I’m not exactly sure when it happened, but somewhere between 20 and 30, I developed a deep, unwavering love for a really good cleaning product. These days, my home is stocked like a well-curated supply closet – eco-friendly sprays line the cabinets, and my robot vacuums are basically on a first-name basis with my dog. Naturally, I’ve also made room for the viral staples, the ones that seem to have a permanent spot on Amazon’s bestsellers list. That includes the iconic Bissell Little Green Vacuum and its brand-new, smaller, equally powerful counterpart: the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner ($95).
A former PS editor already gave the original version a glowing review, noting its compact size and impressive cleaning power. But for the sake of comparison – and to help you decide which model belongs in your rotation, I put the “Mini” to the test. Read on for my full Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner review to see whether it’s worth adding to your cleaning arsenal.
About the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner
- Like its predecessor, the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner is made for cleaning soft surfaces, including carpets, furniture, upholstery, car seats, stairs, and more.
- The mini version costs about $30 less than the original.
- The cleaner has a 16-ounce tank and weighs seven pounds, whereas the original has a 48-ounce tank and weighs 10 pounds.
- It comes with a tough stain tool as well as an eight-ounce trial-size bottle of Little Green™ Oxy formula.
What I Like About the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner
What I like about the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner is that, true to its name, it’s compact, easy to stash out of sight when not in use, and surprisingly powerful. It cleans stains and messes thoroughly (more on that in a minute), is super simple to operate, and works on most soft surfaces- aside from super delicate fabrics and high-pile carpets.
How to Use the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner
The Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner is wildly easy to use, and that’s coming from someone who typically avoids instruction booklets at all costs. The setup is refreshingly straightforward: just remove the clean water tank, unscrew the cap, and fill it with warm water up to the designated water line, then add a Bissell cleaning formula up to the soap line. Reattach the tank, lock it into place, plug it in, and get to work on whatever stain you’re tackling.
When the dirty water tank (located opposite the clean one) hits the “Max” fill line, it’s time to empty it, give it a quick rinse with warm water, and repeat the process with a fresh batch of water and soap. In my case, I barely made a dent in the water tank after treating one area, so I took that as a sign to scope out other messes around the house before calling it a day.
Did the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner Work?
The Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner worked wonders on a stain that had been haunting me every time I walked past my Sabai couch. The fabric sectional lives in our sunroom, which connects directly to the back door, aka my dog’s main route in and out, dirty paws and all. So, it’s no surprise the off-white fabric (an unhinged choice, I know) collects random stains here and there. This one, in particular, had taken up residence at the base of the sectional. With the tough stain tool attached, I pressed the trigger to spray solution directly onto the area, then gently scrubbed the spot with the brush head. I repeated that process until the stain disappeared, spending a total of maybe four minutes on the spot. Lo and behold, it was gone, so effortlessly, in fact, that I immediately regretted putting off cleaning it for so long. I’ve included before-and-after photos below; just note that the “after” shot looks a little damp since the fabric holds onto the cleaning mix and takes a bit of time to dry.
What to Consider About the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner
While most reviews of the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner are glowing, a few critiques stood out to me as I was testing the device myself. One in particular stuck with me. A shopper who gave it three stars wrote, “I think this is the ideal machine for someone looking for a quick, easy-to-use spot cleaning solution rather than someone looking to completely clean their rugs or upholstery.” I can confirm this to be true. Given the cleaning device’s small size, it’s definitely best for spot cleaning or tackling smaller messes, but less ideal if you’re hoping to deep clean larger areas in one go. While it’s technically a carpet cleaner, I’d argue it’s more accurately described as a soft-surface spot treater – and for that, it absolutely gets the job done with ease.
Where Is the Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner Available to Shop?
The Bissell Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner is available to shop direct-to-consumer from the brand’s website at bissell.com.
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Marisa Petrarca (she/her) is a contributing editor for PS Shopping and has over seven years of experience writing and editing beauty, fashion, and lifestyle content. She was previously the senior beauty editor at Grazia USA and the style and beauty editor at Us Weekly. Now freelancing, her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan, Allure, Marie Claire, and more.
