For synthetic i clean @300-400 Natural fibers i lower the psi to around 200-250 and temp 125-150...But to each is own..I would determine the type of fiber and PM Lisa Wagner ..She has always helped me out with rug questions..
You'll need to provide information on the rug's construction to get a good answer on that. Is it a flat weave? Something with dense pile? Natural fibers or olefin? Sometimes the knots are pulled tightly giving a depressed warp. This makes a very durable rug but with great hiding places for soil that may not clean out at any pressure. These should be washed on a wash floor. If in doubt, lower pressures are safer. Higher pressure usually cleans better, but volume of water will be more important than the pressure at which it is delivered.
The general rule I follow is the softer the rug is the less pressure I use. On silk I use 100-200 psi max. On wool 200-600 psi depending on construction. On synthetics clean like you would clean wall to wall carpet. If it is wool or silk make sure you test for possible bleeding potential, and like Dirtmaster said keep the heat to a minimum. I would recomend picking up a neutral ph oriental rug shampoo for use on wool & silk. One other tip I have found to help with the finished appearance of the rug is to only move the wand one way on the rug. Pull the wand towards you while cleaning and lift the wand when going forward. After cleaning use a soft brush to groom the pile of the rug, you don't want to leave any wand marks or lines or any footprints in the rug as they may not come out after the rug has dried. I use a "smooth surface" push broom that I picked up at the home depot for $20, it has really soft bristles and works well on rugs. Use a fan to help dry the rugs quickly, if you have a blower use that, if not get at least a couple cheap box fans you can use.
Good advice here. Low heat and pressure reduce problems. Do a bleed test first. Simple,just take a towel with your chem at full strength and check for transfer in an inconspicuous place. If it don't bleed then clean and collect!
