Getting your home ready to sell
We live in one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. We are fifth in education, were voted the fifth best state to live in and we are tenth in healthcare. Home values continue to rise with the median home price hovering around half a million dollars. Perhaps you’d like to sell right now to capture all of the equity your home has stacked up over the past year. Homes are selling quickly, but how do you ensure the best offers and the quickest sale? Home buyers love clean, well-maintained real-estate. According to Redfin, a nationwide home brokerage site, getting rid of stains and odors in your home is one of the top 11 things you should do to get your home ready for the market. Redfin recommends walking out your front door and reentering your home like a buyer. Use all of your senses when you open your front door. What do you see? Are the floors scuffed? Is the carpet dingy? Do the stairs need some love? What do you smell? Old food odors? Pet urine or mustiness? A buyer will notice these odors even more because they’re not used to them. Getting the carpet cleaned Now that you’re looking at your house with a buyer’s eyes, you may notice the stained carpeting by the dining room table. A Personal Touch can help. We use a powerful truck-mounted steam cleaning system to remove tough stains and odors, including gum, tar, rust and pet stains and odors. After cleaning your carpets are groomed for a “new look” and can be protected with a Dupont Teflon carpet protector. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaner offers carpet spotters and groomers for sale too so that you can maintain your fresh carpeting right up to the moment of sale. If you find you have unsightly wrinkles in your carpeting, we can restretch it for you. This can save you thousands of dollars in an offered carpet allowance to your buyer. Refinishing the floors If you have hardwood floors, think about getting them refinished. This usually means getting them sanded down to remove the original finish and stain, then restaining them and coating them with sealer. New, shiny floors are of incredible value when selling your home. Examining the bathrooms Looking at your bathrooms with new eyes can be a little uncomfortable. Do you see mold or mildew on the tile? Does the bathroom smell a little… used? We can help. Depending on how long it’s been since your tile grout was last cleaned, what you smell just might be an odor associated with the tiling. Grout can absorb moisture over time, which ultimately results in the accumulation of mold and mildew – the things responsible for that gross smell. You may have tried bleach to eliminate mold or other internet remedies. Have you noticed the results don’t last very long? A Personal Touch can clean your tile and grout in with our proven process for a great price. We’ll apply commercial-grade grout and tile cleaner to your bathroom or kitchen tile areas. Our trained technicians will carefully scrub your tile and grout free of soap scum, water stains, mold and mildew. We’ll apply a top-notch sealant that will keep your grout from accumulating grime in the future. Professionally sealing your tile will make the tile easy to maintain in the future—your little gift to the next owners of your fresh-smelling home. Peeking into the kitchen One of the biggest selling points of a house is the kitchen. Buyers love updated, spacious, well-lit and sparkling kitchens. Do you have one? We can certainly help with the sparkle. The best way to keep your bathrooms and kitchen areas looking and smelling their best is with regular tile maintenance. A Personal Touch can help remove set-in stains, persistent odors, grime, scum and mildew. We also clean marble and granite countertops. If they have scratches or etching from acidic drinks such as orange juice, we have a company that we recommend for restoring them back to their original beauty. Noticing the details Redfin recommends going through your house and making a list of all the little things you would change if you were moving in. The little things count and they don’t have to cost a lot either. Replace all of your lightbulbs, add a mirror here or there to make a small space look bigger, clean and repair your home’s gutters and paint your baseboards. Your potential buyer will love you for all of these things and your home will sell that much faster. Calling the pros At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, we can help you get ready for the big sale. We are happy to answer any carpeting questions you might have and give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. We would like to be the last ones in for carpet cleaning since everything falls down to the floor and into your carpets. Follow the recommendations in this article to make the house sparkle. Then contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.
