Author: UpFront Home Services

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Should I have my Rug Cleaned in my home or taken off site?

Written by UpFront Home Services on February 2, 2022. Posted in Area Rug Cleaning.

The distinct difference between in home cleaning and off site cleaning is that the in home clean is primarily a topical clean intended for rugs that aren’t damaged with pet urine and aren’t heavily soiled. The off site cleaning however is the deepest cleaning that an area rug can go through and does an excellent job at removing pet odors and soiling.

In Home Area Rug Cleaning

In home cleaning is very similar to cleaning your homes carpet, a pre-treatment specific for rugs is applied and then the rug is steam cleaned in place. The backside of the rug is not cleaned, only the face of the rug is cleaned. It is considered a topical cleaning and is meant for rugs that are polyester, nylon, and other synthetic fibers. Wool rugs can be cleaned in home as well, however we recommend our Off Site Cleaning service for Natural Fibers and Viscose Fibers. Some Shaggy rugs are also good candidates for cleaning off site.

Off Site Area Rug Cleaning

For all of our off site rug cleanings, we utilize a large drying rack, air movers, and do post cleaning spotting. A rug is often cleaned multiple times and retouched before it ever leaves our facility. While we cant guarantee stain removal or the total removal of urine from a rug, this process does the absolute most to get as much out of your rug as possible. Some rugs may make more sense to toss rather than keep when it comes to utilizing our off site service. We do our best to offer an array of options for rugs to keep the cost as affordable as possible.

We recommend off site cleaning for any rugs with urine whether it’s a synthetic fiber or natural fiber. This method is especially recommended for natural fiber rugs and shag rugs. Shag rugs tend to hide soiling and are incredibly difficult to dry in home. If you have concerns with a rug properly drying, utilizing our off site service is the way to go.

We have 3 different options available for Off Site Cleaning.

Front and Back Cleaning (Your rug is vacuumed, dusted, and steam cleaned on the front and back side)

This treatment method is great for rugs can not otherwise be cleaned in home. Example it isn’t advisable to clean a rug on a wood floor because moisture from the backing of the rug could cause the wood to swell. In those case we recommend taking the rug off site for cleaning and doing a front and back clean of the rug. This is a good idea for rugs that aren’t urine damaged and aren’t necessarily high value or heavily soiled. It can be used on High Value rugs as well but we recommend our Deep Cleaning for these particular rugs.

Deep Cleaning (Your rug is vacuumed, dusted, shampoo scrubbed front and back side, and steam cleaned on the front and back side)

Deep cleaning is great for rugs that are very dirty. The extra agitation helps remove soiling and really give the fibers a thorough clean. We recommend this treatment for rugs that are high value as this is as deep as it comes outside of completing our submersion process. This is also awesome for shaggy rugs as it scrubs deeper into the fibers.

Submersion (Your rug is vacuumed, dusted, and submerged in a rug bath to remove urine salts and other contaminates)

When a rug is contaminated with urine the best way to remove the urine is through total submersion of the rug. Over 4000 gallons of water is circulated through the rug to provide the most thorough cleaning imaginable.

Cleaning Area Rugs On A Budget

In some cases cleaning your area rugs can often reach and exceed the cost of the rug. You will have to determine whether it is worth it for you to replace the rug or keep the rug that already goes with your furniture. We try to keep our cleanings as budget friendly as possible, however rugs with urine simply require more time and energy into getting them back to a clean state.

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What’s The Difference? – Tile and Grout Cleaning

Written by UpFront Home Services on January 5, 2022. Posted in Tile and Grout Cleaning.

We are often asked about price matching quotes given from other companies, totally fine to ask. The problem is that other companies simply don’t do what we do when we clean your tile and grout. It’s one thing to go to Best Buy and ask them to price match Airpod pricing that Amazon has, that makes so much sense because they are identical products. Unfortunately when it comes to services they are not identical.

