A carpet cleaner asks:
“Need some good quality Goodyear solution hose. Where do you guys get yours from? I got raptor last time and its transferring blue to the stairs now.”
Goodyear is known to fail at, or before one years’ use. With that as the ‘average’ can we do any better?
Ask anybody who knows me and they’ll tell you I’ve been searching for a better hose for carpet cleaners for over 10 years.
And that was after 20 years of seeing guys experience “Black Death” from using Goodyear. But if you look back to 30 years ago, we hardly ever had “Black Death”; certainly not like we do now.
Remember the EPA slogan “Get the Lead Out”? They were speaking to US manufacturers, paint, metal and rubber manufacturers, who were all using lead in their processes. That was about the time Black Death started. Take the lead out and you have failure. Today’s paints aren’t as durable. Today’s brass is weaker. And so is our rubber – including the rubber in our hoses.
In all these years I’ve never sold Goodyear. Why ?
It’s just average. You’re lucky to get one good year out of it (pun intended). Average suppliers sell it (and all its private labels) because they are average too.
It’s easy for them to stock their shelves with. Few if any of them go further than their telephone to source hose for carpet cleaners.
I looked overseas. Italy makes great brass products. Australia makes great hydraulic products, etc. All these non US manufacturers had environmental awareness before us and found lead alternatives before us.
The hoses I’ve sold are all from these non US sources. Like my Lil Better Vac Hose, Cool Cuffs, JoeValve etc. I keep trying to make them better.
Everyone sees all the hose I sell now and ask which is best. It’s still a work in progress, but at this time I’m happiest with the hose I call “High Heat”.
High Heat is actually rated for the heat carpet cleaners use, up to 300 degrees. It’s been the most popular and longest lasting of all the hose I’ve made. It’s available in two variations: stiff & slick and thin & flexible (Skinny).
Key on the name “High Heat” and you can’t go wrong. Both use the same lead-free rubber made famous by non US manufacturers. Both have multi-year track records with my owner operator customers (the ones who take care of their stuff). These guys are averaging over 2 years with the High Heat.
Anymore, my focus is on consistency. There is no single hose perfect for all cleaners but based on everything I’ve learned over the last 10 years or so, High Heat is pretty close.
Do the math.
Don’t settle for average.
Don’t trust average suppliers.
Get the hose proven by cleaners.
Get the hose rated for the heat you use, 300F.
Get Wanders High Heat Solution Hose. It outlasts your average hose 2.5 to 1.
