Caught out by a dirty room or appliance? Tell Kärcher for the chance to win a £250 John Lewis voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

Kärcher would like to find out about moments where you've been caught out by a dirty appliance or room.

Here’s what Kärcher say, “We’ve all been caught out when visitors drop by unannounced and cringed when they pop in to find the house in disarray, what we would like to know is what has been you most embarrassing moment?”

So, have you ever been caught out with a dirty room? Maybe you noticed a hideous cobweb just as you had visitors over? Or maybe someone caught sight of your dirty oven? Perhaps you noticed something floating in your kettle, just as you were making a cup of tea for a guest?

Whatever way you've been caught out, Kärcher would love to hear about it!

Everyone who adds their thoughts to the thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 John Lewis voucher.

Please note that any comments posted on this thread may be used by Kärcher in further marketing material (anonymously, of course).

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

I was embarrassed when a colleague from work popped round unexpectedly and my carpet was it a bit of a state (the hoover had broken)

I have been naively thinking my house was clean, however, when I went to have my eyes tested and had to have glasses I hot a great shock. Cleaning with my glasses on showed me the state of the kitchen cupboards and the skirting boards especially. Now I make a point of wearing my glasses every time I clean.

I was having someone come to look at some damp in my pantry, not thinking he would pull the washer out to see the wall behind it. Low and behold all kinds of nasties were underneath it, I was mortified!

Recently having a new kitchen (have waited years!!) Felt ashamed when the old oven, hood and cupboards came out absolutely filthy!! At least it now looks and is loads cleaner no grease yet!

I had my aunt come round to visit with my mum and as the bathroom was occupied by my mum, she asked to use my other toilet which is an en-suite in the bedroom so i showed her the way, to my embarrassment I had forgotten to make the bed that morning as I was in a rush, and to make it worse, my other-half's pants were thrown on top of the duvet!

My father dropped in without telling me on a Sunday morning finding the house in dissaray and us all in our pyjamas.

Only this week my landlady decided to make a unexpected vist and when looking in the downstairs toilet we noticed my son had left a number two!!!!! which he had failed to flush it was a truly mortifying moment :(

I don't worry too much about a bit of a mess. I feel more uncomfortable when clothes are drying indoors and you get surprise visitors :(

We had workmen in to do some work on the bathroom, at about 10am I made they a cup of coffee, then to my embarrassment they came into the kitchen to warm their breakfast sandwiches up in my grill. Oh the shame, we had grilled steak, mushrooms and onions the night before and I had not cleaned the grill pan out after using it. They used the grill, I am just glad I never bump into them in the street, saves my blushes

When the in laws visited unannounced the day before my weekly cleaning day… leaving me with no time to quickly whip round at all!

The worst possible timing as was messy and quite grubby.

Our electric oven broke earlier this year, the fan was going round, the light on etc but no heat at all. Called in a local appliance engineer and he had to take in apart so i had to take all my trays etc out. On taking out the grill pan i noticed (aside from the general grease and grubbiness of it ) 2 old shrivelled up rashers of bacon from the weekend that i'd forgotton about (last thing we cooked before it broke). I was so embarassed in front of the rather nice repair man, he must have though i was a proper slattern!

He fixed the oven though so at least we didn't need a new one!

Had to pull the sofa out when phone engineer called, hadn't cleaned behind there for a while (ages) it was covered in dust and dog hairs. I apologised, very red faced but he said he'd seen a lot worse... but mine was disgusting!

On quite a few occasions I've had people drop by, and realised too late that I've left knickers on the wooden clothes airer in the dining room, or I've forgotten to flush the downstairs loo after DD1 has deposited a smelly offering and not told me!

caught out having dirty laundry all over with guests arriving

My Sister in Law rarely visits us, but you can guarantee if she does, it's when the house is a mess! Must have happened half a dozen times grrr.

NoisyOyster: daughter was 20 at the time. We actually photographed the bucket with it's charming contents and sent her an iMessage with it threatening to post it on her Facebook wall.....she actually closed her account so we couldn't! Her answer was to say she was worse for alcohol after a night out and couldn't get downstairs safely at the time, so used the bucket and forgot about it....

banana skin was left inside the book shelf!

We had given notice to leave our rented property and we're in the middle of packing all of our stuff up whilst also doing up our newly purchased dump of a house. With 2 small children it was chaos and the house had boxes everywhere, wardrobes emptied, stuff everywhere, washing up hadn't been done etc.

Just then the doorbell rang - it was our soon-to-be ex-landlady telling us that there were 2 estate agents outside wanting to come in and measure up so that they could market the property. We had had no warning, but I didn't feel that I could say no...

Mortified didn't even cover it!

DS had a sickness bug and DH was looking after him, the day viewers came to look at our house.

Just as DH opened the door into the living room DS spewed red white and blue into a bucket.....

only today, i had my bathroom sink replaced. i'd polished the house to within an inch of itself as i always do when anyone is coming round (whether i know them or not)... to my horror, the cat fur that was lurking behind the cistern could have reanimated into a fully grown cat!

Pretty shameful for someone as house proud as i am!

I always feel the need to apologize hugely to my mum whenever she spots the inside of my microwave, I tend to cook things in there that splash and bubble and always forget to clean it as often as I should. I also have a terrible habit of apologizing for the mess when my landlord comes round, despite the fact that he probably wouldn't even notice half of it if I didn't point it out!!

I had a friend call and say she are visiting so in my rush I threw all clothes and toys and anything out of place into my wardrobe. My friend decided to use my bedroom to nurse her baby and embarrassingly suddenly everything came tumbling out of my wardrobe

My friend came round the other day for coffee - as she arrived, my toddler was tearing round while I was trying to ram another load of washing in the machine. She was stood beside me chatting with her beautifully behaved daughter sat on her hip.. I stood up, frizzy-haired & red-faced, but delighted at having successfully loaded the machine & shut the door. Pulled open the washing machine drawer to put the fabric conditioner in - to find the inside of the drawer COVERED in sludgy black mould - highly visible to my friend stood next to me. Now I have noticed this many times, & every time I see it, I think - must clean that, but I always forget until the next time I open the drawer! I looked at the mould in the drawer, looked at her.. thought about making an excuse, but hell - hers will be a toddler one day & the days of completing household tasks regularly & to a high standard will be over for her too!!

about a week after bringing my youngest home from hospital , and not feeling myself after a c-section i decided to have a lie in and let hubby sort our little girl out. At about 11 i heard chatting and went down stairs to find my in-laws sat in the living room . The house was such a mess as id be unable to do much and i was totally embarrassed. Thats the only time they have ever visited ~ i bet they think i permanently live in a pig sty lol