When was the first Bissell carpet cleaner?

[fan-of-fans]

I saw at Habitat yesterday an older Bissell carpet cleaner. Kind of a short and fat shape, the top was gray and the bottom was a light blue/gray color. I think I remember seeing one of these put out for the trash near my house a year or so ago. These seem to predate the Big Greens and other units. I think these early ones were not self contained. So I think basically a shop vac with a water connection for the spray. Has anyone ever seen these or know about them? Also can these be used as a regular vacuum, did they have regular vacuuming attachments like the later ones?

 

[madman]

Yeah I think I know what you're talking about. I used to have one when I was little. Mine was either light gray or beige. Even back then, I found it in the trash. It had most of its parts, and I think it was a Bissel. It was sort of a rectangularly shaped shop vac, with a hose connection for water, like you say. I think with a trigger on the handle for water. And it had a small diameter hose you could put in a bottle of soap or whatever, and the water would draw in the soap. The floor head was clear plastic so you could see the dirty water being sucked up.

It worked moderately ok, but it didn't have any scrubbing action, just straight suction, and the one carpet I totally cleaned with it, I had to go to town on it with a brush on a stick, and then 'rinse' with the machine. Probably just because the carpet was that filthy, though.