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I once read that the Iranian method of cleaning a good rug was to drag it across a field of freshly-fallen snow. This is not an option in my neck of the woods -- try that, and you're likely to end up with a rug full of hamburger wrappers and dog pee. In the past, I've (very) occasionally rented and lugged home a Big Green Machine; but after some research, and encountering this Hoover, I did a quick calculation and realized that if I performed the equivalent of five rentals with this, it'd pay for itself. It has now done that, and I am impressed by the results. It is important to use it well to be really effective, so I'm going to share the method I've developed. The first thing to note is, it's very important to empty the lower, dirty water tank regularly. The machine's suction depends on this. So, here's what I do now: 1. Vacuum the rug thoroughly, twice if necessary. 2. With a full tank of hot water and cleaning solution (I do like the Hoover Claws and Paws best, chiefly because its aroma isn't obnoxious), with the dial on the front of the input tank turned to Wash and the trigger pulled, run the machine over the rug. I tend to do it in halves -- 'top' half then 'bottom,' relative to where I'm standing, in order to assure myself of sufficient coverage. 3. Remove both tanks (very easy once you've done it once or twice) and replenish the fresh water, and dump and rinse the dirty water tank (if your rugs are anything like mine, the water will be gratifyingly filthy -- filth that is now leaving your house). Replace them on the machine. 4. Turn the dial to Rinse and, with the trigger pulled, do exactly what you did in step 2. This forces water, but no cleaning solution, through the rug -- which will now be pretty damp. 5. Remove, dump, rinse and replace the dirty water tank. 6. This is a step I only realized I could do after a few rugs: With the clean water tank still set to Rinse (just in case you touch the trigger), run the machine over the whole rug *again*, but this time do not pull the trigger. The brushes will not turn, but the machine will be sucking excess water out of the rug, which abbreviates the drying period. 7. When you're done, remove, dump (the water will *still* be astonishingly dirty) and rinse the dirty water tank. 8. Contemplate whether you want to do the whole thing over again, given how grubby the output water still is. Abandon this thought, shelving the idea for later. 9. Put the machine away. 10. I recommend a beer or a glass of wine, but you're welcome to have tea instead, as you look at the renewed colours in your rug... 11. Once the rug is dry, I'd recommend running the vacuum cleaner over it one more time, to get the pile in order. The attached photo shows a Gabbeh in my bedroom, which I just cleaned. Two greyhounds walk and sleep on it, in addition to humans and cats, so it was long overdue. You can see the disorder of the pile; it settles down as it dries, but the vacuuming step does help.