This cleaner is heavy. It weighs over 20 lbs. The pushing and pulling to clean a large area is a lot of work. Paul was sore after cleaning all the downstairs’ carpets in one weekend. However, if you space out the cleaning, then the weight may be more tolerable.
3. Hard Floor Scrubber. My model will clean hard floors, but the attachment must be purchased separately. I have limited hard floors, so I do not need this attachment.
For me, this Bissell carpet cleaner has been a blessing! I can do a surface cleaning of a spill and wait to use the Bissell carpet cleaner at a later time. Though this model may not work for others, I have been thrilled with my birthday present resulting in clean carpets. Thanks, Babe!
Question: What is on your birthday list? Please add your answer in the comments.