BISSELL Leads the Pack in Pet Clean-up

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the company's first venture in creating products specifically targeting pet messes in 2005, BISSELL Homecare, Inc. has been a leader in the floorcare industry in meeting the unique cleaning needs of pet owners. At this week's Global Pet Expo in Orlando, BISSELL will maintain its role as an expert in pet messes and will showcase its commitment to pet adoption by teaching Americans that pet clean-up can be simple and affordable, given the right tools.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100325/NY76499 )

BISSELL's commitment to the pet community is no coincidence. With 72 percent of its employees being pet owners themselves, the company is well-equipped to devise clean-up solutions for the 60 percent of American households that own pets, as well as the 38 percent that say they would add a pet to their home if clean-up was easier.

"At BISSELL, we truly are a pack of pet lovers, and, as such, we understand the unique cleaning challenges that come with owning pets," says Cathy Bissell, BISSELL's director of corporate affairs and chief pet advocate. "But we also know that, with the right tools, pet clean-up can be made simple, and we are determined to share this knowledge with potential pet owners across America."

In 2010, BISSELL continues to embark upon new programs and initiatives that engage and support pet owners. Last month, the company launched a new Web site that connects with pet lovers through discussion forums, pet-related articles and a Pack of Pet Lovers blogger community, as well as with tips from pet lifestyle expert Kristen Levine and an interactive pet stain removal guide. BISSELL also will support the pet community in 2010 by partnering with pet adoption organizations like Petfinder, the Kent County Humane Society, LostPetUSA.net and North Shore Animal League America (NSALA), and by sponsoring such events as Furry Scurry, BlockTail Party® and NSALA's Adoptathon, where it will encourage the adoption of more American pets by dispelling consumer qualms about pet clean-up.

But perhaps the most vital way that BISSELL supports pet parents is through the continuous development of effective, easy-to-use pet clean-up products. And much of that product development is home-grown. BISSELL employees are often the first to experiment with the company's latest clean-up solutions, which they can do in the Pack of Pet Lovers' Playground, a pet-friendly facility in the company's new Innovation Center. Comprised of work and meeting spaces as well as indoor kennels and an outdoor pet play area, the facility allows employees to bring their pets to work with them for inspiration in developing new pet products.

BISSELL's inventive approach to product development has been key to the brand's success in mass retail stores. Because of that success, BISSELL in 2009 expanded into the pet specialty retail space with Pawsitively Clean™ – a line of clean-up products for those "he did WHAT!?!" moments that includes yecch ® drool cleaner, crikey® carpet and upholstery cleaner and ewww™ enzyme-powered pet stain and odor remover. On the heels of strong initial sales results for Pawsitively Clean, BISSELL is extending the line in 2010 with the yikes!™ compact deep cleaning machine, a useful solution for the ickiest of pet messes. Yikes! boasts an on-board heater and strong spray and suction, which work to remove even the grossest of pet stains from carpets or upholstery. It comes with tools to clean gooey messes of all types and sizes, and stores ready-to-use so, when accidents happen, clean-up is quick and easy. Yikes! uses a 2X concentrated earth-friendly machine formula that permanently does away with tough pet stains and odors.

For information on the complete lineup of BISSELL pet products, cleaning tips, blogs from our Pack of Pet Lovers, information from our pet expert and more, visit our online Pet Lovers Community at bissell.com.

About BISSELL Homecare, Inc.

A 134-year-old company, Grand Rapids-based BISSELL Homecare, Inc., is the top-selling brand in floorcare appliances in North America with an expanding presence worldwide. As an innovator of cleaning products, BISSELL produces and sells vacuums, sweepers, deep-cleaning machines, bare floor cleaners and cleaning formulas at retail locations across the globe. The company is in its fourth generation of family leadership

SOURCE BISSELL Homecare, Inc.