'Clean up on aisle 12'...a cautionary tale

curbdiver1954

18 years ago

Went to a big box home improvement store yesterday to pick up grout in between calls on my regular customers. Done it a bunch of times - the 10 lb bags are on a shelf just about eye level, so I grab the one I want and go. This time they were in a box cut at an angle on the sides so they'd stay upright...no problem, stepped real close to the shelves, grabbed the top of the bag, lifted it up about 3" and started bringing it down toward me....BIG mistake! The bottom had a fair sized hole in the seam...next thing I know I'm standing there covered head to toe in bone colored grout! I'm talking hair, nostrils, glasses, purse, new white shoes, mouth, red polo.....everywhere! Figure I got about a pound or so on me, the rest on the floor. Oh course, had to go stalking about the store like that to find an employee. Finally found one who was rather blase' about the whole thing - as though shoppers **always** wander around in clouds of grout!

So-o-o-o, the moral of the tale is: Unless you're fond of the 'dusty' look, lift the bag up, but NOT toward you until you're CERTAIN it isn't leaking! No idea how often this happens, but after it did I noticed quite a few grout 'hills' on a couple of other shelves. May have simply been a batch of poorly sealed bags, but wanted ya'll to be careful!

Pat

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Comments (10)

texaswild
18 years ago
OHMYGOODNESS, and after a lesson in safety and health issues from Riana, I'd say it w/be a good idea when going to buy grout/mortar to take your mask. Bless your heart. Not a fun experience, I'm sure.
siriusmosaics
18 years ago
Oh how embarrassing. We had the same thing happen with thinset. Luckily it only poured all over our shoes and socks. But never really did get it out of the seams in our shoes.
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Calamity_J
18 years ago
Sorry to hear about your calamity!!!(Welcome to My World!lol!) I just told DH, after getting back from Mexico, that I'll slow down on the spending, just spent almost $100 at the tile store!! BAD JANE!!! But I HAD to have this new color grout called Slate, it's got a blue/charcoal tinge to it, and of course they only sell outdoor grout in 25lb bags! What's a girl to do??? Today I'll grout my new BB and the Shower door window with it!! Ya! A grouting day!
doone
18 years ago
OH! How awful. I think Home Depot gets all the really bad sales people. They are not friendly or helpful at ALL. I just hope you didn't get anything in your eyes....
barbfrizzell1955
18 years ago
I'm sure that wasn't any fun...probably a good thing you WERE wearing glasses so hopefully it kept it out of your eyes. It's too bad that the employee wasn't more sympathetic, after all, you ruined a whole outfit! They should have offered you a discount or something at least on your purchase.
cindiloo
18 years ago
"The hot new spring trend in fashion this year....
the layered grout look---comes in all colors!!"
LOL! Oh, I am sorry for your fiasco but still can't help
laughing! Sounds like something I would do!
As long as nobody got hurt (unless is was the rude
salesperson). Thanks for warning us!
Calamity_J
18 years ago
And here I was wearing my grout under my nails!sheesh!
flagtruck
18 years ago
Well...I know I should feel sorry for you, but I can't quit laughing..been there myself and I know how you feel.I do not understand why all the bags leak. It happens all over the country. I guess next time I will ask for a plastic bag on my way to the grout aisle or do like Calam and get it at the tile store. I am glad you survived and didn't inhale.
Carol
shrty411
18 years ago
LOL, sorry, that is such a mental image!! sound like something out of I Love Lucy !! Did you have to call on a customer like that??
curbdiver1954
Original Author
18 years ago
No, I went home, showered and changed then got back to work - good thing that I set my own schedule! That darn grout was so itchy and stuck to my eyebrows like crazy... always wondered what I'd look like with blonde-ish hair...not a good.. LOL. Unfortunately I had inhaled just a bit before I realized the hole was there, so grout was in my nostrils and even on my lips...YUCK!!

Pat