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Author: UpFront Home Services

How To Remove A Vomit Stain and Odors From Carpet

Vomit Stains are right up there as one of the worst odors and stains to remove from your Carpet. The smell of vomit alone is gag inducing. But if you catch it right away you can prevent the vomit stain and odor from soaking into the carpet.

Remove Vomit As Quickly As Possible

Ok so you’re going to want to remove the vomit from the floor as soon as possible. Personally I prefer the use of a Shopvac when it comes to dealing with bodily fluids. I recommend removing your filter from your Shopvac and of course hosing off the waste tank after each use.

After you have removed the vomit chunks from the floor apply cold water to the floor and let it sit for 30 seconds. Then, extract the stain with your shopvac. If the stain is still present treat the stain with an enzyme or carpet spotter. I prefer using either Kemzyme or PC-45 for further stain treatment.

How To Remove An Old Vomit stain From Your Carpet

Tools Required: Shopvac and a Terry Towel

Chemicals Required: Kemzyme (Enzyme Spotter) And Stain 1

  1. Mix Your Kemzyme 4 Parts Water and 1 Part Kemzyme
  2. Apply Kemzyme to the vomit stain and make sure the fibers are wet
  3. Gently agitate the fibers with a terry cloth to help break down the stain. Allow about 30 minutes of dwell time to allow the enzymes to work.
  4. Wet the fibers with cold water and extract the area thoroughly with a Shopvac getting the carpet as dry as possible (Carpet Cleaning Professionals use Hot Water Extraction during this step)
  5. When the spot is dry vacuum very thoroughly
  6. If stain reappears after drying treat the vomit stain with Stain 1

Which Vomit Stain Remover Is Best?

I recommend using Kemzyme over most Enzymes on the market due to the concentrated nature, the amount of live enzymes, and the pleasant scent. Kemzyme is also pH neutral which makes it suitable for use on most carpet. 

Be sure you test any products you use in an inconspicuous area to be sure it doesn’t affect the color of the carpet. 

When in doubt call the Professional Carpet Cleaners At UpFront Home Services. 

At UpFront Home Services we provide Professional Carpet Cleaning Services In Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? It’s all of the entertainment and great restaurants. It’s easy to drive places and you have Katy Mills Mall to enjoy a little shopping and get great prices. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Filtration Soiling: What Are Those Black Lines Around The Edges Of My Carpet?

Is your carpet looking a little rough around the edges? As carpet ages and a home gets older you may start to notice what is known as Filtration soiling. This is seen around the carpet edges and in the doorways of rooms.

How Do You Remove Filtration Soiling From Carpet?

When we professionally clean your carpet we can use Pro’s Choices PC-45 to treat those pesky black lines. It really is as simple spraying this product, agitating, and steam cleaning the Filtration Soiling from your carpet.

How Can You Prevent Filtration Soiling?

I recommend having your Air Ducts Cleaned regularly to prevent filtration soiling. Filtration Soiling occurs when the air being blow from your vents is especially dusty. If you have the Air Ducts cleaned regularly you shouldn’t see those black lines around the edges of your carpet. Check out our Air Duct Cleaning Service Here

At UpFront Home Services we provide Carpet Cleaning Services for the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Houston? It truly is one of the best cities in America. We have all of the dinning options you could ask for and great shopping like the Galleria. Want to learn more about the City Of Houston Click Here

Tile and Grout Cleaning Service – The Difference Between Hiring a Franchise and a Grout Cleaning Specialist

The Difference Between Hiring a Franchise and a Grout Cleaning Specialist

So you opened your mail box and got a flyer or valpak in the mail that advertises Tile and Grout Cleaning service. Almost always its a local franchise advertising a price for Tile and Grout Cleaning Service at “special price”. What they aren’t saying in their ad is what they are and aren’t including in their pricing.

Tile and Grout Cleaning Service Steps and Chemistry

Typically what I see more often than not is the advertising of a 2 step process. What’s included in these 2 steps is 1) Alkaline Pre-Treatment and 2) Steam Cleaning. That’s all fine if you’re grout doesn’t need restoration. Unfortunately a majority of grout stains require extra treatment with an Acid to remove them. The local franchises simply don’t include using Acid in their Tile and Grout Cleaning Service pricing and will charge double to use Acid on your floors. Some Franchise technicians can’t even recognize what is a natural stone floor and a man made surface. Believe me when I say that being able to determine what is safe to use certain chemistry on is exceptionally important as to not ruin the floors you are having cleaned.