Why spring is the perfect time for upholstery (and carpet) cleaning
Ever take a nap on your sofa on a Sunday? Maybe you’ve watched the game or an old western. Then, slowly you’ve nodded off blearily gazing at Clint Eastwood or the ceiling. A little while later, you wake up with a face full of sofa cushion. And maybe, just maybe, you also wake up wondering, “What is that smell?” It’s a little delicate. We do a LOT of living in our living rooms. Our pets drool on the couch (we do too) or bring us a drippy ball and set it on the ottoman. Some of us sit down on the upholstery after a dirty day at work, or spill beer and snacks on the couch during the big playoffs. Kids or our spouse use the family room recliner to get well from a broken rib or the flu. Soggy tissues clutter the armrests. Cold medicine is dripped on the upholstery. Cough drops get shoved into the cracks where they crumble and melt. And that’s not to mention the kid experiments that are brought in from the backyard that somehow end up on your favorite antique chair. Get back the newness Soon it will be sunny outside for keeps. You’ll be able to throw open the windows and air out the whole house. Ahhh, freshness! Spring is a time for big cleaning efforts for a reason. New growth will spring from the trees and flowers will poke their heads up from the earth outside. It’s a perfect time to renew your environment inside too. Professional upholstery and carpet cleaning with a truck-mounted steam cleaning system removes dirt, dust and grime and those little messes that build up from day-to-day living. That includes smells and dust trapped down deep in your upholstery. Protect your investments Your furniture and carpets are a valuable part of your house. You spent a lot of time picking them out or installing them. Sometimes furniture is passed down through the generations and is emotionally priceless too. Your possessions are worth the upkeep. They can serve you for years to come if you take care of them. That’s why it’s important to vacuum your sofas, loveseats and chairs regularly. Then, once a year or so make an appointment for professional upholstery cleaning to remove stains and grime. Keep the loveseat lovelier longer You could rent a cheap steam cleaning system to clean your upholstery yourself. But, what would you miss? A professional carpet and upholstery cleaner like A Personal Touch knows exactly how to clean a variety of fabrics from durable to delicate. Our technicians receive regular training and our company is certified by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration. We understand: Preparation. We put plastic protectors beneath your furniture legs to protect your carpets. Stain treatment. We can analyze your furniture stains and provide just the right treatment to get them out without harming fabric. Special features. We treat furniture trimmings, cushions and throw pillows, separately. We know how to make true whites and deep colors look their best. Protection. After cleaning, we can treat your furniture with a soil protector fiber coat to ensure lasting beauty. Celebrate spring inside your home as well as outside. Call A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning Services today to schedule an upholstery cleaning in Littleton, Castle Rock, Englewood or beyond at 720.344.2870, or use our online contact form to ask questions and request a free quote. Be sure to check out our service specials too.
Five Tips to Keep Your Carpets Clean This Winter
Look out the window. We may have sunny skies often, but we know this is Colorado and weather can change quickly. The Old Farmer’s 2022 Almanac predicts snow showers and frigid temperatures periodically in our area through March of next year. Local weather forecasters say Denver residents have up to a 50 percent chance of a white Christmas this year (we hope). From winter snows to summer dust, most of the dirt in your home comes from the great outdoors. It can be challenging to keep floors and carpets clean all year, but winter carpet care requires extra diligence. We have a few sure-fire carpet tips to help: Use door mats: Place thick, absorbent mats by entrances outside and inside your home. Ask your family and guests to use them. Establishing good habits will protect your carpets and floors for the next generation. If your family routinely tracks in mud and slush, consider placing a boot scraper outside your most-used entrance. Boot scrapers come in a variety of styles from metal to plastic and are usually sold for under $30. Family and friends can scrape their shoes or boots free of debris before stepping over your threshold to keep your home cleaner. Remove shoes: Of course, asking your family and guests to remove their shoes as they enter your house is even better. Set up your entryway or mud room with a boot tray and bench (if you have space). Provide clean slippers or socks for your guests to wear around your house for a welcoming touch. Don’t forget Fido: Our beloved pets track in as much dirt as we do. Keep a clean towel handy and be sure to wipe off your pets’ paws immediately after they’ve been outside. If you’re dedicated and patient, you may be able to get your dog to help you in this area. Check out this fun, informative video, Teach your dog to wipe his paws. The towel would be easiest! Address spills quickly: Spills happen: it’s inevitable. Especially during holiday get-togethers. So, it’s best to be prepared. Keep clean, white rags and vinegar or carpet cleaner on hand. Treat a stain immediately, while it’s still wet. Blot excess fluid quickly to prevent spills from soaking through to your carpet pad. Check out this page for our in-depth advice on spot removal. Routinely clean carpets: Clean your carpets well and clean them often! Vacuum once a week, if not more, to keep your carpets fresh. Schedule a professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months to keep your home environment healthy and your carpets in good repair. Did you know, many stain-resistant carpet manufacturer warranties require professional cleaning every two years? Be good to your floors and carpets! They’ll last much longer, stay under warranty and keep their original beauty for years to come. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning has been helping keep Colorado’s carpets clean and repaired for 30 years. Ring in 2022 by scheduling your carpet or upholstery cleaning today. Call us at 720-344-2870 for a free estimate or simply schedule and appointment.
