My 86t3 Bissell Big Green Machine. Constantly sprays water like Im pressing the trigger. I disconnected the switch for trigger and it still sprays on to the carpet. It will continue to spray until it runs out of water.

SOURCE: Bissell carpet cleaner

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.

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.

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.

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.

Now do the same for the other red water sprayer.

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.

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.

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??

Good luck!

SOURCE: Bissell carpet cleaner won't spray water on floor setting

I have the same problem, can someone help.

Thanks

SOURCE: Bissell ProHeat Carpet Steam Cleaner stopped spraying.

The problem was a clogged heating unit which is located in the lower handle. There are two clear hoses going up the inside of the left leg of the lower handle that go to the heater and to the in-line water switch all within the lower handle. I unplugged the metal heating unit water lines and electrical connections (label the connections as you take them apart if you have a hard time remembering things...there were seven connection in all be it water and/or electrical). Removed the heat unit out and then removed the 6 screws holding the heater cover. Inside was a white powdery pasty debris (lime deposit ?) and the water path was clearly blocked in four different places. I cleansed the water trough with a little water and soft toothbrush and several toothpicks then reassembled. If you need new washers go to Orchard or ACE hardware. Take the old rubber washers(they are red) with you for comparison. I didn't need new washers...I just gently cleansed them. I immediately ran clear water through the machine and actually cleaned the carpet with a water rinse only. Will go back and finish the carpet the right way tomorrow. I had only used my machine three times before this happend over a three year period. A friend told me to always rinse it two maybe three times with clear water after using it and before storage. This took me exactly 42 minutes to disassembly and reassemble. Cost savings is several hundred dollars since I have a 5 bdrm house and would need a professional cleaner to do the small dirty traffic lanes all around the house.

SOURCE: Bissell carpet cleaner

I have owned three Bissell cleaners and experienced clogged hoses each and every use. Do not put carpet cleaning solution in these machines. They are not designed correctly. If you have a tough spot, just use some liquid dishwasher detergent and a scrub brush. It will get almost anything out! Try it! Then, use the Bissell with hot water only to clean up any detergent residue.
Have a great day! Bissell Sucks!