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Don’t Waste Your Time (or Money) on Ineffective Enzyme Treatments for Pet Urine

Written by upfronthome on . Posted in Area Rug Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning, Mattress Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning. Leave a Comment

Don’t Waste Your Time (or Money) on Ineffective Enzyme Treatments for Pet Urine

Some carpet cleaning services still use the old way to clean pet urine from carpet. The old way of treating pet urine in carpet involved utilizing pet enzymes that are designed to break down the bacteria in urine. The problem with using an enzyme to treat the urine is more often than not the enzyme isn’t being utilized correctly.

Your Average Carpet Cleaner Is Using Enzymes Wrong

What do I mean by that? Simply, enzymes take a lot of time to actually work. To properly utilize an enzyme to treat urine, the carpet cleaner would need to treat the urine the day before your appointment and leave it to dwell. Then the carpet cleaner would need to come back the next day to extract it. But guess what? A vast majority of carpet cleaners don’t do this, they just spray and pray.

Our Pet Urine Treatments Actually Work

While other carpet cleaners use enzymes and basic deodorizers, we harness the power of science. We eliminate the Ammonia smell in urine by converting the Ammonia into Ammonium and by treating the bacteria in the urine through a special blend of h202. No other pet treatment on the market will eliminate the inorganic ammonia smell, the organic bacteria, and the yellow urine staining in a matter of seconds. Not days, but seconds!

Call The Pet Odor, Urine, and Stain Removal Experts At UpFront Home Services Today! (832)303-3546

Are You Allergic To Your Home?

Written by upfronthome on . Posted in Air Duct Cleaning, Area Rug Cleaning, Carpet Cleaning, Dryer Vent Cleaning, Mattress Cleaning, Tile and Grout Cleaning, Upholstery Cleaning. Leave a Comment

Are You Allergic To Your Home? 

6 Things That You Need To Be Cleaning

Do you find yourself coughing, sneezing, or with watery eyes indoors? Is it like the only time you get relief is when you go outside?

Everyday living and pets can cause poor indoor air quality problems like dust, mold, and dander which agitate your allergies. If you find yourself sneezing all the time, here are some things that need to be on your cleaning checklist to improve the air quality in your home.

1) Air Duct Cleaning

For a healthier home we always recommend having your Air Ducts cleaned on an annual basis. This helps keep the dead skin cells, dust mites, and other contaminants from continuing to circulate throughout your home. We have also found that keeping your Air Ducts cleaned keeps your carpets cleaner longer and avoids those nasty air filtration soiling marks that could ruin your carpet. Not only will cleaning your air ducts reduce the allergens in the air, it will also extend the life of your A/C System, as a reported 90% of system failure is due to dust. 

2) Carpet Cleaning

Having your carpet professionally steam cleaned at a minimum of 2 times per year dramatically reduces the allergens in your home. The steam is a dust mite killer and the power of a truck mounted steam cleaner will remove the soiling that your vacuum misses. The carpet in your home is the largest filter you have protecting you from allergens entering the air, I recommend cleaning your carpet every 3 months to ensure the filter is always clean. In between cleanings we recommend you vacuum 1-2 times per week with an asthma and allergy certified vacuum. Other vacuums tend to exhaust dust back into the air vs remove it, having a quality vacuum in your home is crucial. 

3) Tile and Grout Cleaning

Harmful bacteria can live and thrive on tile and grout. Having your tile and grout cleaned not only sanitizes the surface but also eliminates the residues from your floors that lead to poor indoor air quality. A huge benefit to professional tile and grout cleaning is how 1 clean can make your home not only look cleaner and brighter but actually be cleaner and brighter.

 

4) Upholstery Cleaning

Dust, Dander, and other contaminates like old food spills or vomit tend to land right where we sit and watch tv. Cleaning your upholstery on a regular basis helps to limit the amount of dust and other contaminates in the air but also in one of the places we regularly lounge in. Vacuuming your draperies will also help reduce the amount of dust that floats through the room.

 

5) Area Rug Cleaning

Rugs are amazing at hiding dirt. If you have ever seen a rug beaten or dusted you would see all the dust just floating in the air. Having your rugs professionally cleaned helps remove the dust and dry soiling that vacuuming alone just doesn’t get. Area rugs are very much like your carpet in that they are filters for your homes indoor air quality. They can get clogged up with dry soiling and dust mites however and should be cleaned once a year.

