Our Favorite Upholstery Cleaning Tips
Upholstered furniture adds a lot to the look of any home by making it cozy, warm and welcoming. However, it’s a big investment – recliners, sofas and sectionals can cost thousands of dollars. You’ll want to make sure to protect that investment by keeping your upholstered furniture clean. Here are some of our favorite upholstery cleaning tips that will keep your furniture ready to welcome family and friends all year long. Vacuum Your Upholstered Furniture Regularly Upholstered furniture should be vacuumed at least weekly, and even more often if it gets especially dirty (particularly if you have kids or pets). Be sure to vacuum under the cushions and in the creases in order to pick up all the dirt and debris – you never know what’s hiding in there! Oh, and don’t forget to vacuum the throw pillows, as well! These days, vacuum cleaners come with an assortment of attachments that are perfect for cleaning upholstered furniture, such as upholstery tools (with or without brushes) and crevice tools. Do your furniture a favor and use them on a regular basis when you vacuum. Check the Information Tag Did you know that most upholstery comes with a “manual”? That’s the little tag attached to the bottom of chairs or the back of sofas. Not only odes that tag contain information about the upholstered item (where it was manufactured, the manufacturer’s name, etc.), but it also has information about the upholstery fabric and its care. Here are some of the symbols you may see on the information tag and what they mean: WS: Use a mild detergent with steam vacuum or dry-cleaning detergent. S: Use a dry cleaner detergent only. X: Use a vacuum only. Do not use water on upholstery as it may stain. W: You can use water or a water-based solution on the upholstery. Blot, Don’t Scrub No matter how careful you are around your upholstered furniture, stains sometimes happen. When they do, make sure you blot them – don’t scrub them. Scrubbing the stains can loosen the upholstery fabric fibers, not to mention the fact that it can push the stain deeper into the fibers. Remember – blot, blot, blot! You may also be tempted to add water to the stain in an attempt to remove it, but don’t. The goal is to dry out the stain and keep the padding under the upholstery dry. Simply blot it with a dry, absorbent cloth instead. Get Your Upholstery Professionally Cleaned If your furniture is especially dingy or dirty, or you have stains that just aren’t coming out no matter what you do, it’s time to get your upholstery professional cleaned. In addition to carpet cleaning services, we offer upholstery cleaning services in the Denver metro area. We take extra care with delicate fabrics and trim, and can make your upholstered furniture look like new again. We’ll also apply a fabric protector to further protect your investment. Contact us today to get your upholstered furniture clean and ready to welcome friends and family this holiday season! Remember at A Personal Touch, we don’t cut corners, we clean them!
Why Professional Carpet Cleaning Is a Must for Homeowners
We spend a lot of time keeping our homes clean and presentable – after all, our home is our sanctuary, so we want it to be a healthy place to live. Vacuuming our carpets is a task most of us do regularly, but is it enough to keep our carpets clean? Not by a long shot! Professional carpet cleaning is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. Homeowners should make professional carpet cleaning a priority to protect their investment, prolong the life of their carpets, and improve their indoor air quality. Whether you just moved into your home or you’ve been living there for years, professional carpet cleaning is a must to ensure that your carpets are truly clean. New Home, Old Carpets Are you a new homeowner? The carpets in your new home may look clean, but there are likely to be hidden dirt, mud, stains and allergens present from previous owners. Who knows what they were tracking into the house and onto the carpets! Get rid of those nasty old stains and stinks from past tenants by having the carpets professionally cleaned before you move in. If, on the other hand, you’ve been living in your home for several years, you still need to have your carpets professionally cleaned regularly. No matter how often you vacuum, dirt can collect in the carpet fibers, causing unnecessary wear and tear and shortening the life of your carpets. Professional carpet cleaners have the experience and equipment to deep clean carpets, removing all the dirt, dust, and stains that have built up over time. Improves Indoor Air Quality In addition to extending the life of your carpets, professional carpet cleaning can also improve your indoor air quality. Carpets can trap allergens and other airborne contaminants, which can worsen allergies and respiratory problems. Professional carpet cleaning removes these contaminants from your carpets, leaving your home more comfortable and safer for everyone. You’ll be able to breathe easier knowing that your home’s air contains fewer allergens and contaminants! Professional Steam Cleaning to the Rescue Nearly all carpet manufacturers recommend having your carpets professionally steam cleaned at least once a year. In fact, many stain-resistant manufacturer warranties require professional cleaning at least every other year. Standard industry guidelines call for using steam cleaning water that is heated to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Here at A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning Services, we go above and beyond the industry standard – we use water heated up to 230 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to kill 98% of household germs. Your carpets will be super clean and fresh after we get done cleaning them! Carpeting generally lasts 10-15 years, but with regular care and cleaning, you can extend its life to 20-25 years. You could clean your carpets yourself with a carpet cleaning machine, but why not let us do it for you? We’ll even groom your carpets afterwards and protect them with a Dupont Teflon carpet protector, if you like. Professional cleanings can restore that new carpeting look and extend the life of your carpets, so don’t wait until they are visibly dirty to call a professional. Schedule regular professional carpet cleanings to protect your investment! Remember at A Personal Touch, we don’t cut corners, we clean them!
