Why Is My Bissell Carpet Cleaner Not Picking Up Water?

Last Updated on December 6, 2022

Bissell Carpet Cleaner is one of the most reliable and convenient appliances to help you do chores without strenuous effort. However, your Bissell carpet cleaner may stop picking up water after some time due to some errors or problems in the system.

The situation could be perplexing, and you have to find the solution as your carpet won’t dry itself. There could be several reasons that hinder proper functioning. You can fix it either by troubleshooting or trying some other ways.

In this post, we have elaborated on the procedure of fixing the Bissell Carpet Cleaner that isn’t picking up water.

The most obvious reason for this malfunctioning is the blockage in the filter system of the carpet cleaner. You need to clean or replace the filter in order to fix it.

However, several other reasons can cause such problems, and some possible solutions are also present.

You don’t need to stress out after looking at your carpet cleaner that cannot pick up water to dry your carpet. Instead of using external sources to dry your carpet, here are some instructions you can follow to do it correctly.

• First of all, you must check the dial present on the machine. If the setting is not adjusted to Carpet Cleaning Mode, turn this setting on.
• In other settings, the carpet cleaner won’t be able to read the instructions to pick up water.
• Double-check the user guide if it is hard to locate the specified setting.
• If it doesn’t resolve the problem even after adjusting the setting, you must try the step mentioned next.

A carpet cleaner’s internal system is quite sensitive and stops functioning if even a small problem is detected.

• If the water tank inside your carpet cleaner is full of water, it will not work to pick up water. Emptying the tank can make it start to suck all the left water. Here is how you can do it:
• First, you need to turn off your carpet cleaner and pull the lever of the tank.
• Now eliminate the tank and drain it into the sink.
• Wash your water tank thoroughly and clear all the dirt inside it by using hot water.
• Now reposition the tank on the carpet cleaner and turn it on to run the test.

A Bissell carpet cleaner arrives with a bunch of tools to help you troubleshoot it. They are located at the back of the cleaner. If any obstruction has occurred in the cleaning equipment section, you must withdraw it to restore the normal functioning.

Here are some tricks to do this properly.

• Unplug the machine and pick out the equipment.
• Now examine them thoroughly to find any obstructions.
• If there are hair, debris, dirt, and dust, remove them quickly.
• Adjust the brush between the bristles.
• Pack the cleaning tool back to its position and turn on the cleaner.

Even if trying all the above-mentioned methods does not help you normalize the functioning of carpet cleaner, the main reason could be the blocked filter system.

If the filter gets blocked by any particle, it will stop the system from working, and your carpet will remain wet. The blocking material creates a hindrance in the pathway of the machine. You must carefully examine the filters to get the problem solved in minutes.

• Turn off your carpet cleaner and use a manual guide to remove the filtration.
• If you find any dirt inside the filter, clean it up.
• Now wash the filter with cold water and fix it to the leading position.
• Switch on the machine and run it for a few minutes to test.

The function of the seal is to keep water inside it, and if any damage occurs to the seal, the water will start leaking. This is another reason if your carpet is still not drying after spending hours trying to pick up water from it.

Look cautiously at the seals; if you find any leaks, they might be due to the damaged seals. The only possible solution for it is the replacement.

If parts of the machine are loose and not fixed firmly, they won’t do the work properly. It is important to tightly pack all the components to ensure the latches are close.

The result will be the maximized vacuum pressure to pick up water in a better way. By following ways, you can pack the latches:

• By closing them at the hose of the carpet cleaner
• Plug in the machine to run a test. 

If after making all the attempts to resolve the problem fails, the one last thing you should never ignore is to examine the suctioning through carpet cleaner.

• Remove the power source by disconnecting the machine and its hose.
• Now restore the connections back by switching on the cleaner.
• Test it if the water is being sucked. If this is not the case, try another method.
• Bend your carpet and place a newspaper below it near the front side of the machine.
• Now turn the cleaner on and inspect if any suction has occurred at the newspaper.

Fixing a Bissell Carpet Cleaner and not picking up water is mandatory, and you should do it instead of trying to air dry it.

Why does a carpet cleaner lose its suction?

The clogged hose is the most common reason for losing the suction power of a carpet cleaner. To find the solution, you must unclog the hose by removing any object creating a hindrance.

Should I use hot or cold water to clean rugs?

It is widely suggested to clean carpets and rugs by filling the tank with hot water. Hot water is better for removing stubborn and dirty stains compared to cold water. However, make sure you are not using boiling water for this purpose, as it will melt down the plastic parts of the machine