Guest ruined carpet

[DeedlessIndeed]

OK, logically I know that this is a minor problem in the grand scheme of things. I know people are facing real issues in the world, but this has really annoyed me.

We have just had new wool carpet fitted in the whole of the upstairs. Saved up for a while as it was expensive (for us). After 5 years of renovation, we finally have the upstairs finished! I was so so happy.

Had parents stay this weekend and left yesterday. They've seen the house in all stages of building site and they know how excited I am to have the upstairs done. I explained that we are being careful to keep it looking nice. And they know we are a slippers only house apart from the hard floors in the hall etc.

Well, I went into their room to do the bedding this morning and can see that they've rolled their dirty suitcase wheels all along the carpet. A bit annoying, but oh well. It's dried so I can hoover it up hopefully. Then I see they've spilled a coffee or dark tea next to the bed. There is a huge splatter mark all over the carpet in front of the beside table. It's also on the skirting board and wall, but I can touch that up at least.

I'm just feeling a bit gutted. If they had an accident then why not say and I could have got on it and stop it staining. I'm regretting not getting a easily cleanable carpet but the fact they didn't mention it is the worst part IYSWIM?

Would you say anything to your parents? They do mean well, but they just don't "get" having nice things and looking after them.

Ahh, how frustrating. Always seems to be the new things that get damaged.

Fully agree, this would have been a completely different thing if they'd just said when it happened.

We are all adults, we all make mistakes, but don't act as if you couldn't care less about damaging something.

I'm just feeling a bit gutted. If they had an accident then why not say and I could have got on it and stop it staining. I'm regretting not getting a easily cleanable carpet but the fact they didn't mention it is the worst part IYSWIM?

That's exactly what happened to me and why I was so upset. I discovered the coffee stain a week later when I moved a sofa and it was too late to do anything (I tried everything). And the reason? Because someone had continued to place their coffee mug on the floor, despite there being a table there and being asked/reminded more than once not to do it.

I was also gutted. Since then, we've always gone for big rugs because it's too risky to have fitted carpets where drinks are consumed.

If it can't be cleaned then you claim on your insurance. Your insurance will likely want to try cleaning it first and may not charge. Worth asking.

That's the sort of shit my mother used to do deliberately. She hated it when I got nice things.

Not saying that's what happened but I'd be absolutely saying something to them about it and next time they want a visit it'll be recommending a hotel.

We invested in wool carpets and bought a bissell green spot cleaner. Now I don’t have to stress as I can easily clean up accidents. Life is too short - also do you have kids or pets? I’m assuming not because this kind of thing happens all the time and the best solution is simple rules (no shoes or eating upstairs and only water to drink is our set) and good cleaning products! Otherwise you end up living on eggshells or making others do so.

When she was a child do you mean? These people aren't children and I'd be very, very fucking pissed off if that happened in my home.

Thanks all for the insurance recommendations, that will be a good last resort.

We've just moved all the furniture about for every single room to get the carpet done all at once, so my preference is to not get the whole thing replaced, but if it has to be done then so be it.

I'm a big fan of solid antique furniture from the auctions. Never realised how heavy it all was until we had to shift it all over the course of a couple of days! 😓

OP, why do you keep saying it’s silly to be caring about your stuff. It’s NOT silly. Just because other people are not materialistic or are less fortunate than you doesn’t mean your stuff is not precious to YOU. It cost you blood sweat and tears to earn the money to buy it. It represents your hard work. And it’s all the more galling when it’s still virtually new and you’ve barely had use of it. I’m so careful with all my ‘stuff’, I don’t have chipped plates or stained carpets because I value what it took me to buy it. Anyone coming into my house knows how house proud I am and my expectations of how they treat my house. You have every right to feel disappointed and upset. I would absolutely be saying ‘sorry Mum and Dad but last time you were here xyz happened so no more food or drinks in the bedroom.

Haha we have both!

Although we have a very, very big rug in DDs room that takes up most of the floor and the cats are getting too old to get upstairs. Your rules sound like ours, I will definitely roll them out to my parents to next time they stay.

I don't want anyone walking on eggshells. I want a clean and comfortable home, not a show home. I fully expect accidents to happen. But I don't expect adults to do damage and not mention it. The amount of spillage was more than a little 'slosh' so I'm not convinced about them not realising.

But I will take your point about needing a solution to hand for future damage. I'm going to contact the carpet supplier people and see what they recommend.

I have them on all my beds. What if someone vomits, or they’re ill and has an accident, poor, wee or period stain? It can happen, especially if unwell. Semen stain? Just sweating can make a mattress stale and smelly. If I spent that much on a stress , I’d be damned sure to protect it!

I wouldn't have guests over if I were this precious.

I've also got the Bissell one. We have pale cream wool carpets in the bedroom and managed to get a stain out where the dog had vomited despite not manage to lift it with any carpet stain removers. It's well worth the money.

I have mattress protectors but not horrible waterproof ones - Everything can be washed
You allow a mattress's to breath every so often too by airing with nothing on every so often

never had to deal with any of those issues you mentioned in the 30 odd years of owning a house and having guests

Wool carpets clean really really well so the marks should come out fine.

realistically you can’t say anything to your parents: I’m sure over the years you caused plenty of damage to various items. Picking them up on a spilt coffee would seem churlish.

Agree with pp. You need sacrificial rugs

In that case, I would probably just leave it this time and try to clean it as well as possible myself.

In future, have a blanket rule of no food and drinks upstairs other than water. Tell them you've got an expensive carpet and don't want any spills on it.

Don't berate them for anything they've already done before you told them the rule - judging by their lifestyle, it probably didn't register.

You'll need to get rugs and whatnot as it's likely to only be a matter of time that something else happens, like a nose bleed

Don't be ridiculous, having your nice things ruined isn't being precious

@Allseeingallknowing

Aren't you uncomfortable sleeping on a plastic mattress protector?

Some of the waterproof matress protectors have several layers of cotton on them. I have them on the beds in the spare room as I have young grandchildren.

So if you damaged something belonging to your children or a friend, you wouldn't say anything? Can I genuinely ask why? Is it because it's only stuff?

Just wait until the moths move in. They love a wool carpet.

Oh there is something very reverential and profound sounding about "Sacrificial Rugs".

I've still got our old ones from the Before Carpet days, as I was going to take them to the charity shop. I'll put them to one side ready for the next visit!

Why do you even have these people in your house?