Carpet? Stained.
Hardwood? Nicked, dented, scratched.
You might say kids and flooring just don’t mix. No matter the material, it seems that few families get through the toddler years without some major damage to their home’s floor covering – and a new study proves it.
Selco Builders Warehouse, based in the UK, recently surveyed hundreds of parents to find out the worst type of flooring damage their kids have been responsible for. The results are what you might expect, if you’re the type of parent who’s battled sippy-cup spills, permanent-marker mishaps or heavy toys hurled across the room. It turns out more than two thirds of parents surveyed had their floors stained or damaged by their kids, Selco reports.
So if you think you’re alone in having damaged or stained floors, you’re definitely not – especially if it’s carpet. About 86 percent of reported damage was done to carpet, with the most common culprits including Cherryade and other drinks, food, paint, cosmetics and arts and crafts.
Another common offender? The ever-popular slime.
“One of the most surprising results from our survey is that slime was comfortably in the top 10 spills that are causing the most damage to flooring in family homes,” Selco explains on its website. “The recent internet craze has become an obsession with younger children and is now leaving parents’ flooring all over the country sticky and ruined.”
That’s because slime is “extremely tricky to remove, especially when dried into carpet,” the company adds. “Distilled white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and even WD-40 have all been suggested as slime removers online.”
So what are parents to do? Selco recommends luxury vinyl flooring as a more durable option.
But beyond that, you’ll want to have some stain-busting tricks up your sleeve. Real Simple offers up a variety of DIY solutions for carpet stains, while The Washington Post offers these tips for fixing dented hardwood flooring.
What’s the craziest stain or floor damage your family has experienced? Tell us in the comments!