Property Protection

An important aspect to any Tile and Grout Cleaning service is Property Protection. A Grout Cleaning specialist will use moving blankets, corner guards, runner rugs, and other forms of protectors for your home. It’s really easy to get cleaning chemicals onto wood. Poor quality cleaners can leave a haze or scratch corners with hoses. In fact, most franchise operations don’t provide their technicians with property protectors because it slows down their technicians. Hiring a service that cares not only about your floors, but your home as well is important so that you have a good experience vs a nightmare cleaning.

Grout Sealing

The local franchises charge extra for Grout Sealing. This add on is especially important when you factor in the long term health of your Tile and Grout. If you start to factor in the cost to have your Tile and Grout Cleaning performed by a franchise vs a specialist the cost just keeps going up and up. This reminds me of when you go to get an oil change and they constantly make recommendations that cost you more and more every time you turnaround. When you see a company advertising $.45 or $.65 cents per sqft take that charge and multiply it by 3 ($1.35 – $1.95) and you will get the true cost to hire them to clean your floors.

The UpFront Difference

Our Pricing for Tile and Grout Cleaning is the most inclusive Grout Cleaning experience in Houston. We offer a 9 Step Cleaning Process vs the Franchise 2 Step approach. Our service also includes Grout Sealing at no extra charge. We use Property Protectors to ensure that your cleaning experience with us goes smoothly and we leave your home in better shape than what we found it. So don’t be fooled by low price coupon mailers, give us a call to come out and quote your cleaning based on the job not just the square foot.

At UpFront Home Services we provide more value for our Tile and Grout Cleaning Service and an amazing experience! Check out our Tile and Grout Cleaning Process Here

Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate.

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? Personally I love having a date night at Peli Peli and then going to Main Event. Going shopping at Katy Mills Mall or enjoying all of the Dinning at LaCenterra is an added bonus to the Katy Area. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Professional Carpet Cleaning: How To Remove Pet Odors From Carpet

So you just moved in to your new home and you’re starting to smell the pet odor from the old owners animals. Maybe you’re just starting to sneeze because you’re allergic to cats or dogs. Whatever it is, a Professional Carpet Cleaning will help.

Pre-Vacuum

In situations like these we find it best to vacuum the rooms thoroughly. By vacuuming we are helping to remove the odor at the source, the carpet. Most carpet cleaners will miss this fundamental step, we won’t.

Anti-Allergen Pre-Treatment

We will then apply our anti-allergen pre-treatment. This treatment is designed to be safe for allergy sufferers and those with chemical sensitivities. The purpose of the treatment is to help lift soiling without leaving a harmful residue behind.

Professional Carpet Cleaning : Truck Mount Steam Cleaning

Once the pre-treatment has been applied we will thoroughly steam clean your carpet with 220 degrees of hot water. This important to help remove soiling and naturally disinfect the carpet.

Disinfect / Allergy Relief Treatment

Once the cleaning is complete we will apply a Disinfectant / Allergy Relief Treatment. This treatment will help eliminate any Pet Odors from the Carpet and provide allergy relief for allergy sufferers. 

All of these steps are rather simple but most carpet cleaning companies simply have no idea what to do when it comes to Pet Odors. Make sure when you hire a cleaner you are hiring a pet odor removal specialist.

At UpFront Home Services we provide Professional Carpet Cleaning Services In Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? It’s all of the entertainment and great restaurants. It’s easy to drive places and you have Katy Mills Mall to enjoy a little shopping and get great prices. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

How To Remove A Red Stain From Carpet

You can too can Remove a Red Stain from Carpet whether its  fresh or an older red stain. Removing Red Stains out of the carpet is easy as long as you use the right product, method, and get to the stain as quickly as possible. The below process should only be used on synthetic carpets and not wool carpet.

At UpFront Home Services we remove a Red Stain from carpet with Red 1 by Pro’s Choice.

How To Remove A Red Stain From Carpet

Usage Instruction for Residential Carpet (Synthetic Fibers):

  1. Apply Red 1 liberally to the Red Stain on the Carpet.
  2. Let the product sit until the stain either turns yellow or goes away. Reaction time is about 4 to 8 minutes.
  3. Rinse the affected area. If you don’t have a small carpet cleaner pour a little bit of water on the stain and extract with a shop-vac
  4. Some red stains may require heat to cause a reaction. If the stain did not react to treatment with Red 1 proceed to step 5.
  5. Re-apply Red 1 to the Red Stain on the Carpet.
  6. Take a folded and damp white terry cloth and cover the red stain. Then take a steam iron set to the lowest setting for a maximum of 5 seconds.
  7. Rinse the area again to remove any residue from the red stain.