Banish mold and mildew with regular tile and grout cleaning
Is your bathroom or kitchen a science experiment? When you take a bath or shower can you see blooms of orange around your shower pan or constellations of dark, fuzzy spots on the ceiling? Has your kitchen or another room in your home started to smell musty? Visible signs and tangible smells are good indicators that you have a mold or mildew issue in your home. What’s the difference between mold and mildew? The terms “mold” and “mildew” are often linked together much like “love” and “marriage” (and “horse” and “carriage”). But, which one is which? According to the Environmental Protection Association (EPA), “Mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. The term mildew is often used generically to refer to mold growth, usually with a flat growth habit. Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae. Molds can thrive on any organic matter, including clothing, leather, paper, and the ceilings, walls and floors of homes with moisture management problems. Mildew often lives on shower walls, windowsills, and other places where moisture levels are high. There are many species of molds. In unaired places, such as basements, they can produce a strong musty odor.” No matter what kind of mold or mildew you have, the results can be unsightly. Mold and mildew can also cause health problems in at-risk individuals such as people with asthma. Disappointed with at-home grout cleaning? So, yes, the dirty little secret is out. Many of us have showers that don’t get properly ventilated and kitchen backsplashes that need lots of help. What to do? It’s hard to invite someone into your home to witness that mess, right? You may have tried to fix it yourself. Who hasn’t scoured the internet for ways to eliminate mold from drywall, tile or grout? You may have tried bleach to eliminate mold. Perhaps you’ve mixed vinegar and soda or employed borax with great hope? The problem is, scrubbing your shower with an old toothbrush can be gross. It also doesn’t work all that well or the results don’t last. It can be difficult to ask for help. Rest-assured that we’ve seen it all at A Personal Touch. We can clean your tile and grout in Denver 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 your tile easier to maintain. Want to beautify and safeguard your home? 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 restore marble and granite countertops. We recommend professional tile and grout cleaning once or twice per year depending on where your tile is located. Book a consultation with A Personal Touch today at 720-344-2870. We are happy to discuss your questions about tile or grout cleaning. Rather reach out online? Fill out our contact form for a free quote today. Source Basic Facts about Mold and Dampness | CDC
Why You Should Hire a Professional to Clean Your Tile Grout
On the surface, tile grout cleaning seems like a feasible DIY project. However, when you consider the time and expense involved, as well as the risk in causing permanent damage to bathroom walls and backsplashes, the smart play is to hire a professional like A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning. Tile Grout Cleaning – Overview The difficulty associated with tile grout cleaning is two-fold. For one, the places in your home where tile grout is found, i.e. the kitchen and bathroom, are high-use areas. Here, tile grout is constantly exposed to water, soap, dirt, and foot traffic (the bathroom), as well as water combined with food splatter (the kitchen). Secondly, it is notoriously difficult to achieve full clean tile grout with traditional cleaning supplies, given the nature of the grout itself and the fact that long-term discolorations and stains become entrenched and virtually impossible to remove. Tile Grout Cleaning – The Solution When you hire a Denver-area professional cleaning company like A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, you benefit from decades of collective experience. This is important from a process standpoint, in that we have developed a tried and tested process to make our clients’ tile grout look brand-new again. Our experience is also vital in terms of the choice of cleaning supplies, some of which can be harmful if applied by an untrained person. Bring us on board and we’ll get started straight away by applying a top-quality commercial-grade grout and tile cleaner proven to remove even the most ground-in dirt, soap scum, and grime. Depending on how long it’s been since your tile grout was last cleaned, you may have also detected an unpleasant odor associated with the tiling. This is the product of the grout absorbing moisture over time, which ultimately results in the accumulation of mold and mildew – the things responsible for the bad smell. This fungi is not something you want in your home, for aesthetic as well as health reasons – but with our first-class cleaning services, you can expect the complete removal of mold and mildew, along with any associated stains. Our technicians don’t quit until your tile grouting has been thoroughly scrubbed and