The One Where I Spill Potent Cleaning Product All Over Myself At Work

Last week I had an embarrassing moment.  This is nothing new to me, in fact, embarrassing moments are sort of a personal forte of mine.  But, I digress - let me share with you how I managed to spill cleaning product so potent you're really not supposed to use it without gloves...all over my stomach.  (And then let it sit there for 30 minutes before remembering I had a spare top.)


I was a rooming a sweet little baby last week at work, and was making an effort to be super sanitary - not that I don't always do so, but I like to be extra special hygienic for the little babies.  My plan was to wipe down the scale with our super-duper-strong cleaning wipes before Dad set the little munchkin down on the paper liner I would then lay on the scale.  I reached up for the container of wipes, and popped open the top - no wipe sticking out.  I assumed the wipes were just stuck in the bottom and needed to be pulled through the top.  (I'm thinking a visual will help right about here.)

The culprit

I proceed to hold the container against my body (for leverage, duh) and try to pop the entire red top off the cylinder.  Clearly my remote control bicep curls are doing wonders for my guns, because that top came off way easier and faster than expected.  You can image my surprise when not only was there no wipe in the bottom of the container, but that it was about half full with the strongest smelling cleaning product that I've ever been graced with.  Due to my extreme strength (and also, surprise), the cleanser quickly went from in the container to all over my scrub top in seconds.  

My first thought was of the baby (I know, I know - so selfless), so I had the parents move to the next exam room.  I got her weight quickly, and left them so as not to irritate the wittle teeny tiny beebee's tiny nostrils (working in pediatrics makes you learn a new language - new mommy speak).

After getting the new family situated, and cleaning up the remainder of my mess in the original exam room, I proceeded to sit in my soaked scrub top for close to a half an hour.  It was then that I finally realized (DUH) that I had a spare top in my bag, and that I was taking an unnecessarily long bath in the cleaning product.  It was a total blonde moment, and I'd like to blame it on a contact high from the strong smell.

Long story short - 3 lessons learned:

1. Don't clean your exam rooms in front of patients, because when you can't even open a container without messing it up, it's hard for them to have faith in your medical abilities.

2. Cleaning product is for cleaning, not for baths.

3. Never underestimate the strength of your biceps - even if you haven't lifted a weight in your life, and sometimes have an inordinately hard time just opening and closing doors.

Stay tuned for other embarrassing moments.

I am opening up Grateful Sundays tomorrow as my first ever blog link-up here at Stress Case - please consider joining us!