The Process

At UpFront Home Services we have a process that shouldn’t be as unique as it is but it is in fact unique. We utilize a multi-step rinsing process that attributes to getting your Tile and Grout as clean a possible. Some companies only do the alkaline or acid rinse and don’t include sealing of the grout at no charge. In fact, some companies don’t even include a pre-treatment to clean at all and then charge extra for this too.

Alkaline Rinse – Removes the residues, grease, and other soiling away with a blend of oxidizers that react to dirt like hydrogen peroxide on a cut.
Acid Rinse – Removes a microscopic layer of grout through etching. It also neutralizes the pH of the Alkaline Rinse and guarantees the deepest clean of your tile and grout.
Sealing Of The Grout – We apply a water based sealer to your grout at no charge. This helps prevent staining from general wear and tear and some spill protection.

The Training

Our technicians go through a 3 month hands on training period where they work closely with a Master Technician who trains them on all of the little details that go into cleaning. We clean Tile and Grout on a daily basis, this leads to a deeper understanding and general knowledge of the do’s and don’ts that go into Tile and Grout Cleaning. We not only train our technicians how to clean but all the why’s in why we do what we do.

The People

We love our technicians and we are sure you will too. We don’t just hire anyone to come into your home. We hire individuals that are friendly and customer service oriented. We want you to have the best experience imaginable and it all starts with the right people coming into your home.

The Equipment

We utilize Truck Mounted units that are powered by the vans engine. This leads to a more consistent clean, more heat, and more vacuum power. Our units are essentially extremely high powered pressure washing units with heat and suction.

Other companies utilize units either powered by lawn mower engines, janitorial floor buffers, or portable equipment that simply doesn’t have the appropriate power to clean your floors. This would be like getting one of those little electric plug in pressure washers and comparing it to a trailer unit.

The Guarantee

Our re-clean guarantee is HUGE! So many companies will go into your home and “clean” your tile and grout, collect a check, and if there is a problem you get blocked. Our guarantee is our word, if there is an issue or you simply want us to check out a stain that you thought would come out but for some reason didn’t we will come back and re-clean the area for you at no charge. We love seeing pictures of the areas that need touching up, it helps us with training and to put our eyes on it before coming back, but trust me we will come back.

Never Ending Research and Development

When it comes to floors, we go all out. We are always testing new products and solutions to achieve the best results. We work with a chemical manufacturer to create and develop custom blended solutions for your floors. We also attend industry conventions (I know… Yes they do have floor cleaning conventions in Vegas…) and we go for training every year to continue our education. Quite frankly we are Floor nerds.

Why Does Tile and Grout Get Dirty?

Written by UpFront Home Services on January 2, 2022. Posted in Tile and Grout Cleaning.

Every home is different. Some households have children, dogs, and all types of variables. Regardless of the household demographics, the tile and grout will get dirty.

Reasons Why Tile And Grout Gets Dirty

A Residue Forms

The tile typically gets dirty because a residue forms on the top surface due to alkaline cleaners being used in the home. Alkaline cleaners may be used in the home but you should rinse the floors really well to neutralize them. I recommend using Crystal Clean by Stone Pro (Can Find It On Amazon). Crystal Clean is a Neutral Floor Cleaner with a Fluoropolymer (Sealant) built in. It doesn’t handle grease clean up so somethings you will need to use something stronger in the kitchen to break down the soiling.

Using The Wrong Equipment

Using a string mop just is not going to work when it comes to keeping your floors clean. Even with constant water changing you are just spreading the dirt around. Utilizing a Auto Scrubber for maintenance is about as good as it gets when it comes to keeping your grout clean. They are starting to make more consumer friendly auto scrubbers. I personally use a flat head mop with Crystal Clean in the mist feature.

Dirt Always Finds A Way

It doesn’t matter if your grout is sealed or color sealed, dirt will always find a way. If a residue forms over the floor, the dirt is simply going to stick to it. The dirt will attach to the residue and stay on top of the grout and tile floor. I am a big believer in sealing the grout to prevent permanent staining but no matter what Dirt Always Finds A Way. This is why it is so important to use the right products and equipment to keep your tile and grout its cleanest.