freed from any and all dirt, mold, and soap scum. Once we’re satisfied with the scrubbing portion of the cleaning process, we move on to phase two – the application of a top-rated sealant to the grout lines in your tile. This goes a long way to preventing stains, spills, and detritus from causing any problems in the future, and it’s an essential step towards maintaining the tile and the tile grout’s original color. Rest assured that whatever the level of cleaning required to make your tile grout shine again, we take great care to not damage the grout or surrounding tile in any way. Also, we’ll give you some tips for regular tile maintenance that goes a long way in the quest to keep your tile grout looking great. Contact Our Cleaning Experts Today Don’t let dirt, mold, and soap scum get the best of your kitchen and bathroom – contact the experts at A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning and sign on for professional tile cleaning today. Whether you decide to get in touch online or over the phone, expect a free quote from our professional cleaning company in Englewood. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”
Getting Ready to Sell Your House? Here are 11 Things Most People Forget to Do
You’ve started on your lists of small repairs, you’ve contacted a real estate agent, and now you’re in the final steps of getting ready to sell your house. But before you put your home up for sale, and certainly before having your first open house, here are 11 things to consider that most home sellers forget to think about and could cost you a sale. 1. Declutter and Organize Your Closets and Cabinets Sure, you went through your entire house and reduced the clutter in each room, organized your desk and other surfaces, and arranged your collection of antique ceramic kitty figurines to be facing perpendicular to the window. However, did you tackle your closets and cabinets? One thing you should definitely expect during an open house or individual home tours is that potential homebuyers will be looking in your closets, kitchen drawers and cabinets. Will your walk-in closet fit all of his shoes and her summer dresses? Is there enough storage space in your kitchen for their cookware, bakeware, and all the kitchen gadgets that they seem to collect each year? These are all questions homebuyers will be asking themselves as they walk through your home. Of course, you as a home seller will have no idea what the needs are of a potential homebuyer, but you can definitely showcase what your house has to offer in terms of storage. Start by decluttering your closets, cabinets, and drawers, and then keeping only enough belongings in each to really show off the potential that space has to offer. Think of it as an extension of staging your home, but for your storage areas. 2. Clean Stains and Eliminate Odors We should all consider small stains, marks, and other imperfections as badges of honor for a house that has been lived in for years. Nonetheless, these slight bumps and bruises your home has encountered over time will stick out to potential homebuyers, so tackle them head-on. Begin by trying to put yourself in the shoes of a potential homebuyer and look at your house objectively. Start by going outside and then re-entering your house as if you didn’t actually own it but were an interested homebuyer looking at it for the first time. What do you see? Walk through every room and take note of all the imperfections you notice. You might surprise yourself with how quickly your list grows. You can then add them to your list of repairs so you can make your house truly be at its best before your first open house. Also, if you have pets there is a strong possibility that your home has an odor which you can no longer smell. Deep cleaning your house is a sure fire way to help eliminate these odors, but also think about using an odor eliminating spray every day for about a week before your first open house. You can also place plugin room fresheners that offer a great crisp smell, like cucumber, to help infuse a sense of cleanliness throughout your house. 3. Replace Light Bulbs Walk through each room in your house and look at every light bulb to see if it’s working. As homeowners, we sometimes forget to immediately replace a lightbulb when it goes out. You want your house to be at its brightest when new homebuyers are touring your home and replacing old burnt out light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to do it. Also, don’t forget to walk around the outside of your house to make sure all the lights of your home’s exterior are working as well. Depending on the time of year, your open house or home tours could happen when the sun is going down or when it’s already dark. So be sure to make your house shine inside and out! Pro tip: Make sure all your light bulbs are the same color temperature inside your house as well as outside. A soft-white light LED bulb can create a bright but welcoming environment for new homebuyers. 4. Think About the Small Details: Plants, Mirrors, Rugs Consider each room’s individual characteristics, so you can really showcase the potential every room in your house can offer. