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.

Bloody hell. My in-laws love the whole 'look at this wool rug we bought at the car boot. We've now spent £500 on a jet washer, a special drying rack and four working days and it looks less grubby, now we have to dye it to match the living room. aren't we so frugal and amazing. " They actually resent people buying once, buying well, looking after it.

And then there's me, after two years of building work finally getting a moderately clean floor for kids to play on, spending £250 on a double discount, closing down, 80% off cream rug. They let their dog pee on it, then MIL set the stain using hot water and washing up liquid because she's so amazing and knows everything.fIL actually was fishing for compliments about how much better it looked after shed 'fixed' it.

FIL also put a tea mug stain on the new wood burner when the paint was curing, the first time lit. The mark is still there 20 years on, as is my grudge.

It's a risk you take when having guests over. Accidents happen and if that is a massive issue to you, you probably shouldn't be hosting!

I have my girlfriends over every few months when we can all find a free date. Inevitably there is a wine spillage or a dropped vol ou vent after a few drinks. I just clean it up. I wouldn't be rude enough to make someone feel uncomfortable by making a big deal out of it.

My attitude is to either host or don't. Don't host then piss your pants about it.

Just on wool carpets - they are harder work than other sorts so you will have to be proactive in their care.
Spot cleaners are good for carpet & upholstery.
Also beware of moths - my DB's wool carpet was ruined because of these little bastards - they swore never to have a wool carpet again!

I know this is not my thread but what sort of area will a spot cleaner clean? Would it do a whole sofa?

Your example would depend on the intent behind it. An accident is an accident.

If I have invited guests into my home (which I do regularly) and they have accidently spilled a drink, I do not make a big deal about it because it is rude and makes your guests feel uneasy...

Clean it up and crack on. If you can't do that you probably shouldn't be inviting people over.

No you do not tell them. How pathetic. Op i completely hear you and of course you're annoyed but don't say anything you will sound silly , instead if they come to stay again , you point out the stuff you want them to be careful of by acting concerned for the room in general and not as a telling off!

That's fair enough. I know it is juvenile to be pointless to be annoyed about the damage. But to be fair, I've repeatedly said if they'd just mentioned it I wouldn't be peeved.

I've also said I'm absolutely not going to confront anyone or make them feel bad. I'm not asking them to pay to fix. But I am annoyed they've left it for me to find instead of a quick heads up.

I've had some good advice and on balance will let it go and just take precautions for the next visit.

And I can give complete assurance that, even if I tried, my parents are not the type of people to listen or reflect if I mentioned to them I was upset. 😂

Of course an accident is an accident, but some can be prevented.

Such as not taking coffee/tea upstairs if you're likely to spill it/spill it & not care enough to tell your daughter!

They probably didnt realise.
I would get some rugs for the guest bedroom if you have people to stay. And possibly a hall runner if you have a lot of people coming and going.
There are some really good carpet stain solutions i used from amazon. Rather than professionally cleaning the whole carpet. Or see if anyone you know has a carpet shampooing hoover thing you can borrow.
You can also hire them, weve hired them from the supermarket i think. Just hire it for a day.

I'm wondering if it was done on purpose? To put you 'back in your box'?

I would tell my parents. I would call my mum and say 'mum you left coffee stains all over my new carpet.'. I wouldnt ask them to pay to clean.
My mum would absolutely call me if i did the same too.
But we are a family who say it out loud 😂with no ill feelings. For example 'your hair looks awful, when are you going to the hairdressers' would be an acceptable conversation.

Well then I retract my comment 🤣🤣🤣 but im also like if you're all happy to say it out loud then that's fine but me personally I just wouldn't. I would feel silly and the way my mum is she wouldn't either.. but maybe that's cause we haven't ruined anything for each other 🤣🤣🤣

@DeedlessIndeed Dr Beckmann's carpet cleaner. About £5/6 at good supermarkets. Waitrose sell it. It's bloody brilliant. I sympathise, my in-laws were similar. The put dirty luggage onto the bed, greasy wheelmarks everywhere. MIL had never heard of a luggage rack. There was one by the bedroom door.

Carpet cleaner will remove the stains. Think back to everything you broke or split something on growing up did they ask you to pay?

I'd be fuming how rude of them to not say anything and let it set in. I'd say something and tell them they can either pay to clean it or replace the carpet if it can't be cleaned or they can't stay again and will have to got to a hotel in future.

Really?
You would ask your own parents who ( presumably) raised you to pay for a minor damage ?

Good grief. Annoying, but houses are for living in, not for looking at. Buy some carpet cleaner.

So the carpet is valued more highly than the parents?

No, because it’s a quilted one with a waterproof layer underneath, not a horrible crackly plastic one!

Yes I would mention it.

I am so sorry, I have had to do a couple of full renovations and I fully appreciate how marvellous when a room is finished, let alone a floor. Yes we know it won’t be a Shoshone forever, but some respect from guests is much appreciated and it is a shame they didn’t fess up to clean it quickly especially in an obtrusive location.

That’s really silly, that’s not what the poster is saying at all!

I can’t imagine any relationship would survive after the parents were treated like that! But up to you and OP.

Why shouldn't they pay when they've damaged something OP has worked hard for? You cause damage to someone's property you fix it or you don't get chance to cause more damage. An accident is an accident but they do still need to take responsibility for it. I didn't suggest they didn't see them again just that if they wasn't willing to put things right and respect OP's home then they don't get to stay there.

OP would have been fine if her parents had told her that they had spilled something so that she could clean it up. She is cross because they didn't tell her so now it is much harder to clean. She hasn't made her parents feel uncomfortable because she hasn't said anything to them.

I'd be freaking wild TBH.

OK I realise that it's a first world issue & in the grand scheme of things when people are sleeping on the streets, living in dodgy B&Bs etc....

But you saved for ages & did without to buy a wool carpet (& we all know how much that must have cost) & they disrespect your house by spilling coffee or something on it, don't mention it, didn't come downstairs to ask for any carpet cleaner.

I wouldn't ask them to pay for the cleaning as one of the advantages of wool is that it comes up very well with a domestic carpet cleaner.

I'd be definitively be talking to them, telling them how much the carpet cost & when saying in future please no drinks that may stain the carpet.

I'm gradually refurbishing my house &, as each room is decorated & recarpeted, only water allowed - nothing that may stain.

However I'm wondering how I'm going to manage that when I finally come to do my living room - I suppose a carpet treated with a stain resistant finish.

I can see I'm going to be the nana who makes GC drink their squash, Ribena etc in the kitchen😂