Juice spills, pet stains, and rogue spouses top the list of furniture foes.

Not to throw you back into the 60s, but It may be time to invest in some plastic couch covers. A new survey on furniture damage reveals that nearly 175 million Americans have damaged a piece of furniture in the past, with 61% of those accidents occurring within two years of buying the piece. And, 40% of those pieces of furniture were couches, loveseats, or sofas.

The survey, conducted by Allstate Protection Plans, said that next in line in the furniture danger zone were area rugs (30%), beds, bed frames, and headboards (21%), bedroom nightstands and dressers (20%), and TV stands and entertainment centers (19%).

The leading causes

Spills and stains were the leading cause of damage, responsible for over half (55%) of the claims. Juices accounted for 25% of the stains, while people and pet stains accounted for 21%, coffee (20%), sauces/condiments (15%) and red wine (12%).

Rips and tears were second (25%), seam separation/ripping/splitting was third (8%), then dents/scratches (7%) and chips/cracks (7%) were tied for fourth.

Whodunit?

It might be easier to say your kid spilled something or your dog knocked over a glass, but surprisingly, pets and children were less likely to be responsible for furniture damage than adults.

However, 45% of adults blamed their spouses for furniture damage and said children were responsible for only 34% an interesting finger-pointing sincejuice was the number one cause of stains. And in the four-legged category, dogs were twice as likely as cats to cause damage.

So, how do you deal with this?

The Allstate researchers found that nearly half of the people who damage their furniture (43%) just suck it up and try to fix the damage themselves and another third (38%) just said, Oh, well and left everything stains and all as is.

The problem has become so prevalent that 36% of the respondents said they avoided buying high-priced furniture for fear it could be damaged. While 54% were aware that protection plans can cover sofas, but in the who knew department, only 31% understood they can cover beds, and just 12% knew they can cover area rugs.

Because we use furniture every day and were only human (or pet) damage and stains can happen, said Jason Siciliano, vice president of marketing and creative director at Allstate Protection Plans.

While people are used to protecting electronics, many dont know they can protect furniture too. It gives you peace of mind, knowing that expert help is there when you need it.

To protect furniture and prolong its life, Siciliano said that in addition to buying a protection plan, he recommends:

• Clean regularly: Dust and dirt buildup can cause scratches and abrasions. Especially high-traffic items like area rugs need to be cleaned regularly.

• Use coasters and mats: They can prevent rings and stains from moisture and heat.

• Make sure your furniture is protected with covers, both indoors and outdoors. Mattress protectors are also a good idea.

• Rotate and rearrange: Rotate cushions periodically to distribute weight and wear.

• Regulate humidity and temperature in your house. Close your curtains or blinds to stop fabric or wood from fading in the sun.