I finally got my hands on a the Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet Cleaner and honestly I have so much to tell you guys about it. After putting this thing through the ringer in my own home I wanted to see if this viral machine is actually a lifesaver or if it is just a loud green box that takes up space.


First Impressions and Unboxing
When you first pull the Little Green out of the box it is surprisingly light. It looks like a little green space pod or something from a cartoon. Setting it up is super simple. You have two tanks one for clean water mixed with the cleaning solution and one for that gross black water it sucks up later. I will be totally honest with you the first thing I thought was how is this tiny thing really going to pull up that old coffee stain on my rug but spoiler alert it actually did it.
How It Actually Works
The Little Green is not a regular vacuum cleaner so please do not try to suck up dry dust or cereal with this because you will definitely ruin it. This is a wet extractor. Here is how I used it on my living room sofa which was looking a bit rough.
First you have the spray part. You hold a trigger on the brush head and it sprays a mix of warm water and the cleaning formula onto the fabric. Then comes the scrub part. The brush head has these stiff bristles and you really have to use a bit of elbow grease here to loosen up the dirt. Finally the best part is the suction. You press the nozzle down and pull it toward you. You can actually see the brown muddy water disappearing into the hose through the clear window and it is so satisfying to watch.

Power and Electricity Talk
There is a bit of a misunderstanding about this machine that I need to clear up for you. People always ask about the charge time but the truth is it is not cordless. Most standard Little Green models are corded which means there is no charge time at all. You just plug it into the wall and it runs as long as you have water in the tank. As for the current bill and power consumption the motor is usually around 3 Amps. In terms of your electricity bill it is basically the same as running a high end hair dryer or a small microwave for a few minutes. Unless you are planning to clean your entire neighborhood’s sofas you will not even notice a change in your monthly current bill. It is very efficient for the spot cleaning it was designed to do.

The Honest Pros and Cons
✅ The Good Stuff
✅ Easy Storage It has a very small footprint so it fits perfectly under a sink or on a small shelf in your laundry room
✅ Extreme Portability It is very light and easy to carry around with one hand while you hold a cup of coffee in the other
✅ Gross Satisfaction Seeing the dirty water tank fill up is strangely addictive because it proves the machine is actually working
✅ Solid Build Quality The machine feels very sturdy like it can take a few bumps in the garage without breaking
❌ The Not So Good Stuff
- ❌ Major Noise The biggest issue is the sound because it is very loud and you definitely cannot use it while a baby is napping nearby
- ❌ Hose Cleaning Cleaning the hose is a real pain because hair and gunk get stuck inside and if you do not rinse it well it will start to smell like a wet dog
- ❌ Small Jobs Only This is not meant for big tasks and if you try to clean a whole room your back will probably break before you finish
- ❌ Manual Scrubbing The machine does not have a spinning brush so you have to use your own muscle power to scrub the stains out
What Is Best For
I tested this on four specific areas and here is how it performed. For car seats this machine literally paid for itself. My car seats had those weird water drop stains and salt marks and the Little Green made the upholstery look and smell like it just came from a professional shop. Then I tried it on the pet accident zone. If you have a dog that forgets its training once in a while this is a must have. It pulls the liquid out from deep inside the carpet fibers instead of just cleaning the surface. It is also great for stairs because dragging a full sized carpet cleaner up a staircase is a nightmare. This little guy sits perfectly on a step. Lastly it is a hero for spilled drinks. If you spill red wine on a white rug and catch it fast with this machine the rug will actually survive.

My Final Verdict
If you have kids or pets or a car that you actually care about then yes you should buy it. It is one of those tools you do not think you need until you use it once and then you wonder how you lived without it. It is not a magic wand because you still have to scrub but the suction power is legitimate. For the price it saves you hundreds in professional cleaning fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any soap in the machine Technically you can but I would not recommend it. Regular laundry soap or dish soap suds up way too much and can clog the motor. It is better to stick to the low foam formulas made for portable cleaners.
Does it dry the carpet instantly No it sucks up about 80 percent of the water but the fabric will still feel damp to the touch for about two to four hours. A pro tip is to point a desk fan at the spot to dry it in about 30 minutes.
Is there a cordless version Yes they do make a cordless version but the suction is a bit weaker and the battery only lasts about 20 minutes. I personally prefer the corded version for that unlimited power.
How do I prevent the stinky hose smell After every use you should suck up a bowl of clean plain water to flush the hose and then let the machine run for 30 seconds to air it out before you turn it off.











