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Our History

As BISSELL celebrates 150 years of product excellence and a commitment to families and pets, our legacy is inspiring our innovations. See how our past is shaping our future.

Top 1876–1889 1890–1929 1930–1955 1956–1970 1971–1992 1993–2005 2006–2017 2018–2026

1876–1889

The Beginning

1876

It started with spilled sawdust

Melville R. and Anna Bissell run a small crockery shop in Grand Rapids, MI. One day, to deal with the constant sawdust, Melville invents an improved carpet sweeper—an invention that would revolutionize household cleaning.

1876

Friendly competition

Melville and Anna Bissell visit Philadelphia to sell their sweepers to distributors. Each works one side of State Street, with Anna eventually “winning” by selling five or six dozen sweepers to the high-fashion department store Wanamaker’s.

1883

Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company

Production relocates from a makeshift shop to a new five-story factory on Mill St.

1884

The BISSELL factory fire

A fire strikes the Mill St. factory. What could have spelled disaster turns into a story of triumph, as the entire company comes together to clear the smoldering debris, salvage metal parts, and build the factory back up. Just 19 days after the fire, the company is once again shipping goods.

1887

Sweepers for sale

Many of the early sweepers are handcrafted with hog hair bristles. In 1887, the listed price is $1.42.

1889

Anna Bissell becomes America's first female CEO

Anna succeeds Melville, becoming America’s first female CEO. From running the operations above the family crockery to marketing and selling carpet sweepers, Anna is intimately familiar with the company. During her 42-year tenure (1889–1931), Anna oversees massive growth at BISSELL, making it an international household name.

1880s–1890s

Sweeping the world

By this time, BISSELL grows to 250 Associates, claims a world market share of 75%, and has the capacity to produce “a sweeper a minute.” In its short history, the company sells more than 2 million sweepers.

1890–1929

A Cultural Phenomenon

1890

Cleaning royalty

The BISSELL Sweeper makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean, where Queen Victoria insists her palace be “Bisselled” every week.

1900

Going for gold

The Grand Rapids Sweeper wins a gold medal at the Paris Exposition.

1904

Grand entrance

The BISSELL Sweeper takes the Grand Prize at the World’s Fair in St. Louis and captivates the world.

1917

World War eﬀort

BISSELL converts its production facilities to support the armed forces in WWI. The factories contribute potato mashers to help produce food for the troops, aluminum frames for air navigational maps, and wooden crutches for the war effort.

1929

An American classic 

BISSELL cements itself in the zeitgeist, commissioning renowned American painter Norman Rockwell to create an advertisement (“Pals”) for the ever-popular BISSELL carpet sweeper.

1930–1955

Resilience & Growth

1930s

Overcoming the Great Depression

BISSELL weathers the Great Depression without a layoff, using factory repairs and improvements to keep Associates working during slack production times.

1931

Melville Bissell Jr. becomes president

After Anna Bissell’s 42-year tenure, Melville Bissell Jr. leads the company into the middle of the 20th century.

1940s

Heeding the call

BISSELL again answers the nation’s call by putting production facilities behind the nation’s war effort. BISSELL manufactures precision parts to help make rifles. When metal is rationed, BISSELL produces its carpet sweepers with wood for the greater good.

1956–1970

Innovation at Home

1956

Melville Bissell III becomes president

Melville Bissell III keeps the family and company legacy going into a new era of cleaning innovation.

1956

An easier, deeper clean

BISSELL introduces the ShampooMaster manual carpet shampooer, making scrubbing on your hands and knees a thing of the past.

1959

Walker headquarters

BISSELL headquarters moves to its new home in Walker, MI, where it currently resides.

1960

Electric combo

BISSELL introduces its first electric product and first combination vac/floor scrubbers, the Sweepmaster & Scrubmaster.

1960s

New game changers

Throughout the 1960s, BISSELL introduces several new products that revolutionize the way people clean: Electrofoam carpet shampooer with straight-line power stroke, Dry Powder Rug Shampoo and Applicator, Gemini Sweeper—BISSELL’s first two-brush sweeper.

1971–1992

Expanding the Business

1971

John M. Bissell becomes president and CEO

John M. Bissell acquires several companies, expanding business opportunities in homecare, healthcare, and graphics.

1978

Oreck vacuum

BISSELL begins production of the Oreck vacuum for the Oreck Corporation.

1980

It’s magic

BISSELL introduces its first extractor in grand style. This breakthrough product makes it possible and affordable to own a carpet extraction machine. Why rent when you can own your own?

1984–1986

New marketing cleans up

See it, believe it, buy it! A combination of local TV and in-store demos make the Carpet Machine Plus a major success. It’s so popular that it launches at major department stores across North America and at warehouse clubs and becomes a big hit on CVN (later purchased by QVC).

1987

Presidential PowerSteamer

Former President Gerald R. Ford joins the launch festivities for the PowerSteamer deep cleaner, greeting department store executives from across the country at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

1990

A deeper clean

The BISSELL SC is the company’s first deep cleaning machine no longer tethered to an in-home water source. Deep cleaning has never been more convenient!

1992

An iconic logo

BISSELL introduces the red triangle to enhance its iconic BISSELL brand logo, first appearing on deep cleaning formulas and sweepers.

1992

Big Green: large and in charge

The Big Green^® Clean Machine enters the deep cleaning market with an infomercial that makes it a marketing sensation, taking deep cleaning adoption to record levels from 1992 to 1994.

1993–2005

Modern Cleaning

1993

Little Green: big deal

The Little Green^® Clean Machine becomes an infomercial hit and creates an entirely new cleaning category.

