Was It Caustic Flakes? A Serious Warning for the Commercial Cleaning Industry
A routine pressure washing job at a Chili's restaurant in North Carolina turned into a frightening chemical exposure incident that injured three customers and two employees.
According to the Foothills Health District, a granulated degreasing chemical provided by an exterior pressure washing contractor was mistakenly used in the restaurant's margarita preparation area.
Three customers suffered chemical burns in and around their mouths after drinking the beverages.
This incident should get the attention of every pressure washing contractor, restaurant owner, and property manager in America.
And as someone who has worked in the commercial pressure washing industry for more than 40 years, I have some serious questions about what happened.
How Did This Happen?
According to reports published by PEOPLE, WBTV, and other news outlets, the incident began on Monday, October 26, 2026, at a Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina.
A contractor was performing exterior pressure washing services at the restaurant.
During the job, a restaurant employee reportedly received a granulated degreasing chemical from the contractor.
The employee transferred that chemical into an unlabeled container, which was later brought inside and left near the restaurant's bar.
Two days later, on Wednesday, October 28, another employee discovered the container while preparing the margarita station.
Believing the contents were sugar, the employee used the chemical during drink preparation.
Shortly after the restaurant opened, three customers ordered margaritas and immediately experienced pain and chemical burns in and around their mouths.
The customers sought medical attention.
Two restaurant employees subsequently tasted the substance and experienced similar symptoms.
Health officials temporarily suspended the restaurant's food service permit while investigating and requiring corrective cleaning.
The permit was reinstated on October 29 after inspectors determined that the restaurant met the necessary food safety standards.
My Suspicion: Could This Have Been Caustic Flakes?
Here's where my years in commercial pressure washing make me particularly interested in this story.
I suspect the chemical may have been caustic flakes, potentially sodium hydroxide, commonly called caustic soda or lye.
Why?
Because caustic chemicals have long been used in some commercial cleaning applications, particularly heavy-duty degreasing.
Sodium hydroxide can be sold in white flakes, beads, or granular form.
To someone unfamiliar with the product, certain forms could potentially resemble sugar or other common white granular ingredients.
More importantly, sodium hydroxide is highly corrosive. Contact with the mouth and surrounding tissue can cause serious chemical burns.
The reported injuries are consistent with exposure to a corrosive cleaning agent.
However, I want to be absolutely clear about something.
This is my suspicion based on the reported appearance, intended use, and injuries. It has NOT been confirmed that the chemical was sodium hydroxide or caustic flakes.
Health officials have identified the substance only as a granulated degreasing chemical.
The exact chemical formulation, manufacturer, and product name have not been publicly disclosed.
Other corrosive cleaning formulations could potentially produce similar injuries.
I'd certainly like to see the Safety Data Sheet for the product involved.
That would answer some important questions.
How Did a Pressure Washing Chemical End Up Behind a Restaurant Bar?
This is the part of the story that concerns me the most.
Commercial pressure washing contractors use chemicals daily.
We use degreasers, detergents, alkaline cleaners, acids, and other specialty products depending on the cleaning application.
But these chemicals need to be properly identified, stored, and handled.
How does a chemical from an exterior cleaning operation end up inside a restaurant?
Why was it transferred into an unlabeled container?
Why was that container left anywhere near food or beverages?
And why would anyone use an unidentified white granular substance in drink preparation?
Those are serious questions.
This wasn't simply an issue of using the wrong chemical.
This appears to have been a breakdown in chemical handling, labeling, storage, and communication.
Every one of those failures represents an opportunity where the incident might have been prevented.
Let's Not Automatically Blame the Pressure Washing Contractor
I want to address something else.
Just because the chemical reportedly originated with the pressure washing contractor does not automatically mean the contractor was responsible for everything that happened afterward.
We don't know all the circumstances surrounding the transfer of the product.
Was the chemical supplied in its original labeled container?
Did the contractor explain what it was?
Why did the restaurant employee request or accept it?
Who transferred it into the unlabeled container?
What instructions, if any, were provided?
These are important details that have not all been established publicly.
We shouldn't jump to conclusions without knowing the full story.
However, this incident should make contractors think very carefully about how their chemicals are handled when working around occupied commercial properties.
Five Safety Lessons Every Commercial Cleaning Contractor Should Learn
1. Never allow unidentified chemicals to leave your control.
Chemical containers should be properly labeled, and anyone handling the product should understand its hazards.
2. Never use food or beverage containers for cleaning chemicals.
Cleaning chemicals should be kept in suitable, properly identified containers and separated from all food and beverage operations.
3. Train your employees.
Every employee handling potentially hazardous chemicals should understand the product, its label, the Safety Data Sheet, protective equipment, and safe handling procedures.
4. Communicate with the customer.
When working around restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, schools, or other occupied facilities, clear communication about chemical hazards is essential.
