'Pungent smell:' McDonald's serves pregnant woman cleaning fluid latte

Sarah Douglas received cleaning solution instead of a latte. Photo / Global News

A mother, who is 32 weeks' pregnant with her third child, ordered a latte from McDonald's but was instead served a cup of cleaning fluid.

Canadian Sarah Douglas went through the drive-thru of an Alberta McDonald's on Sunday, driving away with what she thought was a latte.

But after taking a sip, she spat her drink out and suddenly pulled over.

"I immediately had to put my hazard lights on and pull over and spit it out and rinse my mouth out," Douglas told CBC News.

After pulling over she opened her cup to discover the brownish liquid was not coffee and milk, saying she was hit by the "pungent smell of chemical".

The angry mother then drove back to McDonald's and demanded she speak to the manager.

Sarah Douglas received cleaning solution instead of a latte. Photo / Global News

"I showed him the coffee and he had asked if I wanted a new one, and I said, 'absolutely not, this is unacceptable,'" she told local news site Lethbridge News.

EXCLUSIVE UPDATED: @lethnewsnow has received a statement from @McDonalds Corporate Relations Communications with a statement from the franchisee owner, Dan Brown. It includes an apology and promise to review proper cleaning procedures for employees. #yqlhttps://t.co/c8ge7Iblbj pic.twitter.com/0YlU1lLFC7

— Lara Fominoff (@LaraFominoff) July 30, 2018

A worker then told Douglas that cleaning lines were attached to the coffee machine, and went to fetch the bottle of cleaning solution that was hooked up to the machine at the time.

"I took a picture of it, so I knew what I was working with — what I had consumed so I could talk to poison control," Douglas said.

The bottle of cleaning solution carries the warning that reads: Causes serious eye irritation" and "may cause an allergic skin reaction". And also, "Keep out of reach of children. Wear protective gloves/eye protection."

Dan Brown, owner of the McDonald's restaurant, apologised for the incident.

"We have taken immediate action to review the proper cleaning procedures with the team and have put additional signage up as an added reminder."

By Monday, Douglas said she felt fine but still visited the doctor as a precaution.