You walk all over it, spill drinks on it and rub crumbs into it to make them disappear. Your carpet is bound to get dirty, but you can keep it looking fairly new if you make a regular effort to clean it up.

A wiseGEEK post suggests several ways to keep your carpet clean. Here are five that stand out:

* Take off your shoes when you enter the house. The tough part is getting guests to do the same.

* Don’t use heat when cleaning stains. You don’t want to bake a stain into the carpet.

* Sprinkle baking soda before you vacuum. The substance absorbs odors, keeping your carpet from stinking as much.

* Clean stains immediately. The quicker you act, the less time a stain has to become permanent.

* Steam clean it twice a year. Pushing all the furniture around to get every inch clean is a hassle, and the process is time-consuming, but it’s the best way to make your carpet look fresh again.

How do I Keep a Carpet Clean? [wiseGEEK]

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