 

6) Mattress Cleaning

Did you know mattresses weigh more after years of use than when you buy them brand new? The reason why is because dead skin cells and dust mites collect on the surfaces of mattresses overtime causing the weight of the mattress to increase. In fact a mattress will double its weight on average in a period of 10 years. To maintain the health of your mattress we recommend annually steam cleaning and using allergy approved mattress protectors on your mattress. 

Defeat Allergens Once And For All

By cleaning the above 6 things you are going to be dramatically improving your indoor air quality and providing your family a healthy home to enjoy. We want to be your partner in cleaning by creating a unique plan that will provide your home with consistent maintenance.

Want to schedule a Healthy Home Assessment to see exactly what unique needs your home has? Send us a text to (832)913-6579 and request a Free Healthy Home Assessment today!

Already ready for service? Call us at (832)303-3546 to schedule.

Why Does Urine Glow Under A UV Light?

Written by upfronthome on . Posted in Carpet Cleaning. Leave a Comment

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.

Should I Vacuum Before Having My Carpet Cleaned?

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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.

Coronavirus : Disinfecting Your Homes Surfaces

Written by upfronthome on . Posted in Carpet Cleaning, Tile and Grout Cleaning. Leave a Comment

The Coronavirus has struck and it has turned all of our worlds upside down. We are at War with an invisible enemy. It’s more important now than ever to clean your homes surfaces. Using a product like MediClean is especially beneficial as it has been EPA Registered to inactivate COVID-19. MediClean is a concentrated product that only requires 1/2 an ounce to make a quart or gallon of ready to use product.

Tips For Applying Disinfectant

The key to properly disinfecting the high touch areas in your home is dwell time of the Disinfectant. Meaning, you need to make sure you put enough disinfectant on the area. Dwell time depends on what you are trying to disinfect for and what the label on your product of choice says. After allowing appropriately dwell time, take a micro-fiber towel and wipe the area clean.

What Are High Touch Areas

High touch areas are areas such as tables, hard-backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remotes, handles, desks, toilets, sinks, etc.

Disinfecting Your Carpet

Hiring a Carpet Cleaning Professional that utilizes Truck Mount Steam Cleaning will provide the deepest level of cleaning and disinfecting available. A quality Truck Mount will create 220 degrees of hot water to deeply clean the carpet. At this time we are offering all of our client a free application of disinfectant to their carpets when cleaning. According to the CDC COVID-19 can get onto your shoes and be tracked into your home. Your Carpet is the first line of defense for filtering bacteria in your home. We highly recommend a thorough steam cleaning to get your Carpet as clean as can be. UpFront Home Services utilizes MediClean to not only treat your carpet but also our hoses, tools, and equipment.

Disinfecting Your Tile and Grout

A thorough Truck Mount Steam Cleaning is the recommended way to pull as much bacteria from your floors as possible. At UpFront Home Services we use MediClean as well as 1200 psi and 220 degrees of Truck Mount Steam Cleaning to clean your Tile and Grout surfaces. Mopping your floor with Bleach and Water is beneficial at this time.

The CDC recommends using the following mixing guide to Prepare a bleach solution:

  • 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water or
  • 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water

Why UpFront Home Services?

We are a local Aggie owned and Veteran founded cleaning service in the Houston area. We aren’t a big franchise or corporation. We live in the community and care about the individuals in the community. Call or Text (832)303-3546 to schedule your cleaning today.

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Carpet Cleaning – The Method Behind Carpet Cleaning

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The Method Behind Carpet Cleaning

Carpet Cleaning is a seemingly simple service. The reality however is Carpet Cleaning requires much more than just spraying water and sucking it up. If the wrong chemicals, improper pH, excessive water, or improper water temperature occur your carpet can easily be ruined.

The purpose of this article is to help describe the science behind cleaning and help the homeowner understand the importance of hiring a professional carpet cleaning service. We will discuss all the steps necessary to provide a quality carpet cleaning and what you should look for when hiring a carpet cleaning company.

Fiber Identification Could Save You Thousands Of Dollars

As a professional carpet cleaner knowing the kinds of fabrics you are cleaning is extremely important. The fabric type helps a true professional determine the types of products they can or should use to clean it. There are many different types of fibers that are installed in wall to wall carpets such as Polyester, Nylon, Olefin, and Wool. There are key differences between these fiber types but the most important to know is when dealing with Wool a Wool Safe Cleaning agent must be used. Wool carpet can easily brown if not treated with the proper low pH vs that of a high alkaline used to clean Polyester, Nylon, and Olefin. A simple mistake by a novice carpet cleaner or a DIY job can turn into a couple thousand dollar replacement job.

