After spending years in the cleaning industry and cleaning carpets of all kinds, the best advice I and the entire industry can give to anyone is vacuum regularly. You would not believe the impact regular vacuuming has on the life of your carpet. It can increase the life of your carpet more than any other type of maintenance and is completely in the hands of the home or business owner. Seriously, folks, vacuuming is key. 

For quick stain removal between professional cleanings, the Carpet and Rug institute, as well as DuPont, one of the worlds leading carpet manufacturers, recommend mixing 1/4 teaspoon Dawn dish soap with 1 cup warm to hot water. After dabbing up as much of the stain as possible, either mist the solution onto the stain with a spray bottle or dip a washcloth or rag into the solution and lightly dab the stain. Allow the solution to sit on the stain for 10-15 minutes and then dab away. Never scrub the carpet and do not pour the solution onto it, as this will saturate the stain and make removal even more difficult.