That moment, the moment when you know it is all going pear-shaped in the kitchen big time.
The moment when the lemonade explodes out of the bottle, the full cake pan oozes all over the oven or the platter slips from the fridge to the floor.
We've all had those times in the kitchen when you'd really rather be someone else other that the person who is going to have to clean that up.
Here are my top tips.
1. Stay calm
It's important not to loose your cool. After all, no one has died, it's just a mess. Even if something has broken, it's more important that your nearest and dearest have not been hurt.2. Vacuum the worst up first
If it's dry try the vacuum first for a quick clean up. Sugar, salt, sprinkles, flour and coconut all clean up well with a quick vacuum. It's more efficient than using the broom as this can create more mess by moving things into the air. You can even use a hand help vacuum to clean up bench top spills.
3. Spray the area with a water/vinegar mixture
Once you've got most of it off the floor with the vacuum, it's time for the next step. I've got one of those microfibre mops which has a refillable bottle and spray trigger. It's great for getting rid of the residual grime and adding a fresh feel to the floor. Use about 1/4 cup of vinegar (not for natural stone floors) in a 600ml bottle. It will cut through build up and disinfect.
4. If it's an egg
Call in the dogs. They will get it all gone very quickly but you will have to wash the floor afterwards to make sure the doggy trail is removed. Hygiene folks! Enter the steam mop for a nice clean surface.
5. Check the skirting boards
If it's been a big disaster, chances are that your skirting boards will also need to be cleaned. I'm a big fan of whizzing the brush attachment along the skirting boards on a regular basis just to keep everything under control. If you have an easy-to-handle stick cleaner, the job is a breeze.
I've found keeping the cleaning under control is a much easier task now I have a Dyson V6 Absolute stick vacuum cleaner. My previous stick vacuum is feeling a little neglected as the Dyson does a so much better job. It's very easy to clean with a one-click function and that's just as well as I can see how much more dust, dirt and dog hair it's picking up off the floor. It even does a good job on the shaggy rug.
There are two roller heads - one for the fine dust which, according to the technical data, removes 99.97 per cent of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and another that picks up bigger stuff like rice and cereal. The dirt collection bin is very easy to clean and the whole thing comes apart for easy cleaning.
My only suggestion to Dyson would to give the battery more than 20 minutes life because I keep finding extra things to clean. Maybe it's a blessing that the battery runs out!
Disclaimer: Ed+bK was gifted a Dyson V6 Absolute Vacuum Cleaner.