The stain should now be completely gone or exceptionally lightened. If the stain remains, repeat steps 5-7. You shouldn’t exceed more than 2 treatments.

At UpFront Home Services we get Red Stains out of Carpet in Houston and Katy and provide an amazing Carpet Cleaning experience! Check out our carpet cleaning process here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? The school and The old town feel. Katy really is still rural at heart but has a big city feel as well. With Katy being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Pressure Wash Driveway- How To Pressure Wash A Driveway

It’s not fun, it’s not easy, but you can make a huge difference when you Pressure Wash your Driveway.

This is a quick step by step guide on How To Pressure Wash A Driveway.

Debris Removal

Step 1) Blow or sweep away any debris that are on the Driveway. To Pressure Wash a Driveway you must remove the debris that could get in the way of the chemicals and the water pressure from pressure washing machine. This is important because you could end up with an uneven clean.

Pre-Treatment

Step 2) Apply your Driveway Cleaner of choice. When applying your cleaner always follow the instructions on the bottle. I like to apply a thick layer of product and allow a little bit of dwell time, usually a couple minutes. My recommendation for you is to work in sections and only pre-treat one section to clean at a time.

 

Set The Proper Pressure For Your Pressure Washer

Step 3) Setting the proper pressure for your machine is very important. If the pressure is to high you could damage the concrete and if its too low you could do a poor quality job. I recommend setting your unit anywhere between 2,500 psi to 3,000 psi.

Selecting The Proper Tool and Tips

Step 4) I prefer using a Spinning Pressure Washing tool to Pressure Wash a Driveway. This type of spinner tool costs roughly $600-$800. Your average DIY Pressure Washing Machine will come with just a wand and some tips. I tend to use the Green Tip for the hand wand for Driveway Pressure Washing.

Start To Pressure Wash Driveway

Step 5) Pressure Wash The Driveway. Go Slowly and take your time, moving too fast will make your driveway look streaky. Driveway Pressure Washing usually takes a professional about an hour to complete depending on the size of the Driveway. For a homeowner with smaller equipment it could take several hours to complete, so be patient and take your time.

Rinse The Driveway

Step 6) Rinse away the dirty water. Once you have Pressure Washed the driveway you will need to do a last step rinse. Go to the top of the driveway and rinse your way down. This will leave the driveway looking its best and will remove the extra debris that loosened when pressure washing.

Does It Sound Like A Lot? Maybe A Little Too Much To DIY?

Give Us A Call! At UpFront Home Services we provide Pressure Washing Services in Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Pressure Washing Driveway Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? It’s the comfort of the suburbs. It’s easy to drive places and you have Katy Mills Mall to enjoy a little shopping spree or a big one. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Carpet Cleaning Services – The Difference Between Carpet Cleaning Methods and Equipment

 

It seems like nowadays everybody knows somebody that offers carpet cleaning services. Just because someone offers the carpet cleaning doesn’t mean much. Is this person really any good, do they have good equipment, do they offer the best method of cleaning?

The Method of Carpet Cleaning Services

The highest regarded cleaning method is Hot Water Extraction aka Steam Cleaning. The lesser known methods are Dry Shampoo Cleaning aka Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning / VLM (Very Low Moisture), and Carbonated Carpet Cleaning.

When having your Carpet Cleaned we suggest using Hot Water Extraction, not just because it’s the most recommended method by Carpet manufactures but also because it won’t void your carpets warranty.

When looking for Carpet Cleaning Services it is always best that your first question is “What Method Of Carpet Cleaning do you use?” If they say anything other than Hot Water Extraction or Steam Cleaning, call another company. 

The Equipment

Basically there are several different  types of equipment out there that can professionally clean carpet. We’ve all seen the Rug Doctors at the store, well they also make commercial size portable machines for professionals. Normally portable equipment is utilized in hard to reach places like stores or high rises. However, some entry level cleaners use portables to clean as well.

Portable equipment can be used to complete Hot Water Extraction but they simply don’t provide the same quality as a Truck Mount. The heat from the Truck Mount water helps break down the soiling and allows for easy extraction providing a higher quality clean.

Dry Carpet Cleaning Services use Floor Buffers to clean the carpet. These types of machines can void your carpets warranty. However, Floor machines may be used for restoration purposes when mixed with Hot Water Extraction.

