Contents insurance

[MalignantTomber]

Not an AIBU, but posting here for traffic.

FIL was staying with us over Christmas, and one of his dogs, ate what I can only assume was shit of some sort and then puked it up all over our lovely cream carpet. I've tried everything to remove the stains, carpet spray, special vomit and fences remover, bicarb and vinegar, bleach and a prope carpet cleaner, but we just have 5 large brownish orange stains.

So I was wondering about claiming on our contents insurance, our contents insurance however doesn't cover accidental damage by paying guests (which FIL wasn't) or pets, would you read that as our pets only or guests pets too? I'm going to call them in the morning, but wondered what the general consensus was.

As an aside if anyone has any amazing ideas on how to return our carpet to something approaching its original colour, I'm willing to try anything that will save us the small fortune of replacing it.

FYI - the cream carpet came with the house, it's not what I would have chosen for a house with two young children

It will be excluded, sorry

A pet is a pet. Unless it specifies your pet in the insurance terms (which is somewhat doubtful), you will get nowhere. Sorry.

www.policyexpert.co.uk/insurance-blog/pets/home-insurance-pet-chew-furniture/

According to this you'd need a pretty specialist policy to have included accidental damage by pets - and even then, damage caused by vomiting would almost certainly be excluded

Best perhaps to contact a local carpet shop (preferably a longstanding, independent kind of place) and ask what they suggest?

Has your FIL offered anything? He should really.

Di you mean the policy doesn't cover damage by any pet, or the pet of a paying guest?

Have you tried a carpet cleaner? If not try that first as in my experience that's the first step insurers take for carpet damage

Thanks all, that's what I thought, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for that puzzled hadn't thought of contacting the local carpet place, will give them a shout.

FIL hasn't offered, but he's helped significantly in keeping us financially afloat during the last year (another very long story) so it wouldn't feel right to ask.

Back up plan is currently to edge a remanent left by the previous owner to make a rug to cover it, it's really hideous looking :(

I would definitely read it as any pets, I'm not sure "guest pets" are really a thing

I'm confused, do you have a dog too? Have you any pet insurance? Does it cover accidental damage?

I'll put my hands up - I wouldn't be beyond saying nothing about the ownership of the dog and saying it was my dog that did it. Yes, I know.

Not sure about your OP but is it a wool carpet??? If not spray bleach should take it out. Just test on a small covered patch first

Edging remnants costs much more than just getting a rug. The perimeter of the off cut is huge. I have tried it before.

We do have a pet, but the policy on him doesn't cover accidental damage only third party and vets bills etc.

We have tried a carpet cleaner, and all the specialist products they suggested that would remove it, but it's not touched it.

Last resort was bleach last night, but I'm amazed to say it didn't make a dent on it, I don't think it's wool, does that make a difference?

I read you can edge a carpet yourself with fabric and pva glue, which is what we were going to try, it's a 2 x 1.7m area we need to cover and in front of a door, so can't even put a couch over it.

Frustratingly we actually binned an old (but decent) rug just before Christmas as we hadn't used it in 4 years.

Must be one hell of a stain OP! Bleach would only shrink a wool carpet! Have you tried leaving it to soak? Bleach was advised to us front the carpet shop where we bought our white carpet from it's now in the bin as I got pissed off bleaching it all the time!

Oh, ok. I thought you meant getting the edges whipped. Hope it works!

Have you tried the vanish one? The foam one? It takes a couple of attempts but has always worked for me

The stain is frigging awful - it had what looked (and smelled) like lumps of shit in it, and was black and thick.

We left the bleach on for a couple of hours, may try again tomorrow as we're out most of the day so don't have to worry about dog or kids walking in it.

I've been through 3 cans of the vanish foam, it normally removes everything but this stuff is evil.

I'm tempted to post it on the vanish FB page as a challenge.

Could you get a small rug or runner to place over it? Maybe for free on free cycle. Can you post a pic of the stains?

I think Dr beckman stain slayer is the absolute business.
But worth calling a pro carpet cleaner company. Get a free quote first though, so they can see the stain, some of them are just 'freshen up' companies.

I looked at rugs or runners, it starts cks about 1.5 m into the room, and takes up most of the width of the non opening half half of our sliding door, so we'd really be looking at a rug about 2m X 1.7m to hide it, which aren't cheap! And given we've already spent 20% of what would granted be an extremely cheap replacement, we're loath to spend too much more money, which is why we're thinking of edging some remanent

Hadn't thought of a pro carpet cleaning company, will use the local FB group for some recommendations- great idea thanks.

Just to add to my carpet woes, DP was unblocking the radiator in the dining room half of the same carpet and has leaked a shoe sized black sludge mark.

FML - don't excpect replies, just venting.

Someone asked for as picture, tape measure included to show size

Jesus that's the worst carpet stain I've ever seen. Sorry OP

That's horrendous. I'd strip the whole thing and be done with.

Wow that is awful, sorry op I don't know what to say.

Did you say you've had professionals round to look at it?

Vlad if we could afford it I would, sadly its been a rough year, and we've only just kept a roof over our heads.

DP just says ignore it, but its really getting me down.