[header] How to clean a rug [title] Vacuum your rug regularly. [step] To maintain an area rug, at least once a month flip it upside down and vacuum the back of the rug. Vacuuming the back with the beater bar/rotating brush helps push dirt trapped deep down toward the top of the rug. 
Flip it right side up and vacuum the dirt. Use only suction on the front of wool rugs, for synthetic rugs you can use the beater bar/rotating brush on the front and back.