5 benefits of regular professional carpet cleaning
It’s almost time to feast on Thanksgiving delicacies. For most families, that means welcoming guests into your home to celebrate. You may have gotten the turkey and cranberries, but is your home ready? Your carpet lends warmth to your home environment and really does tie your décor together. You want your carpets to last and look great every time you gather with family or friends. Treat your carpets well by getting them professionally cleaned, it’s totally worth it. In fact, without even trying too hard, we can name at least 5 benefits of professional carpet cleaning. It: Extends the life of your carpet: Home carpeting will last 5-7 years on average. However, your carpeting is an important investment. You’ll want it to last much longer! Keeping your carpets dirt free is the single best way to extend the life of your carpet. Vacuum twice a week to remove non-soluble dirt. Get your carpets professionally cleaned once a year to remove the soluble spots. Your carpet needs weekly as well as professional cleaning to keep it fresh, restore its life and its original beauty. May prevent illness: Our professional extraction process can help prevent seasonal allergies by removing pollens which settle into your carpet. We use 180-degree water to clean your carpeting which can kill germs and help prevent colds and flu. Our truck-mounted steam cleaning extraction method is incredibly powerful which means your carpets will also dry more quickly once the bacteria, dirt and pollens are gone. Lifts tough stains: A Personal Touch carpet cleaning pre-sprays all of your carpet or upholstery with a low pH enzyme cleaning solution. The solution breaks down dirt and oils so that they can be easily flushed out as your carpets are cleaned. We apply specific spot lifting formulas to remove special stains such as ink, grease, urine, rust, tar and more. Brings high-traffic areas back to life: The best way to protect your high traffic areas is to keep them clean with a bi-weekly vacuuming routine. You cannot over-vacuum your home’s carpeting. Then, once a year, you should get your carpets professionally cleaned. Most carpeting warranties require a professional cleaning at least every 18 months. Keeping up with both kinds of cleaning will revive and refresh your carpeting. To further protect your carpet, we can apply a Teflon carpet protector. Eliminates stubborn odors: We all love our pets, but messes are inevitable. If your pet has an accident, blot any liquid and clean your carpet promptly to prevent the mess from soaking through to your carpet pad. It can require a lot more work from your cleaning professional to remove spills that have soaked through to the pad or been left untreated for a long period of time. Our general enzyme pre-spray and 180-degree water break down all kinds of spills and get rid of the odor they cause. Our specialized pet spill pre-spray takes the bite out of animal urine and fecal odors. Keep your home fresh! Vacuum weekly and keep your carpeting looking, feeling and smelling new with a professional carpet cleaning every 12 to 18 months. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning Services uses cleaning methods that won’t void your carpeting’s warranty. Call us today at 720-344-2870, or use our online contact form to ask us questions or to receive a free quote. Call us today at 720.344.2870 or use our online contact form for any questions you may have or to receive your FREE quote.
