Food, drink, dirt and other stains: Shampooing may be necessary once or twice a year to maintain that new look but, what can you do to keep it free of stains once it's been shampooed? Inadvertently, dirt is going to be tracked in, someone's going to spill food or drink on the carpet, and so on. When that happens, your chances for keeping the carpet from staining are better if you get what ever has been dropped, out quickly, before it has a chance to set. If you spill something liquid, blot it up immediately (don't rub, but blot) and get as much of the liquid out as you can. Hard rubbing will weaken the carpet fibers. To get those stains out try club soda; use a clean, dry cloth, and blot the club soda up along with the stain. For an oily stain, try using cornstarch and/or baking soda. For coffee or chocolate stains, try undiluted white vinegar.