Hi all!
Just discovered this forum, and thought I'd get onboard, both to share my own knowledge and experiences, and to glean info for any home projects of my own.
I'm a self-employed carpet cleaning technician, with about 24 years experience. I've always tried to stay at the cutting edge of technical knowledge and so have been to numerous training courses over the years. Not only in carpets, but many associated fields, and several in recent years in tile/stone & grout cleaning & sealing.
For some strange reason that I can't explain, I've always had a certain appreciation for textiles. I have a personal passion for beautiful oppulent carpets and fabrics. The comfort, richness and vibrant colours they offer are so much more appealing than much of the modern decor choices that prevail.
I feel strongly that high quality woven carpets are the forgotten element in today's decor themes. In days gone by, fine carpets and textiles were the mark of oppulence and prestige, the adornment of royalty and the well-heeled. Yet today, such carpets are not even marketed to the home-owner. I see folk building costly houses with large sums spent on exotic timber, stone, porcelain and other floorcoverings, yet what carpets are fitted are of mediocre quality in almost every case.
So I am here with a bit of an agenda. I go into people's homes on a daily basis, dealing with their cleaning and maintainence problems, and there is a great deal of ignorance and misinformation about various floorcoverings. I'd like to offer some real-world info about the practical suitability of different surfaces, and help people make informed choices.
I'll gladly share notes with any interior decorators or anyone with an interest in these matters.
Cheers!
Ash.