• Sweeping a rug with a broom will remove dirt and enhance the rug's sheen.broom image by L. Shat from Fotolia.com
  
  Area rugs serve a variety of purposes, ranging from protection of wood and laminate flooring in heavy traffic areas of the home, to the defining of different zones within an open plan living space. Their versatility has made them an important weapon in the interior designer's arsenal, but several pieces of cleaning equipment are essential to ensure they continue to look their best.
  
  

Broom

• According to the Kohls Corporation guide to looking after rugs, regular sweeping with a broom not only removes dirt, but also brings out your rug's natural sheen. Brooms also help to loosen embedded dirt and debris in preparation for vacuum cleaning.
  
  

Vacuum Cleaner

• Regular vacuuming is essential to removing dirt and debris from your rugs.vacuum cleaner image by vb_photo from Fotolia.com
  
  Regular vacuuming is vital as it removes embedded dirt and debris from your rug. To ensure effective cleaning pass the vacuum over each section of the rug several times. To keep the rug looking its best vacuum it from different directions. If your vacuum has a beater bar, turn it off or set it to the highest possible distance from the floor. Take great care when vacuuming rugs with delicate fringing. The fringing can damage if sucked into the cleaner.
  
  

White Cloths

• According to the Kohls Corporation, clean white cloths are the ideal way to deal with spillages on rugs. Don't rub spillages. Instead blot up the spill with a cloth. It is important to start at the outer edge of the spillage and work towards the center to stop the stain from spreading. Use water to dilute smaller spills and make them easier to clean up.
  
  

Mild Detergent

• Remove stains such as food and drink from your rug by using a solution of water and a mild detergent, but any mark that is oil based requires a stronger solvent. Ink is a common spillage and Kohls recommends applying hairspray to the stain. Once this has dried, brush the area with a solution of vinegar and water.
  
  

Soft Brush

• A soft brush helps to remove furniture indents from your rug. Spray the area lightly with water, and brush gently in several different directions. A good way to avoid this problem is to apply protective pads to the bottom of furniture legs.