There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
The Product on Trial
BISSELL SpotBot (33N8A) Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner
The Tester
Brandon Carte, who recently adopted a new husky puppy and cares for a blind, 17-year-old cocker spaniel who has frequent accidents.
The Brief
Everyone knows that pets are adorable, and they bring so much joy to the world — especially in stressful times, like the ones we’re currently living in. What people don’t talk about as much, however, is how much pee, poop, and vomit you have to clean up over the years.
If you’re a pet owner, you’d also probably agree that somehow, our animals always manage to find the worst possible moment to do their business inside. I swear, 95% of the time my dog poops on the carpet, it’s right before I eat dinner!
Tools like the BISSELL SpotBot carpet cleaner make dealing with their occasional messes much more bearable, a lot less frustrating, and (frankly) not as gross.
In case you're unfamiliar, the SpotBot is a corded carpet cleaner that you fill with water and a little bit of cleaning solution. It automatically sprays, brushes, and sucks up everything to clean your carpet and remove stains — even ones that have already set in.
A Quick Rundown of the Specs
The BISSEL SpotBot is about the same size and shape as a motorcycle helmet, but slightly larger and heavier. It weighs 17 pounds when filled, is equipped with a 32-ounce clean-water tank, and has a 16-foot-long cord. So, you shouldn't have any issues reaching the area where your pet made a mess.
What makes it stand out from other cleaners — like the TikTok famous Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner — is that it has an automatic scrubber tool that doesn't require you to manually scrub your carpets. Instead, you just place it directly over a stain and select the speed or deep-clean cycle. Then, it will scrub and suck up the gunk while you do whatever else it is that you need to do.
Like most other carpet cleaners, this one still has a 5-foot long manual suction hose for cleaning upholstery, stairs, or other hard-to-reach areas. Compared to upright cleaners and shampooers, it is much more portable and easier to store, and requires a lot less effort on your end to use.
Bissell makes replacement parts for the machine readily available on its website, and backs the product up with a 2-year warranty. The machine comes with a trial-size Pet Stain & Odor formula and a Pet Oxy Boost formula for improved pet-stain removal, but larger-sized bottles can easily be found on Amazon, or at most other major retailers.
What Messes I’ve Cleaned With It
I promise I won't be extremely graphic about this: After all, who wants a colorful picture about feces, urine, and vomit?
I have used the Bissell in two separate households. My childhood cocker spaniel is 17 years old and blind, and she frequently pees on the floor ... that is, unless you take her out every 2 hours, which sometimes just isn't possible.
I've used the Bissell to clean up countless messes from my puppy, Luca, too. He's a husky, who still isn't completely housebroken. I've also cleaned accidents from my previous husky, Ghost, who was sick with cancer and frequently vomited and had diarrhea at his lowest points. It's also been used to clean up vomit when my German shepherd Mika got into the garbage.
The cleaner has a 3-minute speed cycle that I primarily use to soak up urine. It also has a 6-minute deep-clean cycle that I use when dealing with vomit or poop. Although it's not required, I tend to blot and soak up as much urine as I can with a rag first, before running the machine. If there are any large solids, I pick those up first, too — just so that things don't smear. The Bissell works best on low pile carpet, but I've also used it on rugs without issues.
Drawbacks and Quirks
One downside to the Bissell is that it leaves my carpets very wet. In fact, they're so wet that occasionally, I'll come back a couple of hours later and step in the wet spot. When that happens, for a second, I'll think that my pet had another accident! So, I recommend using a hairdryer or drying the spot with a clean rag after you run the machine.
Another minor complaint I have with the SpotBot is how loud it is — especially on the deep clean cycle. If you have an important phone call, you'll likely have to wait to run the machine ... because wow, this appliance can roar!
I've been using the Bissell for just about a year now, and its dirty water tank recently started to leak after I disconnected it from the machine: It definitely gets annoying to have to double back and tend to some dribbles after cleaning up the first mess. Now, I just cup a rag under it to catch the drips before dumping the dirty water tank in the sink.
Despite these shortcomings, I still wholeheartedly recommend the Bissell SpotBot. Speaking as someone who has cleaned up more pet fluids than I can count, I would much rather have the Bissell SpotBot than clean the messes by hand with resolve, paper towels, rags, and some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
Closing Argument
If you frequently have to deal with gross stains from your children or pets, I can't recommend the Bissell SpotBot enough. It's much more convenient than using an upright carpet cleaner, it's easy to maintain, and it sucks up messes fast. Most importantly, I've been quite impressed by its cleaning performance and ability to keep my carpet and rugs looking like new.
Shop Bissell SpotBot Pet Portable Carpet Cleaner
