Bissell has been helping people improve the way they take care of their homes since 1876. Anna Bissell was frustrated with the sawdust left in her carpet. Even after a thorough cleaning of her crockery shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the carpet was not entirely clean. She complained to her husband, Melville, and he invented a carpet sweeper to help solve the problem. The news of this carpet sweeper spread and people started enquiring about buying one for their own homes and businesses. The Bissell Carpet Sweeper was patented in 1876. Anna became a salesperson and traveled to many towns. She sold the sweeper for $1.50.

In 1883, the first Bissell manufacturing plant was built in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Unfortunately, Melville Bissell did not get to enjoy the success of his company for very long. He passed away in 1889. Anna Bissell swiftly took over the company, becoming America's first female corporate CEO. She was no meek leader, managing with a focus on aggressive advertising tactics and innovative ideas. With Anna Bissell at the helm, new venues for product development were searched through and the business was expanded to include all seven continents.

New guidelines on trademarks and patents were established by Anna Bissell. By 1899, she had created the largest organization of its kind in the world. She also championed progressive labor policies like workman's compensation and pension plans before they were widespread in the industry. Anna Bissell was said to have, "studies business the way other women of her time studied French." She kept perfect pace with the intricacies of industrialism and layers of the Bissell operation.

Lifestyles around the world started changing and Bissell moved past carpet sweepers and concentrated on other products that help people clean better and save time. Two products that reduced the time spent carpet cleaning were the new multipurpose formula and shampooer. More practical and lightweight cleaners were also introduced for smaller living spaces, like the Bissell 5200 Flip !t. These were quick to use and stored easily. Bissell also made deep cleaning available to everybody by launching carpet deep cleaners with built-in heaters like the Bissell 9500 PROheat 2X CleanShot to optimize performance.

Bissell believes that making the world a cleaner place doesn't end at clean living spaces. The company carries on Anna Bissell's innovative spirit by protecting environment and reducing waste as well. Bissell utilizes a closed loop manufacturing process. This means new vacuums and deep cleaners are manufactured using post consumer recycled content. The way this works is first, the products are prepared for recycling. Then, the materials are sorted, cleaned and reprocessed into raw material. Finally, the raw materials are molded into new machine components. Bissell's formula bottles are a part of their environmentalist efforts as well. Blow-molded bottle operations are utilized by Bissell. This means the bottle are made from new resin, reused resin from the waste trimmed off of the bottles, and post consumer recycled resin.

Bissell offers an extensive line of products including deep cleaners, hard floor products, cleaning formulas and carpet sweepers. They pride themselves on being the provider of the world's best life-inspired cleaning tools. As Bissell says, "When we say clean?WE MEAN CLEAN!"