Unfortunately, due to heavy foot traffic, children, pets, and normal wear and tear, carpet fibers inevitably become soiled, which results in dull-looking appearances. No matter how much you vacuum, eventually you will need the services of a professional carpet cleaner.

Regular professional cleaning using an Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) technician is as important to your carpet as having a trained mechanic perform routine tune-ups on your car. While your carpet may appear clean on the surface, periodic cleaning by a certified technician can remove what you can’t see and help your carpet retain its fresh, beautiful appearance.

Most cleaning and building professionals know that heat is one of the four fundamentals of effective cleaning (the other three are time, agitation, and chemical action). However, some professionals are unaware of why heat is so essential when it comes to cleaning carpets.

To clarify these hot issues, we asked Doyle Bloss, vice president of sales for U.S. Products Pro, which is a manufacturer of hot-water carpet extractors. Bloss notes the following top 10 reasons to use heat when cleaning carpets as well as explaining why heat is critical to effective carpet cleaning:

1. Heat helps “suspend” soils so that they can be more easily removed. Soil suspension refers to the separation of soil from the carpet fibers being cleaned.
2. Higher temperatures tend to expand carpet fibers, allowing them to release soils more easily.
3. Heat speeds up molecular activity of the cleaning chemicals, enhancing their effectiveness.
4. Heat helps break down grease and oil, making it easier for them to be extracted from the carpet.
5. Hotter water breaks down water-soluble soiling faster.
6. Heat acts as a catalyst, promoting quicker reactions between cleaning chemicals and carpet soils.
7. Because it improves the effectiveness of cleaning chemicals, heat can reduce overall chemical usage. Using less chemical can reduce cleaning’s impact on the user and the environment.
8. Carpet cleaning tasks can be completed more quickly using heated cleaning solution, reducing water and energy consumption.
9. Heating cleaning solutions to a higher temperature refreshes and restores carpet texture. The carpet is literally “fluffed up” by the hot-water cleaning process.
10. Hotter water evaporates more quickly than cold, reducing customer downtime waiting for carpets to dry.