No matter how closely you watch your children, mess is inevitable.
Ah children. Such fascinating, intriguing little creatures.
Who also happen to be incredibly messy.
Jerry Seinfield once said, “Having a 2-year-old is like having a blender without a lid.” It’s damn messy. Even as I write this, I’m watching my youngest son distribute dog kibble over the entire kitchen floor.
Hopefully this list will help other parents in the quest for cleanliness.
Nappy Cream
There comes a time in every parents life when they leave the room for two minutes, only to return to find a child covered head to toe in nappy rash cream. The furniture and carpet is also likely to fall victim.
The best way to deal with a white wonderland is to use dish washing detergent on both the child and the furniture. If the stains on the carpet are really bad, you may want to consider a steam clean which can be done using a hot iron.
Craft Related Mess
Rainy days inside with kids are great (not) so if you’re left with paint and markers all over the place first try a wet cloth or a baby wipe.
If they managed to get their hands on the non washable stuff, use a small amount of baby oil or vinegar or try a magic eraser (available at the supermarket in the cleaning aisle).
Milk
There is nothing quite like the refreshing odour of milk left to linger. Any parent who has found a two-week-old discarded bottle hiding around the house knows what I mean. So you can imagine that getting to the spill quickly is pretty important. Try and blot the stain with a paper towel or cloth first, rather than rubbing the milk further into the carpet fibres. If there is a stain, try dabbing on some lemon juice.
Gum
Ohhh this one is good fun.
If the gum is in your kids hair (or their siblings) first rub an ice cube over it to freeze it. You don't want to squish it into any more hair than is already involved. Then you can try and comb it out.