Pro Tip: Verify The Brand of Truck Mounted Equipment the professional Cleaner has. The best equipment brands are Sapphire Scientific, Pro-Chem, Hydramaster, and Butler. There are a lot of cleaners with off brand equipment that simply doesn’t perform the way these main brands of equipment perform.

Why Hot Water Extraction?

When you take a shower you use hot water and shampoo / body wash or soap to clean yourself and rinse yourself off. Hot Water Extraction is very similar to taking a shower. Other methods simply leave the dirt behind.

At UpFront Home Services we provide Carpet Cleaning Services In Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? It’s the comfort of the suburbs. It’s easy to drive places and you have Katy Mills Mall to enjoy a little shopping spree or a big one. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Residential Carpet Cleaning- DIY or Professional Carpet Cleaning

When it comes to Residential Carpet Cleaning the homeowner is faced with 1 distinct question. Should I DIY or hire a professional carpet cleaning company? It’s not always easy to decide whether to do it your self or bring in a professional, lets take a look together to see what makes the most sense in your home.

DIY or Professional Carpet Cleaning

The Cost of a Rug Doctor vs a Professional Carpet Cleaner

Rug Doctor rental rates vary but they range from $30-$40 for a 24-48 hour period. You also need to purchase the chemicals used to clean which will cost you an additional $30-$50 to purchase. You can also buy a Rug Doctor for around $400.

On the flip side of that coin the average professional Truck Mount Carpet Cleaning set up for Residential Carpet Cleaning can be anywhere from $30,000 – $60,000 to buy.

However, to have a Professional Carpet Cleaner come out is far less than purchasing a professionally machine. Most Professional Carpet Cleaners charge either by the room or by the square foot. On Average a Professional Carpet Cleaner will charge anywhere from $30-$60 per room to clean depending on the package you choose. Almost every professional carpet cleaning service will require a service call minimum.

Carpet Cleaning cost example for 3 Rooms:

Rug Doctor – $60 – $99

Professional Carpet Cleaner – $99 – $180

How Long Does It Take To Clean

A Professional Residential Carpet Cleaning Service can take anywhere from an hour or so to clean a couple of rooms of carpet. A Rug Doctor however can take several hours to clean a couple of rooms.

Rug Doctor – 2 – 4 Hours

Professional Carpet Cleaner – 1 – 2 Hours

What’s The Typical Carpet Drying Time?

I’ve personally seen a homeowners carpet take 48 hours to dry after using a Rug Doctor. But the reason why it took this amount of time to dry isn’t totally because of the equipment, it’s because the homeowner didn’t have the knowledge to properly clean the carpet. A Residential Carpet Cleaning Service can typically get the carpets dry in 2-6 hours vs 1-2 days. The longer a carpet takes to dry, the more opportunity for there is for mildew to grow in your home.

Rug Doctor – 24 – 48 hours

Professional Carpet Cleaner – 2 – 6 hours

What’s Your Time Worth?

Doing things DIY can take away from valuable time with your family. The time spent with your family is impossible to put a price on, this is why paying a Professional Residential Carpet Cleaning Company is usually the best decision.

Can You Do A Good Job If You DIY?

As a professional carpet cleaner I can tell you that you can do a good job with a Rug Doctor if you have the time, patience, and knowledge to properly clean. To be quite honest Carpet Cleaning isn’t fun and it isn’t easy, leaving the cleaning up to a professional is just the way to go.

Is It Worth It To DIY?

In some cases it can be worthwhile to DIY your homes carpet cleaning. It make the most sense to DIY when a small spill or something along the lines of an accident occurs. Usually home owners will DIY when they can’t get a Professional cleaner out right away. Pre-Planning and Hiring a Professional to clean is more often than not the best way to go. It’s easy to ruin your carpet by using too much water and not enough Extraction power or by putting to much chemical or improper chemical down. Hiring a professional take all the guess work out of it.

At UpFront Home Services we provide Residential Carpet Cleaning Services In Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? It’s the comfort of the suburbs. It’s easy to drive places and you have Katy Mills Mall to enjoy a little shopping spree or a big one. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

What to Look for in a Carpet Repair Company

When it comes to Carpet Repair whether it’s a rip, a seam coming undone, a wrinkle, or your dog or cat damaging your carpet, we have seen it and fixed it all. Finding a repair specialist can be difficult but not impossible. 

