Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro: The Ultimate Pet Mess Cleaner? – A Detailed Review

Dealing with pet messes is a daily reality for pet owners. From muddy paw prints to spilled food and pet hair, keeping your floors clean can feel like a never-ending battle. The Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro aims to simplify this struggle by combining vacuuming and washing into one convenient device. We put the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro 2306 to the test, comparing it to the original Bissell CrossWave and other competitors, to give you our expert opinion. Is this the ultimate cleaning solution for pet households? Let’s dive in.

What Makes the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro Stand Out?

At first glance, the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro may seem very similar to the original CrossWave. And you’d be right – fundamentally, it’s the same core machine. However, Bissell has included some thoughtful upgrades specifically designed for pet owners. These enhancements, while seemingly minor, make a significant difference in tackling pet-related messes.

The most notable additions are the pet hair strainer and the tangle-free brush roll. The pet hair strainer is a game-changer, preventing pet hair from clogging the dirty water tank and making cleanup much easier. The specialized brush roll is designed to resist tangles, a common frustration with pet hair and standard vacuum brushes. Bissell also includes two tangle-free brush rolls and two bottles of PET Multi-Surface cleaning solution with Febreze, doubling up on these essential components compared to the original CrossWave. These additions signal Bissell’s focus on catering to pet owners’ specific cleaning needs with the Pet Pro model.

Performance on Pet Messes: Our Testing

To truly assess the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro’s capabilities, we conducted a series of tests simulating common pet messes. We started with simple wet mess cleanup tests using liquids of varying thickness. The CrossWave Pet Pro impressed us right away, cleaning up spills with minimal residue, often in just a few passes. Even with thicker liquids, it maintained excellent pickup, though requiring a few more passes to eliminate any remaining residue.

For a more challenging test, we used SpaghettiOs, a thick and sticky mess. Again, the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro delivered nearly perfect results. While it required additional passes to completely remove all residue, the machine effectively lifted and cleaned the sticky mess, proving its ability to handle more substantial spills.

We also tackled dried-on stains, a common issue in homes with pets. Using grape juice and V8, we allowed the liquids to dry into a sticky, stubborn consistency on hard floors. The Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro proved pretty effective at removing these dried stains. The results varied slightly depending on the amount of dried material and cleaning speed, but overall, it performed admirably, especially considering the stickiness of the dried V8. This demonstrated the CrossWave Pet Pro’s ability to go beyond surface cleaning and tackle ingrained pet-related stains.

Real-World Cleaning with Pets in Mind

Beyond controlled tests, we put the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro to work in real-world scenarios. We used it to clean heavily soiled areas on an old studio floor and to deep clean a new studio floor that was in dire need of attention. In these real-world applications, the CrossWave Pet Pro proved to be highly effective. We found it particularly easy to use and maneuver, making the cleaning process less of a chore. The swivel head design allowed us to navigate around furniture and tight corners with ease, crucial for cleaning spaces often frequented by pets.

Limitations to Consider

While the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro excels at everyday cleaning and handling pet messes, it’s important to understand its limitations. As an electric mop, it’s designed for routine mopping jobs and lighter spills, not for extremely large or heavily soiled messes.

The primary drawback we identified is the cleaning process required after dealing with significant spills. The design of the CrossWave Pet Pro necessitates cleaning the machine after tackling larger messes. This involves cleaning the dirty water tank and filter assembly, which can be somewhat time-consuming as debris can accumulate in various crevices. This post-cleaning chore essentially balances out the convenience of quickly cleaning up a spill.

For light mopping tasks or cleaning up smaller, less messy spills, this isn’t an issue. In those cases, emptying the dirty water tank might be sufficient without requiring a thorough machine cleaning. Bissell includes a cleaning tray designed to help rinse the brush roll and the bottom of the unit. While the tray assists in removing loose debris, we found that a more thorough wipe-down is often necessary, especially after cleaning up sticky or potentially smelly pet messes.

Is the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro Right for You?

So, do we recommend the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro? Yes, with a caveat. We believe it’s an incredibly convenient tool, especially for routine, light mopping and cleaning up everyday pet-related dirt and spills. It functions effectively as an electric mop, saving time and effort on regular floor maintenance. The pet-specific upgrades, like the tangle-free brush roll and pet hair strainer, are genuinely useful for pet owners.

However, it’s essential to be realistic about its capabilities. For large, nasty spills, the cleanup of the machine itself might negate some of the convenience. Consider your typical cleaning needs. If you’re primarily dealing with everyday pet hair, paw prints, and smaller spills, the Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro is an excellent investment to streamline your cleaning routine. If you frequently encounter large, heavy-duty messes, you might want to consider its limitations and be prepared for the post-cleaning maintenance.

Bissell CrossWave Pet Pro Specs