The Solution

Utilize proper chemistry and equipment when cleaning your floors, and consistently maintain the tile and grout with professional steam cleaning. Our service will restore your tile and grout, protect it, and maintain it for the life of the floor. I recommend having the main areas of tile and grout cleaned once every 1-2 years depending on traffic.

Why Does Urine Glow Under A UV Light?

Written by UpFront Home Services on May 24, 2021. Posted in Carpet Cleaning.

Why Does Urine Glow Under A UV Light?

When a technician from UpFront Home Services comes to clean your carpet you may notice that we utilize a Urine Detection light or UV light when inspecting the carpet. This light allows us to see the Urine or other biological fluids that have occurred on your carpet.

What causes urine specifically to glow under a UV light is a chemical in the urine called Phosphorus. Phosphorus is used to make LEDs and Fluorescent Light Bulbs to cause them to glow and provide light. Even when thoroughly cleaned and treated with our Urine Treatment the area may still glow under a UV light. That does not however mean that Urine or the odor associated with urine is present, it is just the phosphorus that is causing the area to fluoresce.

So in a nut shell, Phosphorus essentially bonds to the dye sites on the carpet which causes the urine to glow underneath the UV light.

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Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX

Written by UpFront Home Services on May 24, 2021. Posted in Air Duct Cleaning.

Maintaining the cleanliness of the air circulating in your interiors is a top priority. After all, you would be hiring experienced professionals when it comes to air duct cleaning. This explains why most of your neighbors might be reaching out to established ventilation cleaners in the city. Over the years, the demand for Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX is rising. At Upfront Home Services, we seek pleasure in providing standard services to our clients at affordable rates.

What Is Air Duct Cleaning?

HVAC systems and ventilation systems use air ducts to circulate air around a building. As these systems continue to function on a regular basis, dirt carried in the air tends to settle down inside. When the interiors of the ducts become dirty, they may clog up and start delivering impure air. This is when duct cleaning becomes necessary. As the term suggests, it involves professionals cleaning up the build-up of dirty inside the air ducts. Certain companies are offering Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX and we are one of the most reputed among them.

Air duct cleaning is a rather specialized service compared to the cleaning services that homeowners generally hire. This calls for professional expertise in the field. Air ducts are complex and a simple mistake could potentially damage your system. It is always advisable to hire experienced professionals to get your air ducts cleaned.

What Are The Signs That You Need Air Duct Cleaning Services?

Many homeowners do not get their air ducts cleaned on time simply because they don’t know that it is time to get it done. Other than the external part of the duct near the outlet, most of it stays out of sight. When the dirt is not visible, homebuyers tend to forget about cleaning them or simply not realize that the ducts have grown dirty. Here are a few signs that you may watch out for to know when it is time to hire Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX from a professional company.

Decreased airflow: If the airflow from your ventilation or HVAC system gradually starts to diminish, chances are high that the ducts are clogged up. As mold grows or dirt builds up inside the air ducts, it creates resistance for the airflow.
Dusty rooms: Chances are that you clean your home on a regular basis. However, if the rooms tend to get dusty too soon after you have cleaned them, dirty air ducts could be the culprit. Hiring Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX may then be the easiest and most effective solution. You might therefore want to watch whether the rooms with the air ducts appear to get a coat of dust over the floor, furniture and other surfaces too.
Increasing costs: If you start receiving higher electricity bills than usual without any explainable cause, it might be because the air ducts have grown dirty. When the dirt causes resistance to the airflow, the system has to function harder to perform properly. This results in higher energy consumption. This applies to heating and cooling systems alike.
A recent renovation: Usually, homeowners require Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX after their homes undergo a renovation. Even when the contractors are very careful, some amount of dust and debris is likely to find its way inside your ventilation system. Concrete dust can create serious problems upon clogging up air ducts. Hence, you might want to get your ducts cleaned right after a renovation.

In case any of these signs appear but you are unsure whether you need air duct cleaning services, feel free to consult a professional. There is no harm in getting your system checked by an expert if in doubt. Our team for Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX would carry out a detailed analysis and inform you if your air ducts require cleaning.

