Vacuuming/Cleaning  

Regular vacuuming will help prevent destructive grit action caused by the build up of dirt and dust. Occasionally, you should also vacuum the back of the rug to draw out the very short, light absorbing bits of yarn that can otherwise dull the luster of the carpet.  This should be followed by a quick vacuuming of the face of the rug.
Every few years ( 3-8 years depending on use) the rug should be professionally hand washed.  Do not trust your rug to those fellows who go house to house cleaning wall to wall carpet.  Wall to wall carpet is surface cleaned without a thorough rinse. Rugs can be physically removed from the home, and rinsed properly.  The rinse is the secret.  Just like hand washing a sweater, a fine rug will benefit from the extra effort of hand washing and hand rinsing.  Be sure to have a rug specialist clean your fine rugs

Spots and Stains 

If attended to immediately, most spots and stains can be removed.
1.  Animal Stains - Blot out as much of the urine in the area as possible.  Place paper towels under the rug and pour club soda directly on the area. Confine club soda to stained area.  Blot the club soda and repeat the "applying and blotting method" until the paper toweling shows no sign of yellow residue. Scrub-brush the top in the natural direction of the pile.  Finally, elevate the rug and allow the wet area to dry.
2.  Liquid Stains - Use the club soda method for such stains as red wine, coffee, and sodas.
3.  Food and Grease Stains - Use a mild soap and water solution (one part liquid soap to four parts water).  Scrub the area in a circular motion with a soft brush. Blot with paper toweling. Scrub- brush the top in the natural direction of the pile.  Finally, elevate the rug and allow the wet area to dry.

Padding

Rug padding is an essential part of rug maintenance.  A quality pad used under your rug helps protect it from dirt, wear and slippage.   On a hard surface such as hardwood or tile, the bottom of the pad should be pure rubber.  This will assure that your rug will stay in place and that there will be no adverse reaction between the pad and your floor.  Rug padding can be found at your local Wal-Mart/K-Mart