Bring Joy to Your Home with Professional Upholstery Cleaning
You may sit on your furniture every day and not really think about what it goes through. What if you were a couch or perhaps an easy chair? Put yourself in its, ah… armrests. Did you imagine, for just one moment, what a day-in-the-life of a couch might be like? Did you picture coffee spills, splattered yoghurt, popcorn showers, or puppy drool? Your upholstery is regularly subject to all of that and worse if you have a busy life and an energetic family. Summer pool parties, graduations, and birthday celebrations or that first backyard cookout to test grandpa’s secret Texas barbecue sauce: Each event brings friends, family members and a new onslaught of wear and tear to chairs, ottomans and couches. Pick up the Hoover As the first line of defense, we’ll remind you of an old adage: A vacuuming pass makes upholstery last! Don’t remember that saying? Well, honestly that’s because we just made it up. But, it is true. Vacuuming your chairs and couches keeps food and grit from being ground into the upholstery fibers. Consider vacuuming weekly or as often as your schedule allows. You can also remove dust and dirt from upholstered surfaces with a soft-bristled brush. When possible, consider turning and rotating your cushions to give the fabric a break as well. Treat that spill When they come from the factory, many upholstered furniture pieces have a protective coating. However, such protectants will only delay spills from being absorbed into your furniture, they don’t mean a spill will bounce off the couch like Elastigirl. If your overexcited teenager or enthusiastic friend flings soda, tea or chili all over your sectional sofa, it’s important to clean it up immediately. Blot the spill gently with a clean, folded towel. The blotting may help you remove the spill completely, if you do it quickly enough. Before spills happen, it’s good to check your furniture manufacturer’s care instructions. Do you need to use a water or a solvent based cleaner for stubborn stains? Many times, a mild cleaning product (test it first) can be applied in a circular motion with a soft brush to remove a spill. Vacuum the area when it is completely dry. If you need help, call your local carpet cleaning professional in Denver, Parker or Littleton. Schedule a steam cleaning Next, consider refreshing your furniture with a deep, professional upholstery cleaning. Truck-mounted steam cleaning can be like a face-lift for your furniture. Regular steam cleaning is just as important as consistent vacuuming. Upholstery cleaning with a truck-mounted steam cleaning system: Helps restore dulled colors to their original luster and resurrects flattened textures. Can eliminate odors from guests or pets who use couches or loveseats for sleeping. Aids in removing dust, dirt and germs trapped deep in your upholstery fibers. According to Statista.com, consumers spent $114.5 billion on bedding and furniture in 2019! Quite clearly, we invest so much in our homes because they are important to us. How important? In an April 2012 article “Why Our Homes Make Us Happy,” U.S. News and World Report said, “Humans, however, add layers of significance to home and place. Physical places endure while memories and people fade, so homes and neighborhoods become ‘memory machines’ that help us keep alive some of the strongest sources of what has given our lives meaning, well-being, and happiness.” It may seem dramatic to say your upholstery can affect how much you enjoy life, but it seems a clean, well-maintained home can make you, your guests and your loved ones feel better now and far into the future. Reach out to APT A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning’s technicians are thoroughly trained to care for many upholstery varieties. Whether you live in Denver, Parker and Littleton, we can help you with your professional upholstery cleaning needs. Reach out before birthdays, reunions, anniversaries, or if your house needs a good sprucing up. We are happy to answer any upholstery cleaning questions, or to give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. Contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.
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
Winter weather: Don’t let snow and slush shorten the life of your carpet
Would you invite the Abominable Snowman or the carrot-nosed Olaf from the cartoon Frozen into your house for tea? Likely not. They’d make big messes on your floor. When you come into your house from the driveway in the winter, you may not be as chaotic as Olaf, but your shoes and boots will track water, slush and grit onto your floors or carpets. Protect your fibers The fibers in your carpet are sensitive. Salt, water and dirt from shoes get ground into carpet, especially during the winter months. As the water dries, chemicals from road treatment solutions can rise to the top and cause staining.2 In turn, sand and grit can fall down into your carpet and degrade your carpet fibers. If this goes on long enough, those fibers can be permanently stained. The backing that holds your carpet together can also be affected.1 What can you do? That ounce of prevention Well, first, it’s best to contain that mess before it starts. Ask your family and friends to take off their boots and shoes before they enter the house. Put a boot tray outside your most-used door to keep everything organized. That pet paw solution The weather recently got so cold in Colorado that many dog owners protected their pets’ paws with strap-on booties. While you may remove your dog’s booties before they come back indoors, you may not think to wipe off their feet every time they come in from the yard. Place towels by the door and make drying your pets’ paws a regular habit. That vacuuming routine In 2013, Electrolux (a major household appliance brand) conducted a global vacuuming survey. They asked 28,000 people from 23 countries how they felt about vacuuming.3 The company discovered several interesting tidbits: Koreans vacuum more often than anyone in the world; 29% vacuum at least once a day. Most people worldwide vacuum for less than an hour at a stretch. Thirty-eight percent of respondents vacuum in the morning; vacuuming in the evening is rare. Sixty-eight percent