Signs Of a Poor Carpet Installation & How To Fix It
A properly installed wall-to-wall carpet looks great and does an excellent job of tying a room together. On the flipside, a new carpet with poor installation makes a room appear disjointed and unfinished. With decades of experience in all things carpet, A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning knows the signs of a poor carpet installation, and how to fix it. Signs Of a Poor Carpet Installation Padding Installed Incorrectly A professional carpet installer should have no trouble installing carpet padding, whose multiple benefits include extra cushion for the feet, protection against matting of the carpet fibers, and a reasonable level of stain protection. However, when installed incorrectly, the carpet padding will be bumpy – a problem that transfers over to the carpet when it is laid atop the padding. Wrong Equipment A big red flag to watch out for is a carpet installer who shows up at your home with a knee-kicker instead of a power stretcher. The latter looks like a jarge jack, whereas the former “kneepads” that the installer uses to “kick” the carpet and padding into place. In this case of man vs. machine, the machine wins every time, with the power stretcher able to achieve a much smoother, tauter install than even the best knee-kickers. If you recently had carpet installed by someone using knee-kickers, a good test of their quality is to go to the middle of the room and try pulling up the carpet as high off the floor as you can. If you’re able to pull it up more than an inch, the carpet is too loose and wasn’t installed well. Miscellaneous Signs There are several other signs to be wary of when judging whether a carpet has been installed correctly. Some of the most common are frayed/fuzzy edges where the carpet meets the wall, carpet seams that don’t match or are misaligned, carpet that’s too loose (mentioned above), and ripples/bumps/ridges in the carpet. Often times, repairing any of these mistakes is a time-consuming, costly endeavor, and it may be difficult getting the installer to cover the cost. Tips For Fixing The Problem The more effort you put into finding the right carpet for your home, the more likely you are to properly vet your installer options and make the best choice. Choosing quality over cost is always a smart move, especially since you’ll rely on your carpet to contribute to your home’s warmth, vibrancy, and aesthetic appeal. Given the time and expense involved, you should take as much time as possible to find the right carpet and the right installer so that the job is done correctly the first time. When seeking a reputable carpet company to fix a bad installation, there are some “must-haves” to keep in mind: Knowledge of and expertise with the latest specialty tools Experience with properly cutting carpet, accounting for heating and cooling registers, and removing baseboards, all in the name of alleviating the problem quickly and cost-effectively. Current state licensure Good referrals Strong Better Business Bureau rating Trust The Carpet Experts In Englewood If you have an improperly installed carpet in your home, trust A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning to remedy the situation. Our expertise transcends carpet cleaning services, allowing us to evaluate your carpet and determine the best course of action. In some cases, we may not need to replace your existing carpet, thus saving you big bucks. Contact us today for a free quote and to make an appointment. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
17 Mistakes to Avoid When Selling Your House
Selling your house can be both exciting and stressful, especially if it’s your first time. Regardless of why you decided to sell your home, there are a number of pitfalls you can easily fall into, making your home selling experience less than ideal. Luckily, we’ve put together a list of the most common home selling mistakes people make so you can sell your home knowing you have your bases covered. Underestimating the cost of selling your house While you should ultimately profit from the sale of your home, many home sellers forget about the costs associated with selling a house. For starters, you should expect to use five to six percent of the total sale price of your home to cover the commissions of both the seller and buyer agents. For example, if you sell your home for $300,000 you could wind up paying upwards of $18,000 in commission. Furthermore, this hefty cost doesn’t include possible concessions homebuyers might want you to make during the negotiation phase, such as making repairs suggested by a home inspector. Not budgeting for your move When you consider the moving process, you have two options: hiring a moving company or borrow your buddy’s truck and doing it yourself. By hiring a moving company, rather than doing it yourself, you’re getting someone who will pack, move, and then unpack your belongings. This means that a full-service mover can be well worth the investment when you’re preoccupied with all of the other tasks associated with selling your home. Not to mention, when you hire movers your belongings are insured so you’re covered if anything breaks. Selling a house you owe more on than what it’s worth If you still have a remaining balance on your mortgage, you’ll most likely use a portion of the sale proceeds of your home to pay off the existing mortgage. Make sure you don’t owe more on your mortgage than what your house is actually worth or you won’t make enough money on the sale to pay off your mortgage. The best option is almost always to wait on selling your home so that it can build more equity. This way you can sell your home and buy a new one without having two mortgages