Whether your Bissell Little Green is not spraying, not picking up the cleaning solution, or worse, leaking, remember that it’s not the end of the world. Below, you will find the troubleshooting guide for each issue.

Most Common Bissell Little Green Problems and Their Solutions

To reduce the risk of electric shock, turn the power switch off and disconnect the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner from the electrical outlet before performing maintenance or troubleshooting checks.

Here are the three most common Bissell Little Green problems and their solutions:

1. Reduced spray or not spraying at all

The Bissell Little Green carpet cleaner is meant to spray a cleaning solution for pretreating stains. If the Bissell Little Green is experiencing reduced spray or no spray at all, it could mean one of five things:

• Spray nozzle is clogged. Clean the spray nozzle using an unfolded paper clip.
• Clean water/solution tank is empty. Check the tank. If it’s empty, fill it with water.
• Clean water/solution tank insert is clogged. Remove the clean water/solution tank and clean the insert at the bottom. Push on the insert at the bottom of the tank to see if water is flowing. If water isn’t flowing, you need to replace the tank with a new one.
• Pump needs priming. Gently lift clean water/solution tank while depressing the spray trigger OR gently squeeze clean tank while depressing spray trigger.
• Clean water/solution tank is not fully seated. Remove and reinstall clean tank.

2. Spot cleaner won’t pick up cleaning solution (not suctioning)

After pretreatment with a cleaning solution, the Bissell Little Green is supposed to pick up the stain along with the cleaning solution using its strong suction power. If the Bissell Little Green’s spot cleaner is not suctioning or picking up the cleaning solution, it could mean one of six things:

• Poor upholstery/carpet tool position. Reposition the upholstery/carpet tool on the surface, then follow the recommended cleaning procedures.
• Dirty water tank is full. Empty the dirty water tank.
• Excess solution in the flex hose. Lift the tool and point it upwards to allow water in the hose to flow into the dirty water tank.
• Incorrect cleaning formula. Make sure to use the Bissell portable machine cleaning formulas only.
• Dirty tank is improperly seated onto the base. Remove the dirty tank and reseat it onto the unit.
• Dirty tank plug is unplugged. Push in the dirty water tank plug until it is properly sealed.

3. Dirty water tank is leaking

The dirty water tank installed on the Bissell Little Green is supposed to store dirty water that has been picked up during cleaning. If the Bissell Little Green dirty water tank is leaking, it could mean one of three things:

• Duckbill valve is dirty. Clean the duckbill valve that is located at the bottom of the dirty water tank. Once it has been cleaned, make sure it is placed securely back in place.
• Float stack is not fully locked on the dirty tank. Remove the float stack and twist it until the arrow is aligned with the lock symbol on the dirty water tank.
• Dirty tank is not properly seated onto the machine. Remove the dirty water tank and reseat it properly onto the unit.

Conclusion

And there you go, a quick but complete troubleshooting guide for the Bissell Little Green carpet cleaning machine. No matter the problem, there is always a solution if you know where to look.

Related articles:

• How to use Bissell Little Green (beginner’s guide)
• Bissell Little Green buyer’s guide
• How to clean Bissell Little Green