How Does Air Duct Cleaning Work?

Different companies that offer Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX may take different approaches for the job. Professional service providers like us take great care in ensuring that the cleaning process would not cause any damages. Even if we need to drill any holes into the ducts for the cleaning process, we would leave it as good as it was before the cleaning. Here is how professional air duct cleaning works:

Inspection: Any professional team for this job would first spend some time and effort inspecting the issue. This is because not all the ventilation systems are the same and the installation patterns vary from one home to another. The type and extent of the buildup of dirt in the air ducts are important factors to consider too. When the professionals are aware of these details, they can take the right approach to carry out the cleaning.
Vacuum: The professionals would then use a powerful vacuum cleaner to collect the dust and debris that they flush out of your air ducts. Its size may range from a handheld device to a large vacuum installed on a truck. This not only helps to drag out all the dirt effectively, but also ensures that it does not flow to other parts of the system.
Brushing: Once the vacuum is in place, the cleaners would insert manual or motorized brushes into the ducts. They generally use the vents and intakes to insert these brushes. However, if a part of the system is unreachable, they would cut a hole, clean the duct and fix the hole after. The brushes loosen up the dust and debris and clean the insides of the ducts thoroughly.
Final inspection: Now that the professionals offering Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX have cleaned your ducts, they would carry out a final inspection. This aids them in detecting any discrepancies that may have taken place during the cleaning process.

When you hire one of the leading duct cleaning companies, you may expect value for your investment. We, at Upfront Home Services, are certainly one of the best companies around. To hire our reliable Air Duct Cleaning Services In Katy TX, simply use this contact us form or give us a call at (832) 303-3546.

Should I Vacuum Before Having My Carpet Cleaned?

Written by UpFront Home Services on May 2, 2021. Posted in Carpet Cleaning.

Should I Vacuum Before Having My Carpet Cleaned?

Vacuuming before Carpet Cleaning is a crucial step in the process. I highly recommend Vacuuming prior to our teams arrival, if you opt out of having our team vacuum your carpet.

The reasoning behind vacuuming prior to having your carpet cleaned, is because it removes 80-90% of the dry soiling. The particles removed through vacuuming can consist of hair, dust, dry skin cells, etc. Vacuuming ahead of time simply makes your carpet cleaning the best cleaning that it can possibly be.

A vacuum that we utilize in our Rug Cleaning plant and on our Trucks is the Sanitaire Vacuum. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles as some of the other residential models out there, but it has very strong suction and simply removes more dry soiling than any other Vacuum I have used. You can find it on Amazon here.

Can You Get Pee Out Of A Mattress?

Written by UpFront Home Services on April 26, 2021. Posted in Mattress Cleaning.

There are many variations in mattress types from Tempur-Pedic to your standard pillow top. One thing these mattresses have in common is accidents happen and somehow urine ends up on them. I know, gross right? No one wants to lay down next to a urine smell. Good news, you don’t have to!

At UpFront Home Services we kick the piss out of urine! Regardless of your mattress type we can get the smell of urine out. Through the use of a disinfectant with odor neutralizing qualities as well as an oxidizing agent we can not only get the smell out but often times the stain too.

We start with an application of pre-treatment where we spray the entire mattress and focus in on specific spots. We then steam clean and extract the mattress and follow this with a mist of our unique oxidizing agent. The results are phenomenal! We’ve had success not only with urine, but also with vomit, blood, and fecal matter as well. We have seen a lot, and you can pretty much be guaranteed that we have heard most of the problems out there before too.

Does your Mattress need cleaning? Check out our Mattress Cleaning Service Here.

Do I Need Extra Carpet To Repair My Carpet?

Written by UpFront Home Services on April 19, 2021. Posted in Carpet Repair.

A common theme for us is getting requests for Carpet Repair. Most homeowners have extra carpet to complete the repair but some don’t. Certain types of carpet like Berber you will definitely need extra carpet to complete the repair, unless we pull from the closet and replace the closet carpet entirely.