Why Vacuuming Is Crucial

I highly recommend vacuuming of your carpet prior to a professional carpet cleaning. Some carpet cleaning services have opted to pass the savings of vacuuming on by having the clients vacuum the home prior to their arrival. Other cleaning companies have continued to vacuum prior to service. Regardless of your budget be sure to have the carpet vacuumed prior to service as this will help remove the dry soiling that is embedded into the carpet.

The dry soiling removal that vacuuming does plays a crucial role when dealing with pet odors. I have had countless homeowners call and tell me they are moving into their new home soon but the house still has a dog odor from the previous owners. If a carpet cleaning company came in and simply steam cleaned the carpet without vacuuming it is likely the odor would get worse. By vacuuming prior to steam cleaning and after the carpet dries, the chances of the dog odor persisting decreases.

Vacuuming is not only important for odor but also for removing the particles that could cause wicking. Wicking is a term used to describe resurfacing stains. By vacuuming you simply increase the quality of your carpet cleaning but you also extend the lasting effects of the service.

Pre-Treatment And Your Carpets Warranty

There are some homes where your carpets warranty is simply not a question. Why? Because the carpet is in so poor of shape that the scenario of having an applicable warranty is out the window. That said, as a professional carpet cleaner I have gone into many many homes where the carpet warranty was in tact. This for me meant that I needed to use a proper pH that wasn’t too high in Alkalinity and wouldn’t cause damage to the fiber as well as cancel your carpets warranty.

At UpFront Carpet Care we use a quality Pre-Treatment that has a safe level of Alkalinity that can clean even the dirtiest of Carpet without sacrificing the warranty. Our Pre-Treatment is 99% green and leaves no residue behind that could create rapid resoiling issues. What is rapid resoiling? It’s when your carpets pH isn’t properly balanced and a sticky residue is on the surface that attracts the dirt. Sure you had the carpet cleaned a month ago but it looks like it did before you had it cleaned. Choosing a quality cleaner that uses quality Carpet Cleaning products is extremely important. At UpFront Carpet Care we are ambassadors for Pros Choice products because we believe in having professional carpet cleaning products on our trucks and in your home.

Be on the look out for companies that don’t even offer pre-treatment of your carpet. Always ask if the carpet cleaning company will treat the spots and traffic lanes prior to cleaning the carpet. There are some unscrupulous carpet cleaners that will bait you in with a low price and then switch the price upon arrival.

Steam Cleaning and Why Its The Best Choice When Having Your Carpet Cleaned

Yes, there are many many other Carpet Cleaning methods out there. These methods and some gimmicks include Dry Foam, Carbonated Cleaning, Empowered Water, and Encapsulation, but the tried and true method recommend by the largest carpet manufacturers in the world is Steam Cleaning.

Steam cleaning your carpet is a lot like washing your clothes. First you pre-treat, then you rinse, and finally you dry. You wouldn’t lather up a foam in your hair and just leave it. You wouldn’t wash your clothes with soda water. I’ve even seen guys go on TV and drink empowered water, another term for alkaline water as a gimmick to show their cleaning products are safe. At the end of the day the tried and true steam cleaning method is a simple one. Sadly, some cleaners make it more complicated than it is by using poor quality cleaning products and not using a high quality rinse to eliminate any potential residue.

By steam cleaning your carpet you are disinfecting the carpet, sucking up allergens, and softening the fibers. Carpet should be professional steam cleaned at a minimum of once a year but I recommend every 3-6 months to keep them fresh. Think about this, carpet is your largest air filter in your home. You wouldn’t not change your filter in your AC unit right? So why wouldn’t you keep your carpet clean?

Is Air Movement Necessary?

During a professional carpet cleaning process the use of Air Movers is ideal. The reason is to help expedite the drying time. Ceiling fans are a perfect option to help speed up the drying time. I always liked to have a couple fans in the house while I worked so that by the time I left the carpet was nearly dry. Not all situations warrant air movers but they certainly are helpful when cleaning. Simply put, run ceiling fans if you have them and you will dry the carpet faster.

What Is Carpet Protector?

At UpFront Carpet Care we utilize a special blend of Fluoropolymers created by CTI specifically for our company to protect your carpets fibers. It’s important to apply carpet protection after every cleaning to ensure that your carpet stays cleaner longer. What carpet protection does is coat the fibers and it’s dye sites to help prevent staining.

New carpet fresh from the factory already has a form of carpet protector on it. I recommend applying stain protection even to new carpet however to ensure that you have the best carpet protection possible present.

