Local and federal governments are currently in the process of defining essential services guidelines, and it’s best to read them to see whether professional carpet cleaning or steam cleaning is considered essential. A good place to start is with your city or state’s government website.

The CISA's Identifying Critical Infrastructure During COVID-19 webpage identifies 16 critical infrastructure sectors on a federal level. Some, but not all, jurisdictions follow CISA’s definitions of critical infrastructure.

Set up a virtual appointment to discuss the scope of work. Conducting the consultation over video conference or phone call will ensure that you remain within the CDC's social distancing guidelines. 

Start by messaging a professional steam cleaner or carpet cleaner near you, and ask them if they would be willing to talk by phone or video call. Be sure to ask them how they handle payments and what precautions they have in place to keep you and your household safe. 

If you decide to hire a carpet cleaner or steam cleaner, follow all guidelines surrounding social distancing, sanitize any involved surfaces, ventilate indoor areas where workers have been and use digital payment services instead of cash or a check. Before the pro arrives at your home, create a plan with them to make sure everyone in the household stays safe.

It’s common for professional carpet cleaners to accept digital payments such as Square Cash, Venmo, Google Pay, Zelle, PayPal and others. The current COVID-19 pandemic is quickly encouraging other companies to digitally transform as well. Make sure the carpet cleaner you hire will accept a digital payment instead of cash or check, and come up with a strategy for complying with social distancing regulations.

Compare carpet cleaners near you to see which types of payments they accept.

Purchasing a steam cleaner yourself may help to remove stubborn stains, but it simply won’t match the deep clean and efficiency that comes from hiring a professional carpet cleaner. Pros have powerful tools that can quickly remove even the most stubborn stains. 

If you’re selling your home, clean carpets can make your home more appealing to prospective buyers. And the expense is offset when you consider that you only need to get your carpets cleaned about once a year. Plus, professional carpet cleaning can extend the life of your carpets, saving you money in the long run.

Both steam cleaning and shampooing are tried-and-true methods for getting dirt and stains out of your carpets. The methods are different, however.

Steam cleaning will remove dirt from your carpets via hot water extraction, while shampooing requires scrubbing. If you’re in a time crunch, or if you just have one or two small spots that need to be removed, shampooing may be a better option, as it allows you to spot-clean small areas. Both steam cleaning and shampooing make your carpets wet, so you will need to allow for time for the carpets to dry. 

Contact carpet cleaning pros near you, and discuss the best options for your carpets.

Because the majority of carpet cleaning and steam cleaning jobs take place in someone’s home, it’s likely that a professional carpet cleaner would need to enter your home.

When you contact carpet cleaners near you, ask if they will do a video call in place of a standard consultation. Send photos and other materials digitally. Practice safe social distancing at all times, and follow both local and CDC guidelines.

While cleaning services such as professional carpet cleaning or steam cleaning are not typically done remotely, many businesses and professionals are making changes to accommodate the CDC's social distancing guidelines. If you come across a carpet cleaner’s profile and it states they’re offering remote services, contact the cleaner to see what those services include. 

Dirty carpets can be unhealthy for the people living in the home, particularly those who have allergies, so it’s important to have them cleaned regularly; simply vacuuming once or twice a week isn’t enough. Carpet cleaning should be done by a professional carpet cleaning service at least once a year to remove grime and help extend the life of your carpet. Most carpet manufacturers recommend professional steam cleaning, which penetrates deep into the carpet fibers and lifts out both dirt and the pollutants that get tracked inside. Steam cleaning also removes most of the moisture, so carpets dry quickly enough for homeowners to resume using them the same day. Between professional carpet cleanings, your carpet may need an emergency spot cleaning. Pet accidents, food or drink spills, and more can often be effectively cleaned with some water and a drop of white vinegar, although many cleaners will also make house calls for smaller spills and hard-to-clean spots like wine or grease stains.

Whether your pet had an accident, the party got too wild, or your kids can’t control their juice boxes — we all need rug cleaning from time to time. In fact, even if you don’t have a spill or spot, it’s wise to have your area rug cleaned approximately once a year to keep the rug fibers in good health. In general, rug cleaning prices depend on the square footage of the rug, what the rug is made of, whether any repairs are needed, and whether you require the pro to travel to your location or provide pickup and drop-off services. Nationally, average area rug cleaning prices range from $80 to $120.

Wool and silk area rugs typically cost more to clean than rugs made from synthetic fibers because the more delicate materials take more care and may require specialized cleaning fluids. For example, a synthetic rug may cost $1.50 per square foot to clean; a wool, cotton, or chiffon rug could be $2 per square foot; and a silk or Navajo wool rug could cost $3 per square foot. The two most common rug cleaning methods are steam and chemical cleaning. The costs for the two methods are often the same, although a steam-cleaned rug will take longer to dry due to the moisture. If your area rug needs odor removal, moth deterrent, or hand washing, there will be additional charges.