Step 1
Vacuum your carpet each week to remove dust. Push the vacuum in one direction, and pull backward in the opposite direction to clean all sides of the carpet fibers.
Step 2
Twist a hose attachment onto the vacuum, and clean along walls and borders. Lift furniture and vacuum under it as needed.
Step 3
Treat stains as soon as possible to avoid them setting in. If you spill something or notice a stain on your carpet, treat immediately to avoid a permanent blemish. You can use baking soda and hot water to make a paste to scrub the stain and then vacuum when dry, or you can make a paste with club soda and salt.
Step 4
Steam clean your carpet at least once a year or more if it gets a lot of wear and tear and tends to get dirty. Fill a steam cleaner unit with hot water and 2 tbsp. laundry detergent.
Step 5
Turn on the steam cleaner, and begin pushing across the floor when steam emits from the bottom of the cleaner. Use the same motions as the vacuum cleaner, only move more slowly to allow a deep cleaning to occur.
Step 6
Let the floors air dry after steam cleaning, and discard the dirty water after using the steam cleaning unit.