A majority of carpets we can repair by using remnant pieces. We would cut out what we need from a closet to make the repair and in the closet we would use a remnant piece of carpet to replace what we took. We will try to get it to match as close as possible to what we pulled to make the repair. Unfortunately it won’t be perfect but it is much better than having a rip or tear in a main threshold that everyone can see.

Check out our Carpet Repair Service Here

What’s The Difference Between Sealers?

Written by UpFront Home Services on November 18, 2020. Posted in Tile and Grout Cleaning.

Lately we have been getting a lot of questions about the different types of sealers that we use and the sealers are out there.

What Are The Different Types Of Sealers?

Water Based Sealer
Solvent Based Sealer
Color Sealer

Water Based Sealer

The water based sealer is a really good sealer for basic traffic lane wear and tear. It can be effective in kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and walk areas. The greatest flaw that a water based sealer has is that it doesn’t repel oil based stains. This makes the areas in the Kitchen in front of the stove especially difficult to clean. Placing a cooking mat in front of the stove is helpful with this type of sealer and frankly any type of sealer to help prevent any type of penetration or damage to the grout.

Sealer Life Expectancy : 1-3 Years (Varying on Traffic, Use, and Maintenance)

Solvent Based Sealer

The Solvent Impregnator Based Sealer is the best sealer available. It has all of the benefits of applying a water based sealer and none of the drawbacks. It is effective in protecting Oil Based stains in the Kitchen from penetrating and creating permanent stains. This doesn’t mean your Grout is going to stay clean forever, it simply means that it will be even easier to clean in the future and you shouldn’t gather any permanent stains along the way. If you’re on a budget I recommend using the Solvent based sealer only in the Kitchen Area and utilizing a water based sealer in the rest. Solvent based sealers are especially expensive but are worth the cost especially if you are applying them on Natural stone.

Sealer Life Expectancy : 3-5 Years (Varying On Traffic, Use, and Maintenance)

Color Sealer

Color sealing of Grout is typically a last resort when the Grout simply won’t come clean. That said it is effective at keeping the grout from becoming permanently stained by oils and other types of penetrates. However, this doesn’t mean your grout is going to stay clean forever. Color seals require consistent maintenance and touch up work. Dirts and Soiling do still stick to color seal meaning they need to be rinsed away. I recommend annual cleaning of Color Sealed grout and annual touch ups. We actually offer a Life Time Guarantee on our color seal, but the way to maintain it is to have us out to clean annually and do touch ups as needed.

Sealer Life Expectancy : Lifetime Of The Floor

In a nutshell, Sealers aren’t miracle coatings that will prevent your floors from getting dirty again. The purpose of Sealers is to help prevent your floor from becoming stained. There are a lot of misconceptions out there about sealers and we will address this in future tips articles.

Hire Tile and Grout Cleaning and Sealing Professionals

Our team has the experience, skills, and equipment required to handle this job efficiently. Getting the best value for your buck is so important when it comes to having any type of cleaning done in your home.

As a Veteran-founded company, we at Upfront Home Services offer honest and affordable Tile and Grout cleaning services. For any more information, feel free to contact us at (832) 303-3546. You can also send us an email via this Contact Us form, and one of our team members will call you shortly.

What does it cost to have a dryer vent cleaned in Houston TX?

Written by UpFront Home Services on November 14, 2020. Posted in Air Duct Cleaning.

The average cost to clean a dryer vent in Houston TX ranges from $59-$199. Factors that are considered when pricing dryer vent cleaning is how many stories is your home, does your vent exhaust from the roof or the side of your house, if the company has a warranty, and if the company uses professional grade tools vs DIY kits.

At UpFront Home Services we charge $99 for 1 Story Home Dryer Vent Cleaning and $149 for 2 Story Home Dryer Vent Cleaning. We utilize both mechanical agitation using the latest professional grade tools from Air-Care and compressed air when necessary.

Take a look at our Dryer Vent Cleaning service Here.