Q: I've heard that hot water is not good for some carpet fibers. In fact, a fellow cleaner said I needed to turn down the heat on my truckmount to less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit when cleaning all wool carpet. I don't necessarily agree with him. I know you have covered this topic in the past, but my question is this: Is hot water good for carpet fibers?

— Mike, Cincinnati, OH

A: You are right not to agree with him; hot water isn't the culprit when it comes to potential or real damage to carpet fibers. Problems usually result when using improper chemicals, leaving the carpet wet too long and a host of other technician errors.

Remember, "wet" heat is typically safe. For example, when using a steam clothes iron to accelerate chemical action in specialty stain removal, using a damp towel between the iron and the carpet protects fibers, especially olefin, from damage because the moisture barrier acts as a protector. Without that damp towel, you will melt fibers quickly.

Unless you are dealing with wool, which is a natural hair fiber, carpet fibers are plastic. Nylon, polyester, olefin — all plastics. Although wool isn't a plastic, it is usually safe to clean it with the hottest water produced from the most powerful truckmounts.

You ask about hot water being beneficial to carpet fibers. First of all, we all know that hot water cleans best. When you wash clothes, your hands, your car, you use hot water when available because it improves cleaning effectiveness. Carpet is simply another surface that gets dirty and needs cleaning on a regular basis. The dirtier the carpet, the more effort it takes to get it cleaned.

Carpet fibers have a "twist" level. Most carpet yarns are twisted together, much like a rope, and the higher the twist rate, the more durable the carpet should be. Hot water extraction cleaning helps the fibers "remember" this twist, refreshing them. Of course, with a carpet style like Berber, this isn't as critical as the yarns are looped together. Hot water extraction is more beneficial to cut pile styles.

Hot water extraction can help "restore" crushed fibers as well. It's a reality that homeowners do not have their carpet cleaned as often as they should, and often cleaning technicians are faced with "restorative" situations. Crushed fibers in traffic lanes, combined with heavy soiling, can be better removed with hotter water.

Of course, using super-heated water does have its dangers. The most likely is a broken solution hose. Be very careful with the condition of your hoses and fittings and replace/repair them as needed.

Q: The last couple of times I've gone to the grocery store, I have noticed people renting those carpet cleaning machines. Is there a way I can get the business of those who clean their own carpet?

— Don, Portland, OR

A: Some clean their own carpet because they may not have the money to pay a professional, but this isn't always necessarily true.

Some clean their own carpet because they may have had a bad experience with a carpet cleaning company, or someone they know had a bad experience.

And some clean their own carpet because they just don't know of the value of using a professional service.

What you can do is educate your marketplace. In your marketing, include information on how homeowners can compare cleaning results of doing it themselves to professional cleaning.

You can create and optimize (search engine optimization) a page on your website that addresses this issue, and offer cleaning tips if they choose to clean their own carpet. Of course, if you list all the steps and all the work necessary to do a proper job, you just might get a few new customers who had no idea of what was involved.

Have a question for us? Ask at Cleanfax.com/experts or jcross@ntpmedia.com.