5. Establish responsibility before the job begins.
Contractors and facility managers should understand who controls chemical storage, access, and cleanup.
A professional cleaning operation should never create an unnecessary hazard for the people working in or visiting the property.
The Bigger Problem: We Talk About Cleaning, but Not Enough About Safety
In the pressure washing industry, we spend plenty of time discussing equipment, production rates, chemicals, pricing, and how to land commercial contracts.
But how often do we discuss situations like this?
We regularly work around the public.
Our crews clean restaurant sidewalks, dumpster areas, grease enclosures, loading docks, shopping centers, and other commercial facilities.
We may be working at night while the building is closed, or during the day when employees and customers are present.
Either way, we have a responsibility to understand what happens to our chemicals.
A job isn't successful simply because the concrete looks clean.
A successful job also means nobody gets hurt.
What Happens Next?
According to the published reports, the restaurant was cleared to resume operations after completing the required corrective procedures.
Chili's also stated that it was investigating the incident and supporting those affected.
As of the reporting reviewed for this article, the exact chemical had not been publicly identified, and the full medical conditions of those injured had not been released.
I hope additional information becomes available, particularly the identity of the cleaning product and how it was handled.
Those details could provide valuable lessons for our entire industry.
My Final Thoughts
I've been around commercial pressure washing long enough to know that mistakes can happen.
But when we're dealing with chemicals capable of causing serious injuries, mistakes can have life-changing consequences.
My suspicion is that this may have involved caustic flakes or another strong alkaline degreaser.
Again, that is not confirmed.
Whatever the chemical turns out to be, the lesson remains the same.
Proper chemical handling and labeling are not suggestions. They are essential parts of operating a professional cleaning business.
Let's learn from this incident rather than simply pointing fingers.
And let's make sure our employees and customers understand the potential dangers of the chemicals we use.
A Question for the Pressure Washing Industry
Do you believe this could have been sodium hydroxide or caustic flakes?
Have you ever experienced a customer asking for some of your cleaning chemicals?
And would you ever provide a commercial cleaning chemical to a customer's employee?
I'd like to hear from experienced commercial pressure washing contractors.
Ron Musgraves
Commercial Pressure Washing Industry Educator
ronmusgraves.com
News Sources
PEOPLE: Chili's Customers Suffer Chemical Burns After Drinking Margaritas
WBTV: Three Chili's Customers Burned After Chemical Mixed Into Drinks
Published November 1, 2026. Chemical identification remains unconfirmed.
A routine pressure washing job at a Chili's restaurant in North Carolina turned into a frightening chemical exposure incident that injured three customers and two employees.
According to the Foothills Health District, a granulated degreasing chemical provided by an exterior pressure washing contractor was mistakenly used in the restaurant's margarita preparation area.
Three customers suffered chemical burns in and around their mouths after drinking the beverages.
This incident should get the attention of every pressure washing contractor, restaurant owner, and property manager in America.
And as someone who has worked in the commercial pressure washing industry for more than 40 years, I have some serious questions about what happened.
How Did This Happen?
According to reports published by PEOPLE, WBTV, and other news outlets, the incident began on Monday, October 26, 2026, at a Chili's Grill & Bar in Forest City, North Carolina.
A contractor was performing exterior pressure washing services at the restaurant.
During the job, a restaurant employee reportedly received a granulated degreasing chemical from the contractor.
The employee transferred that chemical into an unlabeled container, which was later brought inside and left near the restaurant's bar.
Two days later, on Wednesday, October 28, another employee discovered the container while preparing the margarita station.
Believing the contents were sugar, the employee used the chemical during drink preparation.
Shortly after the restaurant opened, three customers ordered margaritas and immediately experienced pain and chemical burns in and around their mouths.
The customers sought medical attention.
Two restaurant employees subsequently tasted the substance and experienced similar symptoms.
Health officials temporarily suspended the restaurant's food service permit while investigating and requiring corrective cleaning.
The permit was reinstated on October 29 after inspectors determined that the restaurant met the necessary food safety standards.
My Suspicion: Could This Have Been Caustic Flakes?
Here's where my years in commercial pressure washing make me particularly interested in this story.
I suspect the chemical may have been caustic flakes, potentially sodium hydroxide, commonly called caustic soda or lye.
Why?
Because caustic chemicals have long been used in some commercial cleaning applications, particularly heavy-duty degreasing.
Sodium hydroxide can be sold in white flakes, beads, or granular form.
To someone unfamiliar with the product, certain forms could potentially resemble sugar or other common white granular ingredients.
More importantly, sodium hydroxide is highly corrosive. Contact with the mouth and surrounding tissue can cause serious chemical burns.
The reported injuries are consistent with exposure to a corrosive cleaning agent.
However, I want to be absolutely clear about something.
This is my suspicion based on the reported appearance, intended use, and injuries. It has NOT been confirmed that the chemical was sodium hydroxide or caustic flakes.