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind while you start prepping every space for an exceptional open house experience. Add a little green to your spaces Nothing breathes life into a room more than a little greenery. A potted tree can work wonders in a living room, but for smaller areas think smaller plants such as a small potted herb garden in the kitchen or a miniature cactus on the mantel. Open up even the smallest rooms Mirrors can make small spaces seem large because they create the illusion of depth. Mirrors also work wonders in darker rooms as they reflect light deep into areas of a room that may not receive an abundance of natural light. Add character to an otherwise unimpressive space While staging your home, think about adding character to various spaces with rugs. However, keep in mind that you want to use rugs to enhance a space, not be the focal point of it. Also, if you have a strange space that you never really figured out a good use for, a rug could at least offer a little personality while leaving the space and its potential to the imaginations of homebuyers. 5. Enhance Your Outdoor Space You’re probably already aware that enhancing your curb appeal is one of the most impactful things you can do to create a great first impression. However, you don’t want to forget about your other outdoor areas, such as your front porch or entrance, your back entrance, side yard, and backyard. You want to enhance your outdoor spaces around the house so potential buyers can see themselves living as much outside your house as inside. Simple enhancements like placing potted plants to your front entrance or adding fresh beauty bark around the base of your hedges and trees can
Selling Your Home? Get Your Carpets Cleaned First
A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning always brings its “A game” to every project we’re involved with. Our carpet cleaning services satisfy a variety of needs for homeowners in Denver and Littleton, and they’re of particular use to those of our customers who are preparing to sell their house. Make Your Home Move-In Ready While there’s no chance a potential buyer will move into your home the day of your first open house, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make your home move-in ready. This is especially true for your carpet, which in most homes occupies a sizable chunk of floor space and is thus readily visible to eager buyers. A dirty, dusty, smelly carpet is a big turn-off, not just aesthetically but also because a buyer will likely have concerns regarding the cost to clean or replace it before moving in. Remedy this potential pitfall by having your carpets professionally cleaned and looking brand-new. Eliminate Odors Unlike stains, which are readily visible to the eye, odors are trickier because we tend to get used to them over time. The two biggest culprits here are odors related to cigarette smoke and pets, both of which can be a significant red flag for potential buyers – especially those who don’t smoke or have pets. A professional carpet cleaner can evaluate the “odor level” in your home and apply the right cleaning techniques so that your home smells fresh again. Enhance Your Home’s Appearance Some years back, there was a deodorant ad with the slogan, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” It’s a memorable line because it applies to many things in life, including the carpet of a house that’s for sale. A clean carpet further boosts the appeal of the various rooms in a home, and shows a buyer that the current homeowner is diligent about upkeep. If you really want to make a good first impression and wow potential buyers with your home’s appearance, don’t settle for a simple vacuuming and/or shampooing, as these implements only clean the carpet’s surface. Instead, hire a professional carpet cleaner with the equipment and know-how to eliminate even the most ground-in stains and restore your carpet’s color and vibrancy. Strive For a “Healthy Home” Nowadays it seems like allergy sufferers and people with respiratory issues have it worse than ever. Pollen, dust, dirt, and other particulates are ever-present, and so too dander, mold, and the various contributors to hay fever. The last thing a homebuyer wants is to step into a house in which these substances are even partially problematic – especially when children or elderly people will reside in the home. A professional carpet cleaner utilizes a healthy, non-toxic approach for remove these allergens and materials from your home, allowing everyone to breathe easier. For a Quicker Home Sale, Leverage Our Expertise When you’re ready to sell your home, count on A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning to deliver first-class cleaning services that will help your house shine. Also, bear in mind that carpet cleaning is just one of the many services we offer. Our team is also proficient at carpet repair, upholstery cleaning, and much more. Remember at A Personal Touch, “We don’t cut corners, we clean them.”