The chemistry of our Carpet Protector alters the molecular charge on the carpet fibers to prevent stains and soil from sticking to the fibers. This results in the highest level of protection from spills and tracked in soils.

I have seen shady carpet cleaners apply just water instead of applying carpet protection. If you do opt to purchase this treatment I recommend having the carpet cleaning technician show you the product they use and watch them mix the product to guarantee you are getting what you paid for. It is simply too easy for a cleaner to lie and say they applied something they clearly did not.

Why Choose UpFront Carpet Care For Carpet Cleaning Katy TX?

When hiring a Carpet Cleaning Katy TX service it’s easy to base your decision solely on price. At UpFront Carpet Care we not only offer an affordable price but an excellent value for the price you pay. If you are ever not happy with our service we will come back out at no charge. If you’re still not happy we will refund your purchase.

For Home Resale, Is It Better To Replace The Carpet or Have It Cleaned?

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For home resale, is it better to replace the carpet or have it cleaned?

If the carpet is in poor condition or starting to show wear, then yes carpet replacement is recommended. If the carpet is in fairly good condition then it makes sense to just clean the carpet.

The Dreaded Carpet Allowance

There are many situations where our company has saved sellers money simply by cleaning the carpet. We’ve found that a lot of buyers are asking for carpet allowances to replace the carpet themselves. Most potential buyers will want way more on a carpet allowance than what it would cost to replace the floor yourself. That means that you are essentially loaning yourself the money to put in brand new carpet and avoid paying out an inflated carpet allowance to a buyer.

Houston and Katy TX Carpet Cleaning and Carpet Installation

We provide both Carpet Cleaning and Carpet Installation in Houston and Katy TX. This means that we are able to provide our expert opinion to help you make the absolute best decision when considering replacing the carpet in your home. There are many situations where cleaning the carpet alone makes sense.

We have improved many situations where pets have absolutely devastated a carpet with carpet cleaning. There are also situations where pets have soiled the carpet to the extreme where it has soaked through the padding into the subfloor. In extreme situations it is best to perform carpet replacement and cleaning and sealing of the subfloor. As Carpet Cleaning and Carpet Installation Professionals we can help you determine what makes the most sense for your home.

Why Use UpFront Home Services?

At UpFront Home Services we provide Carpet Cleaning, Carpet Installation and an amazing service experience! Check out our carpet cleaning process here

Need Carpet Cleaning or Carpet Installation? 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

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Does Carpet Cleaning Kill Fleas?

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It’s Flea Season. From May to Early Fall if you’re a Dog owner you know all to well the hatred of the common Flea. I was recently asked by a prospective client “Does Carpet Cleaning Kill Fleas?”. As a Carpet Cleaning service I can not say that we Kill Fleas when we steam clean. In fact, I recommend having a pest control company come out and treat for the fleas prior to carpet cleaning.

Fleas are simply a difficult pest to kill. You want to kill the fleas that are alive first through having the house treated. Then you want to vacuum the house thoroughly, discarding the vacuum bag after each vacuuming. Then you will have your house treated one more time for the flea eggs that have hatched after the first treatment and vacuuming. Once this is completed then I recommend carpet cleaning and steam cleaning of all soft surfaces in the house.

When we provide Carpet Cleaning services with Fleas in mind, we will use a specialty disinfectant. Once treated we will use 220 degree Truck Mount Steam Cleaning to thoroughly clean your carpet and upholstery. This is a necessary step in completing the circle of Flea mitigation.

For Questions or If you’d like a FREE Quote Please Call (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

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What Makes Us Houston and Katy’s Best Carpet Cleaning Service?

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What Makes Us Houston and Katy’s Best Carpet Cleaning Service?

 

I know, you’ve called a million carpet cleaners to ask about the one thing that everyone asks. “How Much is it to clean my carpet?” Getting hung up solely on price is an easy thing to do. It’s why we buy goods made in China vs the U.S.A. Price is why some skip on organic foods and buy non organic foods. We all know that price isn’t the only factor but it’s what we use when we don’t have all of the relevant data.

Here’s What Makes Us Houston and Katy’s Best Carpet Cleaning Service

Green Carpet Cleaning Katy TX

Our Carpet Cleaning Company provides Green Carpet Cleaning Pre-Treatments vs Butyl based carcinogens. Most Carpet Cleaners simply don’t care about the products they use in your home. I mean they are only there for a couple hours, but you have to live with whatever it is that they decide to use in your home.

