To keep your rug in good looking condition it is absolutely necessary to maintain it regularly. If cleaned superficially once a week, and deep cleaned once in a while your area rug will keep it original good look longer. It not difficult to do and does not take a whole lot of time to preserve your rug and protect the investment you made when you bought it.
Dust and rug fibers do not get along very well. The first thing to do to keep a rug in good shape is a weekly vacuum, or twice a week if it gets a lot of traffic. Use your vacuum in brush mode to pick up the most dust without damaging the fibers. In case you have just bought a beautiful contemporary round rug it will have a tendency to fluff, that means to lose fibers. Brushing your rug during this time is not a good idea as it can lead to an accelerated fluffing period, and that could damage the rug.
There are many products to clean rugs and most of them are expensive. You can remove a spot on your favorite round oriental rug at very little cost by dabbing the spot with a little seltzer water. Do not rub!
Often one problem that people have with their rug is the marks left by furniture legs. One way to redress those crushed fibers is to use a clothes iron with steam over the damaged fibers. This will help restore some of the original look of your area rug.
To cleanse a rug from germs that might have found a place there use bicarbonate soda, also known as baking soda. Sprinkle it on the rug, let it stand for about 15 minutes then vacuum.
To keep your area rug from wearing too fast, you can change its direction once in a while, this is easier to do if you own a round rug than a rectangular one and it can depend on the motif as it might look different, but it will preserve your rug from excessive wear.