Does your CrossWave stink? The secret is in the pleated filter. Learn how to wash, dry, and replace your Bissell filter to maintain peak performance.
The Bissell CrossWave is a revolutionary machine that vacuums and washes floors at the same time. However, because it deals with “wet” dirt, the filter can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and localized odors.
Does your CrossWave stink? The secret is in the pleated filter. Learn how to wash, dry, and replace your Bissell filter to maintain peak performance.
- Symptoms: bad odor while cleaning, streaking on floors, low suction
- Tools: Running Water, New Filter (annually)
- Difficulty: Easy
If your CrossWave smells like a damp basement, the filter is to blame.
Finding the Filter
The filter is located at the top of the Dirty Water Tank.
- Press the release button on the tank and pull it out.
- Grip the recessed area at the top of the tank and pull the filter housing upward.
Vacuum Maintenance Calendar: The Senior-Friendly Schedule
Step 1: The “Tap and Rinse”
- Dry Tap: Before getting it wet, tap the filter against the inside of a trash can to remove loose hair.
- Rinse: Run warm water through the pleated side of the filter. Use your thumb to gently spread the pleats to reach trapped silt.
- No Soap: Just like Dyson, Bissell filters should only be cleaned with water to preserve the special mesh coating.
Step 2: The Drying Secret
Bissell provides a “Drying Tray” with most CrossWave models. Use it.
- The filter must dry for at least 24 hours before going back into the machine.
- If you use a damp filter, the fine dust will turn into “mud” inside the pleats, permanently blocking the air paths and stressing the motor.
When to Buy a New One
Washing will only do so much. Over time, the rubber gasket around the filter will compress, allowing water to bypass the filter and reach the motorfan.
- Recommendation: Replace the filter every 6 months if you have pets, or every year for normal use.
- Search for: “Bissell CrossWave Filter 1866” – this is the standard part number for the original, Cordless, and Pet Pro models.