What To Look For In A Carpet Repair Specialist

Do They Guarantee Their Work

1 – A rock solid guarantee is important with any type of Repair. There are a lot of handymen out there that can really botch a simple Carpet Patching Job. It’s important when you are looking to have a repair done in your home that you hire a company with a strong Guarantee and not just the lowest price.

They Have The Right Equipment 

2 – They have the right tools to complete the job. The best Carpet Repair Specialists invest in Power Stretchers made by Crane or Roberts, Knee Kickers, Seam Irons, and many other tools to complete a flawless repair. The best carpet patches and pet damage repairs are done with a Kool Glide. A Kool Glide is a specialty repair tool that eliminates the need for high heat and glue. If you’re having a Carpet Patch done, the Kool Glide is the tool you want used in your home. If you’re dealing with a wrinkle in the carpet and you need it stretched, you will want the Carpet Repair Specialist to use a Power Stretcher and a knee kicker if necessary. The reasoning behind using a Power Stretcher is to get the excess carpet which creates the wrinkle as stretched as possible. 

They Have The Reviews and Experience

3 – Lots of guys claim to be Carpet Repair experts when the most they have ever actually done is watch a video on YouTube. My suggestion is to verify the companies experience by reading reviews and asking questions about their experience. 

Make Sure To Have Extra Carpet

4- If your dog tore the carpet in a door way and you need Carpet Repair, it is necessary that you have an exact match of carpet to complete this repair. I suggest pulling from a small closet if you don’t have any spare carpet in the attic or the garage. If you need to pull carpet from the closet I suggest purchasing a remnant piece of carpet that is fairly close to the other carpet in your home and having the.repair specialist install it for you.

Have They Been Professionally Trained

5 – There are many ways to learn how to complete Repairs specific to Carpets but the best is by taking an IICRC training course. Some companies add carpet repair to their list of services and simply sub contract it out to a guy that says he knows how to fix carpet but in all reality doesn’t have the appropriate knowledge to complete even the most basic repair properly. Always check to see what kind of training technicians go through to begin to provide Carpet Repair.

At UpFront Home Services we provide Carpet Repair In Katy and the entire Houston area! Check out our Carpet Stretching and Repair Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Katy? Whether it’s shopping at Katy Mills Mall or the Rice Festival, Katy has it all. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Katy Click Here

Rug Cleaning Services – 3 Signs It’s Time For Area Rug Cleaning

Area Rugs are often the most overlooked textile in any home. The colors and fabric types often hide the spots exceptionally well. Determining when it’s time to clean your area rug can be pretty difficult but not impossible to determine. Utilizing Rug Cleaning Services often can be the difference between replacement and keeping a rug long term.

Here Are 3 Signs It’s Time For Rug Cleaning Cleaning Services

It’s Been Awhile…

1 – Sometimes the easiest way to determine whether it’s time is simply by thinking back to how long you’ve had the rugs and when the last time was that you had Rug Cleaning Services. If it’s been over 2 years, it is definitely time. Most rugs depending on traffic and vacuuming can be cleaned once every couple years. My preference is to have Rug Cleaning Services completed for most rugs at least once per year. 

The Rug  Smells…

2 – The easiest indicator you need Rug Cleaning Services is If the Area Rugs have started to smell. Most homes in the Katy and Houston Area have pets. Animals tend to love to treat Area Rugs as their own personal restroom. If a rug has started to smell like urine it is definitely time to have the rug either cleaned in home or picked up for a more thorough cleaning and deodorization process.

Your Rug Has Spots and Stains…

3 – If your rug fails the visual inspection test, meaning there are tons of little spots and spills it is definitely time for Rug Cleaning Services. Some rugs can hide spots and spills better than others but usually it’s easy to see where a spill has occurred or where a traffic lane pattern has begun to form.

 

Bonus Tip:

Perform Rug Cleaning Services Even If A Rug Appears Clean. Cleaning your area rugs often will keep them looking and feeling like new long term. We recommend an application of Stain Protector after every cleaning.

At UpFront Home Services we provide Rug Cleaning Services In Katy and the entire Houston! Check out our Area Rug Cleaning Service Here

Need A Quote? Give us a call at (832)303-3546 for a FREE Estimate and to check availability

UpFront Home Services

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

Why do we love Houston? It’s the sense of community. Houston really is a giant melting pot of cultures and people. With it being so close to Texas A&M we also get to service a lot of our fellow Aggies. We service the entire Houston area. Want to learn more about the City of Houston Click Here