at the same time. Pricing your home incorrectly If you price your home too high, your home may fall into seller’s limbo, sitting on the market for what feels like an eternity. On the other hand, if you price too low then you will likely sell your home quickly but you risk missing out on a significant amount of money. The first step to understanding how much your home is worth is utilizing an online calculator. Afterward, meet with your real estate agent to discuss a good pricing strategy for your home. They will look at other comparable properties in your neighborhood that sold recently as well as bring keen insights into what the housing market is currently doing. Together, you’ll determine a good starting price as well as a pricing strategy that will incentivize buyers if your house begins to sit on the market for too long. Skipping a pre-listing home inspection before selling your house Selling a house is stressful enough, even when everything goes right. But if a homebuyer hires an inspector who catches an issue like mold, pests, or a cracked foundation, then your stress levels will multiply as you risk losing a potential sale entirely. Given the affordability of home inspections, there’s not much reason to avoid them. Getting a pre-listing home inspection will put your mind at ease as you’ll either know that your home is in sound condition or you’ll be able to tackle problems before homebuyers have the chance to bring them up during the negotiation phase. If an issue does arise, you can either fix it or you can let buyers know and then make a concession during the negotiation phase by reducing the price of your home accordingly. Not refinishing hardwood floors or cleaning your carpet If you’re reading this at home, look down. How do your floors look? Even if they don’t look terrible, there’s a pretty good chance they’re starting to show their age. Since potential buyers are going to be inspecting every aspect of your home, you should start thinking of refinishing your hardwood floors and cleaning your carpet. Whether you’re selling in Atlanta or Portland, the best time to have your carpet cleaned or hardwood floors refinished is right before you stage your home. Since you’ll already be moving most (or all) of your furniture to either a new home or a storage unit, this is a great time to get your floors done (like the floors above) and make them a selling point to potential homebuyers. Not staging your home for a quick sale The main point of staging your home is to allow potential homebuyers the chance to picture themselves living in your space. They get to see a home with furniture and art that’s arranged in a way that highlights key features of your home, rather than an empty house that echoes every sound. Staging your home pays off too as 21 percent of agents told the National Association of Realtors that staging a home increased its’ sale price by as much as 10 percent, making it a worthwhile investment. Forgoing professional real estate photos With the advent of cameras on smartphones, everyone likes to think of themselves as a photographer these days. Even though that picture you took of your dinner last week looked like it could be featured in advertisements, you’re still probably not ready to take your own real estate photos. A real estate photographer will make sure that your home looks great when you list it because not only do they have the equipment, they understand the angles that best sell a home. If you have a large home, a stunning view you want to show off, or a large amount of land, you
How To Maintain Your Upholstery After It’s Cleaned
Maintaining your upholstery after it is cleaned is a simple, quick project that keeps your furniture looking great. At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, our professional carpet cleaners serving Denver have some thoughts on the best approach. Pick the Right Fabric Picking the right fabric for the right piece of furniture makes it easy to maintain your upholstery, and can actually help extend the piece’s lifetime. For example, upholstered furniture that sees heavy usage derives far more benefit from synthetic fibers than, say, vinyl. Also, if you have pets, you’ll want to pick fabrics that don’t have loose weaves or too much texture. Protect Your Fabric Before it ships from the manufacturer, upholstery fabric is usually treated with water and soil repellents, and an anti-mildew coating is applied. You can purchase additional fabric protectors from a store, but the best form of fabric protection is in fact prompt attention to spills. Even though the upholstery protectants will delay spills from being absorbed into the fabric right away, an immediate cleaning of the soiled area is essential. Spills should be blotted immediately and gently with a clean folded towel. If the upholstery fabric was pre-treated with a fabric protector blotting might be enough to completely remove the spill. Before you blot, check the manufacturer’s instructions to see if you need a water-based or solvent-based cleaner. Also, it’s a good idea to test the cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area before you apply it to the upholstery. In most cases, the best choice is to use a mild cleaning product applied with a soft brush. Move the brush in a circular motion to work the solvent into the fibers, and then vacuum the spill area when it’s dry. If you’re unsure how a certain fabric should be cleaned, follow the manufacturer’s care instructions or contact our local carpet cleaners in Littleton. Turn the Cushions Periodically turning over your furniture’s loose cushions is a simple way to extend your upholstered furniture’s life. Akin to a tire rotation for a car, turning the cushions promotes an even