1996

Power moves

BISSELL enters the upright vacuum market by acquiring Singer Floorcare Division and introduces the BISSELL^® PowerGroomvacuum. The Singer acquisition also propels significant sales growth at Walmart with OPP vacuums as a key to success.

1996

Mark Bissell becomes president and CEO

Mark Bissell ushers modern-day BISSELL into a new era.

1997

Big recognition for Little Green® 

The new Little Greenmachine sets new sales records with its introduction and wins a National Industrial Design Award.

1997

Ushering in uprights

The new PowerSteamer ushers in a new era of at-home deep cleaning.

1998

“BISSELL Boy” makes national news

BISSELL provides Morgan Wilburn a “Willy Wonka” experience with a factory tour and meet and greet with Mark Bissell. The story grabs national attention, first on CNN News, then on The Tonight Show and The Rosie O’Donnell Show.

1998

You’ve got the power

The firstPowerClean^®vacuum is brought to market.

1998

Spot cleaning to new levels

SpotLifter^® handheld cleaner takes portable deep cleaning to even higher sales levels.

1999

New formula

BISSELL creates new machine formula offerings, from allergen to pet formulations, to effectively clean carpet and upholstery.

1999

.com boom

The BISSELL website (www.bissell.com) goes live on the Internet.

2000

Bringing the heat

The ProHeat^® deep cleaner brings new patented heat technology, taking cleaning to the next level.

2000

Steaming hot

QuickSteamer makes deep cleaning easier and more affordable. The ad campaign introduces a woman’s voice to the category and shows men cleaning.

2000

First to sell on Amazon

BISSELL becomes the first floorcare company to sell on amazon.com.

2001

BISSELL goes bagless

BISSELL introduces its first bagless vacuum, the CleanView^® upright vacuum—an industry sensation.

2001

3M partnership

BISSELL forges a partnership with 3M Scotchgard™, bringing it to BISSELL^® deep cleaning formulas.

2003

Little Green® goes green(er)

The Little Green machine goes sustainable—made from recycled vacuum materials—and wins Walmart’s Sustainability Award.

2004

Award for ads

BISSELL wins the David Ogilvy Award for best national advertising campaign (“Life Testimonials”) in the U.S.

2004

Woolite®partnership

BISSELL acquires the exclusive license to the Woolite carpet & upholstery brand.

2005

We have liftoﬀ

The Lift-Off^® vacuum takes BISSELL to new heights, making it the #1 brand in floorcare appliances and surpassing Hoover as the U.S. industry leader for the first time in history.

2006–2017

Cleaning for Pet Families

2006

Puppy Bowl

BISSELL sponsors its first Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet, launching a concerted effort to reach pet owners across the U.S.

2007

Pet parent–approved 

The Pet Hair Eraser^®upright vacuum launches as the first BISSELL^®product designed with pet parents in mind.

2010

The Pet Spot

In the Innovation Center, BISSELL unveils the Pet Spot, an area built to welcome Associates’ dogs during the workday and to inspire those working on pet-related products.

2010

Professional results

BISSELL launches its rental program across North America with its newest Big Green^® machine.

2011

BISSELL Pet Foundation

Cathy Bissell founds BISSELL Pet Foundation (BPF), a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending pet homelessness. With a renewed mission, BISSELL begins exclusively featuring adopted pets on its product packaging.

2014

Bare floor growth gains steam

The BISSELL^®Symphony™ infomercial launch creates a major breakthrough in bare floor cleaning in North America.

2015

Revolutionary carpet cleaning

The ProHeat 2X^® Revolution^® carpet cleaner hits the market and heats up the carpet cleaner category.

2015

BISSELL amplifies pet-first focus

2016

Living tangle-free

The Tangle-Free Brush Roll—the first of its kind—launches with the Pet Hair Eraser^® upright vacuum.

2016

Making waves

CrossWave^®machines go on the market. This revolutionary multi-surface cleaning system vacuums and mops at the same time!

2018–2026

Building the Future

2018

Pet professionals

CrossWave^® Pet Pro launches, the first product in the Pet Pro line designed to elevate cleaning in pet-friendly homes.

2018

BISSELL acquires Sanitaire

By acquiring Sanitaire—the leading commercial brand in home appliances—from Electrolux, BISSELL expands its portfolio of innovative and reliable cleaning solutions.

2022

The doctor is in

BISSELL and Rug Doctor^® join forces to offer professional-grade carpet cleaner rentals.

2023

The steam team

BISSELL launches the Revolution^® HydroSteam^® carpet cleaner, CrossWave^® HydroSteam^® multi-surface cleaner, and Little Green^® HydroSteam^® portable deep cleaner.

2024

Bringing the (Omni)Force

CrossWave^® OmniForce^® and CrossWave^® OmniForce^® Edge debut as the latest multi-surface cleaners, delivering advanced performance for modern homes.

2024

Lab tested. Life approved.

BISSELL addresses pet parents’ pain points with its industry-first Pet Proven^® performance certification program to tackle the furriest, yuckiest, and dirtiest pet messes with ease.

2024

Unger acquisition

BISSELL acquires Unger, the global leader in professional and household cleaning.

2025

1 million pets impacted

BISSELL Pet Foundation reaches a milestone, having touched over 1 million pet lives through its pet adoption, transport, spay/neuter, microchip, and crisis and disaster programs.

2026

From home care to pet care

BISSELL debuts two tech-forward solutions to simplify modern pet parenting: the CleanWell™ Automatic Litter Box and the HydrateWell™ Automatic Water Fountain.

150 Years of Innovation

BISSELL celebrates 150 years of legacy and impact. As we honor the past and shape our future, we look ahead with the same spirit of innovation, care, and purpose that has guided us since 1876.

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