of respondents vacuum in casual outfits, 21% wear a track suit and 4% wear only their underwear. (If you must know, 2% reported vacuuming in their birthday suits.) Of the 18-30 year-old surveyed, 51% listen to music while vacuuming and 6% even dance, listen and vacuum at the same time. Whatever your habits while dragging your Dyson or Hoover across the floor, your carpet will stay younger longer if you vacuum regularly. You don’t need to vacuum several times a day (11% of Koreans surveyed do), but once a week will keep your house fresher and your carpet newer longer. That carpet cleaning schedule As careful as we try to be, our carpets still take a beating in the winter. The family cat might break away before you can clean her paws. Your toddler might squirm out of your arms and run across the carpet in his snow boots. You might knock your hot cocoa over with your elbow while solving the latest Wordle puzzle in front of the fire. A professional carpet cleaner can help you treat stains quickly with the right solution that won’t damage your carpets and area rugs. Regular professional cleaning (every 12 to 18 months) with high-temperature, truck-mounted steam cleaning equipment can lift grit from your carpets to prevent fiber staining. After the cleaning, your professional carpet cleaner can then apply a new coat of protectant to your carpet. Your partners in clean At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, we can help you keep your carpets fresh all year long. We are happy to answer any carpeting questions you might have and give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. Contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation. Sources: https://jkcomplete.com/3-things-can-destroy-carpet-prevent-delamination/ https://www.angi.com/articles/road-salt-wrecks-carpet.htm Electrolux-Global-Vacuuming-Survey-2013-Did-you-know.pdf (electroluxgroup.com)
How can regular carpet and upholstery cleaning help you through the cold and flu season?
It snowed! We celebrate, not only for our ski areas, but because our recent temperature drop brings much-needed moisture to Colorado. Our hearts are with our neighbors in Boulder County who recently suffered catastrophic fire loss. Unfortunately, our colder temperatures also firmly place us in the heart of cold and flu season. The best ways to prevent illness Why are colds and flu so common in January and February? As you know, when it’s chilly outside, we retreat indoors, crank up our thermostats and close our windows. We hang out more with our family and friends. Our physical closeness passes around germs in enclosed spaces. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this is especially true if we: Don’t stay away from others when we are sick: Gone are the days of “powering through” a cold or sickness. Stay home when you feel rotten and don’t gift your crud to others. Also, rest and let yourself truly recover. Your immune system will thank you by staying strong. Touch our faces a lot: This one got hilarious meme treatment early in the pandemic, but frequently touching your face, nose and mouth for whatever reason (mask, itchiness, fidgeting) is a serious habit to break NOW. Forget to wash our hands often: Plain old soap and water (yup, for 20 seconds) are still the best defense against sickness. Use hand sanitizer when you cannot access a sink. Don’t cover our mouths and noses when we sneeze or cough: This is disrespectful to others and gross. Neglect other good habits: The CDC recommends getting enough sleep, exercising, eating right and ensuring our living spaces are properly cleaned and sanitized. Reduce infections at home Which brings us to our main subject. As Sir Isaac Newton discovered in 1665, what goes up must come down (AKA don’t sit under a fruit tree in the autumn). Gravity enables all those viruses and bacteria to drift down and eventually settle into our carpets and upholstery. Some viruses, like norovirus (think nasty stomach bug) can stay in carpeting and upholstery for up to a month if not removed, according to the National Institutes for Health (NIH). Thankfully, studies show the COVID-19 virus does not typically cause infection from soft surfaces after 72 hours. According to livehealthily, the flu virus sticks around for 24 hours and the jury is out about just how long strep bacteria can survive on a surface to make you sick. Fear not. Our houses help us out and there are things we can do to reduce infections! Carpets are actually our friends. According to the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), carpeting “plays the role of an air filter: carpet traps dust, pollen and other particles, taking them out of the breathing zone until they can be removed easily…” Regularly vacuuming your home, 1-2 times per week, as well as routinely cleaning and disinfecting your upholstery and carpeting can help keep your family well during the cold and flu season. Fight the flu and other bugs with steam A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning recommends steam cleaning your carpets every 18 months with a reputable high-temperature, truck-mounted steam cleaning service. One of our own employees testifies that regular carpet cleaning keeps his family healthier, “I have 5 kids and 2 dogs and now 5 grandkids. We don’t get colds and flu like other families.” But, don’t take our word for it. Recent studies like this one at the NIH report steam cleaning works to minimize germs in carpets. The NIH reports, “…our results support a previous finding that steam vapor can reduce viruses beyond the EPA standard in short contact times…” A Personal Touch can sanitize your chairs, ottomans and couches as well. Our trained technicians are knowledgeable about many different kinds of upholstery from canvas and corduroy to silk, lace and leather. They will clean your upholstery’s fragile trim and piping with care. Upon request, they can apply a special fabric protector to help extend the life of your furniture. Stay healthier during cold and flu season. Call us at 720-344-2870 for a free estimate or simply schedule an appointment.
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.”
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.”
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.”