distribution of wear and tear, and helps keep your cushions from developing indentations. And while you’re turning the cushions, give them a good fluffing to help maintain their shape. Also, swap the position of your cushions so the cushion in a popular sitting place doesn’t get overused. Vacuum Another easy way to maintain your upholstery is by committing to a weekly vacuuming. This is an effective way to keep your furniture free of dust and pet hair, while also removing surface soil and preventing dirt from embedding in the fibers. Another option is to use a brush to whisk the dirt away. If you go this route, make sure you use a soft bristled brush so you don’t damage the upholstery. Trust Our Experts Along with frequent upholstery maintenance, it’s a good idea to contact our nearby carpet repair company for a professional upholstery cleaning every year or two. Don’t wait for your furniture to show visible signs of dirt and wear. The dirtier a sofa or chair gets, the harder it is to clean. Call us today at (720) 344-2870 for your free quote and consultation. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Keep Up With Your Upholstery Cleaning
Every one or two years: on average, that’s how often you should have your upholstery cleaned by the professional carpet cleaners at A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning in Englewood. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Your lifestyle, the number of occupants in your home, and resident allergy sufferers are important factors. The key is to weigh these criteria and find the ideal frequency. Frequency Of Use Furniture that’s used frequently is a hot bed for dirt and dust accrual. Where exactly this occurs depends on the type of furniture, but with a white, cotton towel you can conduct an easy check of seat cushions, armrests, etc. Just rub the towel on the furniture’s surface, and if stays clean, you still have some time before your next upholstery cleaning. However, if the towel is smudged with dirt, you should make an appointment with our local upholstery cleaners. Of course, an opposing scenario is possible in which furniture that’s rarely used acquires a sheen of dust over time. Furniture of this sort could also be susceptible to assorted insects and their droppings, so it’s just as important to have these items professionally cleaned too. Allergy Sufferers This one’s pretty straightforward. If you and/or others in your home suffer from allergies, you should have your furniture’s upholstery cleaned at least once a year, and maybe more depending on the severity of the allergies and the weather/pollen count. Common allergens like dust, pollen, and dander don’t take long to build up within upholstered furniture, and when they do you’ll have an unhappy allergy sufferer on your hands. Avoid this problem by keeping your upholstery clean, especially during the warmer months. Lifestyle This is the biggest determiner of how often you should have your furniture upholstery cleaned. Here’s a list of common variables. The more of these you check off, the more often you should consider a professional cleaning. Do kids live in the home? Do you have pets? Do you spend a lot of time outside: gardening, cycling, hiking, etc.? Do you have a “hands-on” job like construction worker, auto mechanic, contractor, carpenter, or exterminator? Are people always coming and going in your house, i.e. neighborhood kids, clients of your at-home business? In a place like Denver, where many people live an active lifestyle and are frequently outdoors, the need for upholstery cleaning is more pressing than in a city like, say, Albany. So right off the bat, you can probably check off one or two things on the list above. From there, it’s just a matter of assessing your lifestyle and confirming how many more items apply. But wherever you fall on the list, there’s a very good chance you’ll need your furniture upholstery cleaned more than just once every two years. We’ll Help You Assess and Protect With so many variables involved on the subject of upholstery cleaning near Denver, homeowners can benefit from speaking with A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning. We’ll help you assess your needs and then develop a plan designed to protect your upholstery, and the health of the people who use it. Call us today at 720.344.2870 or use our online contact form to request your free estimate. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Don’t “Kid” Around With Your Carpets
Kids have many adorable qualities, but cleanliness isn’t one of them. Our carpet cleaning company serving Denver and the metro area has seen more kids’ room carpet than we can count, and we know what kind of carpet works best for the youngsters. Trust A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning to provide the best carpet advice, services, and repairs for your kid’s room. Choosing The Right Carpet Material Like pretty much everything else that goes into decorating a home, choosing carpet is a subjective matter. Different people have different tastes in terms of color, fiber, thickness, etc. That said, in this particular case we can all agree that the most important criteria for carpet in a kid’s room are stain resistance and durability. With this in mind, branded nylon is the best choice in terms of carpet fiber. Not only is it more durable than any other fiber, it also offers exceptional stain protection. Similarly, you can’t go wrong with Smartstrand. Our nearby carpet cleaners suggest comparing the two and deciding which one ticks the most boxes. Wool is another common choice. The fact that it’s usually all-natural is a big selling point for parents who rightly want to avoid carpet containing synthetic chemicals. Wool