Toddlers have a knack for being destructive. Part of it is just their nature; the world is their playground, and they have no concept of the things they are destroying. While toddlers are a wonderful source of laughter, they also are a source of headaches. Parents often have to go behind and fix the broken or damaged items.
Wall Artists
Every child at some point decides to play Picasso on the walls of their home. If it isn’t in an obvious spot, some parents have chosen to keep and even frame the works of art. Unfortunately, these masterpieces are often in places we don’t want them to be.
Parents should count their lucky stars if their precious one picked up a washable marker. These are simple enough to remove; a little soap and water nearly always does the trick. Crayons can be a bit more difficult, but a wonderful product called Magic Erasers can get crayon off of walls easily.
The trouble arises when the toddler decided to use permanent marker. This can be horrifying for a parent. If the wall is white, attempting to use bleach may be the first option you try. Another solution is toothpaste. Toothpaste is known to remove permanent marker from walls. Other common solutions include:
- Hairspray
- Nail polish remover
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hand sanitizer
Toilet Play
Naturally, the toilet looks like a great place to play for any toddler. This can be dangerous, as little ones can drown if they fall into the toilet. They often do something that is dangerous for the toilet as well – they flush items. Parents often don’t have any clue until they use the bathroom and realize the toilet is clogged. Here are some steps to help fix this issue.
- If the toilet overflowed, scoop out water from the bowl. You need some water, but an overabundance will make fixing the issue difficult. Spreading towels around the toilet is a wise idea to catch any of the overflow.
- Grab a plunge and make sure there is enough water to cover the top. Sometimes, it can take 15 to 20 plunges before you can release the clog.
- If plunging doesn’t work, a chemical de-clogger may be useful to dissolve the item that was flushed. Be sure to follow the directions carefully.
- When all else fails, it’s time for the professional. Call an emergency plumbing San Diego to get your toilet working quickly.
Colorful Couch
Once again, toddlers are known to get ahold of markers and cause destruction. Marker on fabric can be extremely difficult to remove. You have to be careful of the product used to remove the stain; some chemical products can bleach an area. On top of markers, toddlers are known to spill milk and crush crumbs into couches.
Depending on the fabric type of the couch, some of these options may not work. Microfiber can be harder to remove stains.
- To start off, give some dish soap and warm water a try. For some markers, this is all that will be needed to remove the stain.
- If that fails, Magic Erasers are magic. They can remove marker but do tend to leave some slight traces.
- Oxiclean sells a fast acting stain remover. It removes most stains from clothes and should do the same for couches.
- Rubbing alcohol is highly recommended. This can work well on microfiber as well. It works well on most fabrics and is a tried and true method.
Toddlers are known for being crazy. They are attracted to things we hope they will avoid. How many times have toddlers eaten dog food or poured the dog water all over the floor? Parents face a constant battle when there are little ones underfoot. Luckily, most of their antics can be fixed with some elbow grease.