U.S. Products, manufacturer of portable hot-water carpet extractors, introduces these top 10 tips to proper carpet care:
  
• Know your carpet. Is it a nylon carpet? A wool carpet? A synthetic? Knowing the type of carpet is the first step in properly taking care of it.

• Protect carpets, make sure mats are installed at all building entries and key interior walkways.

• Carpets should be vacuumed every night, especially in moderately to heavily trafficked areas.

• Know how to use spotters and have them readily available.

• When removing a spot, never brush or rub. Scrape debris off debris and then blot the area with a white towel or cloth; the spot should transfer into the cloth.

• Remove stains as soon as they are detected; the longer they remain in the carpet, the harder they are to remove.

• Develop a carpet maintenance strategy based on need (appearance) as well as a schedule.

• Only have IICRC-certified technicians clean carpet.

• Use hot-water carpet extractors; they are more effective at removing soils and many carpet manufacturers now require their use.
 
• If you don't know what you are doing...don't do it. Carpets are too costly an investment for "experimental cleaning."