also possesses good stain resistance, and it’s soft and forgiving, so you don’t need to worry about your kids skinning their knees during impromptu wrestling matches. On the downside, wool is expensive and subject to matting, which contributes to premature aging. Also, despite its stain-resistant qualities, wool is hard to clean and is known to attract oils. This leads to a wool carpet quickly appearing dirty and staying that way unless you stay on top of things. Picking The Perfect Carpet Style The title here is a bit misleading, because perfection is impossible when subjectivity exists. That said, certain carpet styles definitely work better than others in kids’ rooms – for example, a traditional cut pile carpet, which is reliable and inexpensive. A frieze carpet is another top choice due to their relative inexpensiveness and their high construction quality thanks to a high twist rate. A third style to consider is multilevel, a great pick when you want to hide spots and other imperfections. Styles to avoid are velvet, plush, Saxony, and the like. These more elegant options (the names alone give them away) are expensive and best served in low-traffic places like offices and guest bedrooms. By all means you also want to steer clear of Berber or any kind of looped carpet. These loops have a propensity for snagging, especially when exposed to small toys and curious little fingers, and it won’t be long before you have an unraveling carpet on your hands. The “looped” quality of such carpets makes them pricey to repair, but the alternative (an unsightly carpet) is less preferable. A Quick Word On Color There are by far more truisms associated with color than with style and material. For example, white or light-colored carpet in a kid’s room is a no-go. Dark colors are definitely better, but prone to showing lint. The optimum color for disguising dirt and stains is something medium-toned and marbled. Talk With Us Today About Carpeting a Kid’s Room From carpet cleaning and carpet repair, to tile & grout work and upholstery cleaning, A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning does it all. Plus, we’re always happy to assist homeowners with buying the right carpet, whether it’s for a kid’s room, a den, or a basement. Contact us today and take advantage of our expertise. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Signs That It’s Time For Carpet Repair
While a quality, well cared-for carpet can last for years, there’s always the risk of an unforeseen incident moving carpet repair to the top of your to-do list. In instances like the ones covered below, it’s reassuring to know that A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning offers expert repair services to Littleton homeowners. Water Damage Not all water damage is a “death sentence” for your carpet. It all depends on the amount of water and the length of time the carpet is exposed to it, but if you’re able to remove the water and get the carpet dried quickly, it could be ok. The make-or-break is whether mildew and/or mold takes hold in the pad beneath the carpet. The faster the carpet and pad are dried, the better your chances of retaining a mildew-free carpet. In fact, our local carpet company utilizes high-power fans to maximize the chances of success. However, if mildew does begin growing, your only option is to replace the carpet. Loose Carpet Problems with loose carpet are often the result of poor installation techniques at the time the home was constructed, or when the previous homeowners had the carpet replaced before moving out. It’s also possible for an old carpet to lose its tautness after years of furniture and foot traffic. In all these scenarios, the key evidence for a loose carpet is rippling – small “waves” or bumps popping up in various parts of a room. Depending on the age of the carpet and the extent of the rippling, you may not need to replace carpet. Instead, we can assist with a “power stretching” procedure in which the carpet is restored to its smooth, flat state. If the carpet is already long in the tooth, then it could be more economical to simply replace the carpet instead of stretching it. Carpet Burns Thanks to modern fireplaces and a decrease in cigarette smoking, especially indoors, carpet burns aren’t nearly as common as they once were. But they still happen from time to time, and when they do the result is a burn mark or a hole that you’d like to make go away. The good news is, this is a simple fix for our carpet repair experts, even if the hole is rather large. We cut out the damaged carpet and replace it with either an exact match taken from excess carpet stored in your attic or basement, or from an out-of-the-way place like a closet. Then, we rely on our expertise to install the new piece so that it looks like it’s been there all along. Split Seams/Carpet Tears If you own pets, chances are you’ve come across a tear in your carpet or a mass of loose carpet fibers in a corner. These things happen when active pets are about, but they’re easily remedied. In some cases, i.e. a tear in the carpet, we’ll remove the torn area and replace it with a fresh piece. Or, in a situation where one of the carpet’s seams has split, we’ll patch up the seam and then power-stretch the carpet to remove any gaps. Contact a Local Carpet Repair Company As much as people like their carpet clean and damage-free, accidents do happen. But there’s no need to stress when professional carpet cleaning services are just a phone call away. A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning offers decades of experience in all facets of carpet maintenance, and before you know it your carpet will once again look brand-new. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”