Health officials have identified the substance only as a granulated degreasing chemical.
The exact chemical formulation, manufacturer, and product name have not been publicly disclosed.
Other corrosive cleaning formulations could potentially produce similar injuries.
I'd certainly like to see the Safety Data Sheet for the product involved.
That would answer some important questions.
How Did a Pressure Washing Chemical End Up Behind a Restaurant Bar?
This is the part of the story that concerns me the most.
Commercial pressure washing contractors use chemicals daily.
We use degreasers, detergents, alkaline cleaners, acids, and other specialty products depending on the cleaning application.
But these chemicals need to be properly identified, stored, and handled.
How does a chemical from an exterior cleaning operation end up inside a restaurant?
Why was it transferred into an unlabeled container?
Why was that container left anywhere near food or beverages?
And why would anyone use an unidentified white granular substance in drink preparation?
Those are serious questions.
This wasn't simply an issue of using the wrong chemical.
This appears to have been a breakdown in chemical handling, labeling, storage, and communication.
Every one of those failures represents an opportunity where the incident might have been prevented.
Let's Not Automatically Blame the Pressure Washing Contractor
I want to address something else.
Just because the chemical reportedly originated with the pressure washing contractor does not automatically mean the contractor was responsible for everything that happened afterward.
We don't know all the circumstances surrounding the transfer of the product.
Was the chemical supplied in its original labeled container?
Did the contractor explain what it was?
Why did the restaurant employee request or accept it?
Who transferred it into the unlabeled container?
What instructions, if any, were provided?
These are important details that have not all been established publicly.
We shouldn't jump to conclusions without knowing the full story.
However, this incident should make contractors think very carefully about how their chemicals are handled when working around occupied commercial properties.
Five Safety Lessons Every Commercial Cleaning Contractor Should Learn
1. Never allow unidentified chemicals to leave your control.
Chemical containers should be properly labeled, and anyone handling the product should understand its hazards.
2. Never use food or beverage containers for cleaning chemicals.
Cleaning chemicals should be kept in suitable, properly identified containers and separated from all food and beverage operations.
3. Train your employees.
Every employee handling potentially hazardous chemicals should understand the product, its label, the Safety Data Sheet, protective equipment, and safe handling procedures.
4. Communicate with the customer.
When working around restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, schools, or other occupied facilities, clear communication about chemical hazards is essential.
5. Establish responsibility before the job begins.
Contractors and facility managers should understand who controls chemical storage, access, and cleanup.
A professional cleaning operation should never create an unnecessary hazard for the people working in or visiting the property.
The Bigger Problem: We Talk About Cleaning, but Not Enough About Safety
In the pressure washing industry, we spend plenty of time discussing equipment, production rates, chemicals, pricing, and how to land commercial contracts.
But how often do we discuss situations like this?
We regularly work around the public.
Our crews clean restaurant sidewalks, dumpster areas, grease enclosures, loading docks, shopping centers, and other commercial facilities.
We may be working at night while the building is closed, or during the day when employees and customers are present.
Either way, we have a responsibility to understand what happens to our chemicals.
A job isn't successful simply because the concrete looks clean.
A successful job also means nobody gets hurt.
What Happens Next?
According to the published reports, the restaurant was cleared to resume operations after completing the required corrective procedures.
Chili's also stated that it was investigating the incident and supporting those affected.
As of the reporting reviewed for this article, the exact chemical had not been publicly identified, and the full medical conditions of those injured had not been released.
I hope additional information becomes available, particularly the identity of the cleaning product and how it was handled.
Those details could provide valuable lessons for our entire industry.
My Final Thoughts
I've been around commercial pressure washing long enough to know that mistakes can happen.
But when we're dealing with chemicals capable of causing serious injuries, mistakes can have life-changing consequences.
My suspicion is that this may have involved caustic flakes or another strong alkaline degreaser.
Again, that is not confirmed.
Whatever the chemical turns out to be, the lesson remains the same.
Proper chemical handling and labeling are not suggestions. They are essential parts of operating a professional cleaning business.
Let's learn from this incident rather than simply pointing fingers.
And let's make sure our employees and customers understand the potential dangers of the chemicals we use.
A Question for the Pressure Washing Industry
Do you believe this could have been sodium hydroxide or caustic flakes?
Have you ever experienced a customer asking for some of your cleaning chemicals?
And would you ever provide a commercial cleaning chemical to a customer's employee?
I'd like to hear from experienced commercial pressure washing contractors.
Ron Musgraves
Commercial Pressure Washing Industry Educator
ronmusgraves.com
News Sources
PEOPLE: Chili's Customers Suffer Chemical Burns After Drinking Margaritas
WBTV: Three Chili's Customers Burned After Chemical Mixed Into Drinks
Published November 1, 2026. Chemical identification remains unconfirmed.