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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Need help urgently, picture included

132 replies

imgtfks · 01/06/2022 22:35

Not aibu but need urgent help.

Putting this part as context as to why I'm so upset.. My partner of 23 years threw me out and made me homeless after he met someone else. I was homeless for a year then got my own flat which is taking me a long time to do up.

I saved for four years to take my bathroom out and have a wetroom fitted as I'm disabled. Was finished a few weeks ago and I finally felt happy for the first time in years.

I had a friend stay over when i went away for the weekend and came home three days later to a pile of wet clothes on my bathroom floor which she must have forgotten about. I'm not sure what has happened or how but I'm assuming dye from the clothes has ran and because it was left there it has stained my floor.

Been in tears today because nothing it taking it off and I can't afford to replace the floor. Does anyone have any ideas at all on how to fix this?

Need help urgently, picture included
OP posts:
Yarnasaurus · 01/06/2022 22:55

Psychonabike · 01/06/2022 22:51

I would make up a paste of barkeeper's friend and leave it for a while. Never found anything this stuff won't clean.

I don't think using something abrasive on vinyl flooring is a good idea, it will take the surface off.

Divebar2021 · 01/06/2022 22:56

Does your friend have white or blonde hair? It does look like the purple shampoo you use to get rid of yellow tones. Can you contact her and find out what it is? Might help narrow down your solutions on the internet ( and give the friend the heads up there’s a problem). Do you think she could have deliberately left the clothes over the stain to hide it?

ItWasTheBestOfTimes · 01/06/2022 22:57

I find white Colgate toothpaste to be really good at removing stains, with the caveat that I've never tried it on the floor. But it got pink permanent marker off my white gloss sideboard and stains from bath crayons, when bleach didn't work on either. I second asking the flooring supplier/manufacturer.

FlatpackHater · 01/06/2022 22:57

Oh OP I can understand why you are gutted!

your friend definitely owes you an explanation.

i would second the recommendation of barkeepers friend, it’s removed stains I thought would never come out.

JuneOsborne · 01/06/2022 23:01

ScootsMcHoy · 01/06/2022 22:39

Right.

First start a new thread that's not in AIBU. Maybe in DIY and property.

Have a title saying the actual problem. Something like

Help with removing dye from marble

Then, put all the information you have it it. What the floor is made of, what the dye is etc.

Definitely don't arse about with it trying different things. You need to be reasonably sure it's going to work first.

This ⬆️ is definitely what you need to do.

Divebar2021 · 01/06/2022 23:02

Have a look at You Tube… it has some videos for removal of stains from various types of flooring and videos for removal of hair dye if that’s what it is.

shoofly · 01/06/2022 23:03

Looks like vinyl safety flooring. Ask the flooring contractor exactly what it is and what they would recommend to clean it. It looks like the kind of flooring often fitted in commercial settings and can take a lot of punishment. There's bound to be something they can recommend.

I'd also ask your friend for their honesty in what actually caused the issue. It's not fair of them to leave the responsibility to you when you don't even know what caused the damage.

If it isn't possible to clean it, then ask for a quotation for repair or replacement. And ask your friend how they intend to proceed

Blossomandbee · 01/06/2022 23:08

Depending on what the flooring is made of, try a bit of bleach. It got permanent marker off of my kitchen lino when my toddler got hold a pen!
You could also try a white pencil eraser, that can lift pen marks off of leather.

Isaidnoalready · 01/06/2022 23:10

Is it the sparkly vinyl non slip stuff? It's horrendous to clean saying that I've been able to throw everything at mine and not damage it bleach steamers etc etc there should be a solution

RomeoMcFlourish · 01/06/2022 23:12

We had similar happen to the floor in our conservatory recently. We tried EVERYTHING but nothing really worked. In the end I just gave up on it but the recent sunny weather has ended up bleaching the stain out.

NotanotherboxofFrogs · 01/06/2022 23:14

I have wet room flooring as well, I've forgotten about it and potentially staining and washed out my dark blue/black hair dye on it, I had a similar panic to you, I got rid of it, I took an old flannel and soaked in water and a blob of shampoo and worked the shampoo into it, then washed it clean with the flannel, it took a bit of scrubbing, I sat on my shower chair and worked it in with my foot on the flannel, it took about 10 mins and it was gone. That is assuming that it's hair dye.

If it is try that it shouldn't do any harm and I scrubbed a hole in the flannel with my foot but it was a cheap and easy fix, good luck

holdingonfordearlife · 01/06/2022 23:14

This is your "friend's" problem. Have you spoken to them about this?

Your insurance might cover the damage?

SlightlyJaded · 01/06/2022 23:15

If it's any kind of stone/ceramic finish, you could try 'Bartender's Friend'. I use it on my kitchen worktop and the stuff is actual sorcery in a bottle.

Longdistance · 01/06/2022 23:18

Looks more like nail polish to me. A bit of acetone to remove it?

Jessbow · 01/06/2022 23:19

Biological washing liquid and a nail brush/Old toothbrush

Just keep working at it

katkit · 01/06/2022 23:20

Could she have dyed her hair? That looks like a hair dye accident my DD had… it faded a LOT in the sun.

can you find out what it is?

WonderingWanda · 01/06/2022 23:20

I agree with checking your home insurance first. I've been covered for a couple of things because without even realising my policy covered accidental damage. This would be covered by that. They will send someone out to try and clean repair it. If they can't they will replace. If you don't have that sort of cover google cosmetic repair companies, loads around and they can often make things look like new but it could be pricey. If the lattwr is the case I think you meed to approach your friend to cover some of the cost. I would be mortified if i'd caised that sort of damage to someone's house.

agent765 · 01/06/2022 23:21

Hydrogen peroxide 3% might help but you should do a patch test first.

Ask the shop if they have an offcut if you don't have a piece yourself.

hellywelly3 · 01/06/2022 23:22

There’s a spray called elbow grease that I find really good at getting stains out. It got food colouring out of my laminate floor

twointhemorning · 01/06/2022 23:23

My mum swears by liquid soap flakes which got hair dye out of her carpet. It doesn't contain bleach or anything likely to damage the floor further.

Basilbrushgotfat · 01/06/2022 23:26

Oh op, of course you're gutted. Anyone would be.

Agree try shampoo, lots of rinsing and patience in case it's that purple toner shampoo in the first instance.

Definitely do not use anything abrasive.

Your friend owes you an explanation and ought to be at least contributing to the cost of putting it right - if not paying in full, even if that means you need a new floor.

Once you know what it is from your friend, agree in contacting the contractors and taking it from there.

Nolongerteaching · 01/06/2022 23:30

If it’s vinyl, the correct thing is methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol

Same problem here, had to ask builders what to use. Works well

LoHD · 01/06/2022 23:32

use acetone the type u use to get acrylics off- works on EVERYTHING