A post about a parent facing an unexpected “mess” right before heading to bed has gone viral on Reddit.
The April 4 post from u/ohnoitsmypotato has garnered 24,000 upvotes and hundreds of comments from other Redditors who could sympathize with the original poster’s dilemma.
The post was shared with a title reading “I was about to go to bed.” It features an image of what appears to be laundry detergent spilled all over a floor, with its container toppled over next to a pool of the liquid. It appears the container may have been knocked over from the top of the washing machine, which has a large splash of detergent running down its side.
In the comments section, the original poster revealed that they used a dustpan and a squeegee to clean it up with their child’s help, although admitted that if they didn’t have kids and a cat they might have left it overnight.
“I like to phrase this as ‘it’s a tomorrow problem’ and I say that often. I did get most of my today problem cleaned up. The fine print of it is a tomorrow problem,” they wrote.
The unlucky incident comes as the global laundry detergent market size was valued to be at $185.28 million in 2023 and projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5 percent from 2024 to 2030, according to a report by Grandview Research, a market research firm headquartered in San Francisco.
“The rapid advancement in the chemical research industry has resulted in improved laundry detergent formulations, which have improved cleaning performance and more effective stain removal functions,” the report said.
Convenience has been crucial in driving the demand for laundry detergents. “Modern consumers’ busy lifestyles have increased their preference for laundry solutions that save time and effort,” the reported noted, adding that “innovations such as single-dose pods and pre-measured packets offer a hassle-free laundry experience, which appeals to consumers looking for efficiency.”
‘The Cleanest Mess I’ve Ever Seen’
The viral post sparked a wave of comments from other users on Reddit suggesting various ways to deal with the clean-up job.
U/ContentKeanu said: “Dude I feel the pain of a mess happening right before you wanna go to bed,” while Glum-Ad-7667 said “This is the cleanest mess I’ve ever seen.”
U/_Stank_McNasty_ wrote: “lmao I’ve had a day or two like that… half the time I raged and half the time I just laughed my a** off at the sheer ridiculousness.”
U/WrenSpen warmed: “Don’t let it sit, it will stain. Trust me. Sorry.”
U/LilPajamas noted: “Wipe it up with all your dirty clothes and sheets.”
U/OpheliasGun wrote: “Don’t use anything white!!!! If you put detergent on white and don’t wash it right away it very well may destroy your white clothing. I can’t tell you how many times growing up I dumped detergent on my clothes and forgot to start the washer and my white clothes would be ruined with blue stains. Idk [I don’t know] if they changed the formula of detergent since then but just something to be cautious of.”
Some pointed out the silver linings of the situation, such as the home now smelling fresh.
U/Disastrous_Paint_237 noted “At least it’ll smell really good” and the original poster replied “My house does smell really good.”
U/Compost-Mentis noted: “And your floor will be REALLY clean.”
MrDrPrfsrPatrick2U said: “That spot is now the cleanest place in the house!”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system.
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