It’s a tradition for many Singaporeans to roll a pineapple into their new home as part of a housewarming ritual. It is said to welcome prosperity, wealth and good luck into their new abode.
However, for one family, this simple act ended up damaging their flooring.
Erica Zhao, who goes by the username @princessezyt, shared about the incident in an Instagram post on Tuesday (June 16).
“A little public service announcement for all new homeowners! When we first visited our [home], we excitedly did the pineapple rolling ceremony and left the pineapple on the floor afterwards, thinking nothing of it. A few days later, we came back and discovered a stain on the floor tiles,” she recounted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DZoSxTaoUTT/
After doing some research, Erica found out that pineapples are naturally acidic. The fruit’s juice leaked out — with Singapore’s hot weather possibly contributing to the discharge — and seeped onto her floor.
This led to a large white mark on the affected tile.
She suggested that homeowners who want to carry out this ritual can avoid damaging their tiles by placing the pineapple on a tray or wrapping it in a cloth.
“It’s a simple step that could save you from an unnecessary headache later on,” she said.
AsiaOne has reached out to Erica for more details.
Erica is not the only homeowner who has encountered this problem.
One homeowner shared on Facebook group Singapore Home DIY in April 2022 that their marble flooring had been damaged by pineapple juice as well.
Despite trying methods such as scrubbing with baking soda powder, using stain colour removers and steam cleaners, the mark remained on the floor after one month.
Netizens in the comments section suggested that the homeowner try honing and polishing the tiles to get rid of the stains.
According to a home care and maintenance post by local building material supplier Hafary, homeowners are advised not to leave fruit and food on tiles unattended for extended periods.
“When left unattended, the acidic juices from the food or fruit may seep and tarnish the tile surface. For example, food and fruits left behind from ‘door opening ceremony’,” it shared.
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melissateo@asiaone.com
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