I've had my new Bissel Powerlifter 1413 vacuum for about a week now, so I don't feel I am quite ready for a full review. I've used it 3 times so far, and it has been doing a WONDERFUL job.
The first time I vacuumed with the Bissel, I only did my small, carpeted living room. I had to empty the canister 3 times! Gross, but I feel like this vacuum really got down into the carpet & dug out all the icky stuff. My Lab, Jack, rules the house & he sheds on the floor a lot. I felt like, with all the hair this vacuum sucked up, I could have made another Lab.
I would have made a girl Lab to be Jack's girlfriend & I would have named her Pearl. But that's not going to happen & I'm weird for even thinking about it. Moving on...
And then the unthinkable happened. My baby boy Jack got fleas. HOW? Well, there's a new neighbor in town & they let their dog run & it, of course, comes over & gets close to Jack & gives him fleas. I know it's this dog because I looked at it, and sure enough, fleas were having a fiesta on this poor pooch.
Jack has never had fleas before, so this was all new to me. It started with him itching more than normal. I looked at his fur & it just seemed like he had a bunch of dirt on his skin. Odd... so I gave him a bath, and cleaned his kennel.
But he never stopped itching, & the black dirt was still on his skin. I saw 2 little, tiny, hopping bugs on my couch blanket. Okay, they must be fruit flies. So I washed the blanket.
2 days later, there were 2 more little buggies on my freshly washed blanket. I wandered into Google-land & discovered those little specks of dirt on Jack, & those little "fruit flies" on my blanket were not what they appeared to be. They were FLEAS.
Puke, vomit, throw-up, gag.
I hate bugs.
First, I had Jim replace the hay in Jack's dog house. And I vacuumed the carpet.
Second, I included Jack in my shower. Time for a scrub-down with his oatmeal body wash. When I got out of the shower, I got wise & ran to Pinterest. They told me to try another bathing option...
Third, I pushed a reluctant Jack back into the shower, this time with Jim. Jack was probably thinking "3 baths in one week? What did I do so wrong?" Well, Jack, you got fleas - that's what. Pinterest told me to bathe Jack in Dawn dish soap mixed with a little apple cider vinegar. So, peering over the top of the shower while standing on a chair, I directed Jim to do so. He lathered Jack up and scrubbed on him for about 10 minutes. Even after the first minute, fleas were dropping like flies. Did I just say that? It's working!
Fourth, Pinterest told me to douse my carpet in salt. So I took Jim's beloved canister of salt (he loves salt) & sprinkled it liberally all over the carpet, on the couch, & on the rugs. I was then directed to leave the salt there for 1 whole day. Walking on a salty, gritty, carpet made me cringe.
Fifth, I washed all the blankets that Jack may have came into contact with. And sheets. And couch covers. And towels.
Sixth, I tried another odd ball trick - fill a dish of warm water with some soap & put the dish under a lamp in an area where fleas might be. I did this overnight & when I woke up, no fleas were in the water. Either this didn't work, or we sucked up all the fleas with the first vacuum run.
Seventh, Right after work the next day, I vacuumed up the salt &, hopefully, the dead fleas. Again, my canister filled up a couple times doing this. Either Jack shed a lot more because of the baths or it was all the salt/fleas.
Eighth, I checked Jack's fur. Then I checked him again. No fleas. I checked Jim, & he checked me. No fleas.
Have we defeated this tiny army of monsters? Well, this all wrapped up yesterday, so I'm going to give it time before I decide we've won. But I'd like to commend my new Bissel for powering through this journey with me. I cannot help but be shocked at all the dirt & hair this vacuum sucks up! Way to go, Bissel.
Now, I am crossing my fingers & toes that these fleas are done for.
The first time I vacuumed with the Bissel, I only did my small, carpeted living room. I had to empty the canister 3 times! Gross, but I feel like this vacuum really got down into the carpet & dug out all the icky stuff. My Lab, Jack, rules the house & he sheds on the floor a lot. I felt like, with all the hair this vacuum sucked up, I could have made another Lab.
I would have made a girl Lab to be Jack's girlfriend & I would have named her Pearl. But that's not going to happen & I'm weird for even thinking about it. Moving on...
And then the unthinkable happened. My baby boy Jack got fleas. HOW? Well, there's a new neighbor in town & they let their dog run & it, of course, comes over & gets close to Jack & gives him fleas. I know it's this dog because I looked at it, and sure enough, fleas were having a fiesta on this poor pooch.
Jack has never had fleas before, so this was all new to me. It started with him itching more than normal. I looked at his fur & it just seemed like he had a bunch of dirt on his skin. Odd... so I gave him a bath, and cleaned his kennel.
But he never stopped itching, & the black dirt was still on his skin. I saw 2 little, tiny, hopping bugs on my couch blanket. Okay, they must be fruit flies. So I washed the blanket.
2 days later, there were 2 more little buggies on my freshly washed blanket. I wandered into Google-land & discovered those little specks of dirt on Jack, & those little "fruit flies" on my blanket were not what they appeared to be. They were FLEAS.
Puke, vomit, throw-up, gag.
I hate bugs.
First, I had Jim replace the hay in Jack's dog house. And I vacuumed the carpet.
Second, I included Jack in my shower. Time for a scrub-down with his oatmeal body wash. When I got out of the shower, I got wise & ran to Pinterest. They told me to try another bathing option...
Third, I pushed a reluctant Jack back into the shower, this time with Jim. Jack was probably thinking "3 baths in one week? What did I do so wrong?" Well, Jack, you got fleas - that's what. Pinterest told me to bathe Jack in Dawn dish soap mixed with a little apple cider vinegar. So, peering over the top of the shower while standing on a chair, I directed Jim to do so. He lathered Jack up and scrubbed on him for about 10 minutes. Even after the first minute, fleas were dropping like flies. Did I just say that? It's working!
Fourth, Pinterest told me to douse my carpet in salt. So I took Jim's beloved canister of salt (he loves salt) & sprinkled it liberally all over the carpet, on the couch, & on the rugs. I was then directed to leave the salt there for 1 whole day. Walking on a salty, gritty, carpet made me cringe.
Fifth, I washed all the blankets that Jack may have came into contact with. And sheets. And couch covers. And towels.
Sixth, I tried another odd ball trick - fill a dish of warm water with some soap & put the dish under a lamp in an area where fleas might be. I did this overnight & when I woke up, no fleas were in the water. Either this didn't work, or we sucked up all the fleas with the first vacuum run.
Seventh, Right after work the next day, I vacuumed up the salt &, hopefully, the dead fleas. Again, my canister filled up a couple times doing this. Either Jack shed a lot more because of the baths or it was all the salt/fleas.
Eighth, I checked Jack's fur. Then I checked him again. No fleas. I checked Jim, & he checked me. No fleas.
Have we defeated this tiny army of monsters? Well, this all wrapped up yesterday, so I'm going to give it time before I decide we've won. But I'd like to commend my new Bissel for powering through this journey with me. I cannot help but be shocked at all the dirt & hair this vacuum sucks up! Way to go, Bissel.
Now, I am crossing my fingers & toes that these fleas are done for.