Our belief is that by using the best quality cleaning chemicals it’s not only healthy for the consumer but our technicians as well. There  are quite a few carpet cleaners out there that are suffering from lung cancer into their golden years. Why? Because they are constantly breathing the low quality products that they are applying in homes. Some carpet cleaners simply don’t charge enough to purchase the safer cleaning products. They charge less than other cleaners but they are also using the worst products in your home.

High Quality Carpet Cleaning Equipment

I know, the last thing on your mind is what kind of carpet cleaning equipment will be used in your home. Believe me when I say it truly matters. Yes, you can clean very well with a lesser machine, but the lower quality of the machine means that you will need a higher quality technician to balance it out.

At UpFront Home Services we have invested in the highest quality of equipment available. The Average cost of one of our Carpet Cleaning units is $70k. That’s a significant investment in the quality of clean you will get in your home. Most cleaners simply don’t charge an appropriate amount to purchase the right equipment to clean your carpet.

Exceptionally Trained and Knowledgeable Carpet Cleaning Technicians

It Matters Who Cleans Your Carpet! Not just anybody can clean carpet, although it seems that way sometimes. It takes a person that is detail oriented, well trained, and willing to do a good job. If a carpet cleaning service is charging an unbelievably low price, you can rest assured that they are paying their workers an unbelievably low wage too.

If you are being grossly underpaid at your job, would you want to do the best job possible? In most case most people will say of course not. The same applies to a carpet cleaning technician that is being so underpaid he just wants to get in and out.

At UpFront Home Services we pay an actual living wage to our experienced technicians. We aren’t the cheapest company around, but we have next to zero turnover. What’s the mean for you? It means you will always have a knowledgeable carpet cleaning technician in your home.

A Strong Guarantee

We back each and every one of our Carpet cleanings with a re-clean Guarantee and a money back Guarantee. That means if you have an issue we will come out and fix it. If we can’t make you happy, we will refund your money. Its really that simple.

With other cleaners they may have some type of guarantee, but will they really follow through with it? I see it all the time where other companies just stop answering their clients altogether if there’s a problem. 

We Are The Highest Rated and Most Review Carpet Cleaning Company in Houston and Katy

Quite simply we are really good at what we do. Most of our customers cite our reviews or a referral source for why they are using us. The other guys just simply can’t compete with us.

Fun Facts About Houston and Katy

  • People in Houston eat out more times a week than in any other city in America.
  • Houston has one of the best culinary scenes in the country.
  • The city of Houston Has The largest medical center in the world.
  • Houston is the fourth most populous city in the U.S.
  • Katy is names after the “K-T Railroad” That rose through Katy in the 1800’s
  • The city of Katy is one of the best places to retire
  • Katy is spread across three counties

Why Is Spring The Best Time For Carpet Cleaning?

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Why Is Spring The Best Time For Carpet Cleaning?

 

Truthfully there is never a bad time to clean your Carpet. In the Winter Carpet tends to dry faster because of the heater and fans in your home running. But what is often missed is that if you have a little fur baby like I do, they tend to not want to go outside in the winter. This means that your homes carpet becomes your dogs personal bathroom. Come Spring the humidity change leads to a smelly carpet. That urine smell will make you want to clean the carpet and we will be ready and waiting as we include a FREE Pet Enzyme Treatment with our Carpet Cleaning Service.

Having your Carpet Cleaning in the Spring also clears away all those winter allergens that kept getting you sickly. I always recommend cleaning your carpet at the change of every season but cleaning your carpet in the Spring makes the most sense out of all the seasons. 

Carpet Cleaning in the Spring is also fun! It will leave you with an added sense of accomplishment as you Mark one more spring cleaning item off of your list. But guess what? You didn’t have to do anything but give us a call to do it either!

Why Use UpFront Home Services For Your Carpet Cleaning?

At UpFront Home Services we include more in our pricing than any other carpet cleaning service in Houston. In Fact, we are the most pet friendly service provider in Houston. Why? Because we include our Pet Enzyme Treatment At no extra charge! Ask any other carpet cleaning company and they will tell you that this Enzyme is extra. We also include pre-Treatment for your spots and stains. Some carpet cleaners don’t include this pre-Treatment and offer you a low price only to get to your home and sell you this service.

Don’t be fooled by a low price! Trust the Most Inclusive Carpet Cleaning Company in Houston. We Are Aggie Owned, Veteran Founded, And Award Winning. We treat our customers like family.

Call or Text (832)303-3546

www.UpFrontHomeServices.com

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