Cryptic crossword clue
Seconds away from emulsion spilling on length of floor covering 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word LINOLEUM

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
L
I
N
O
L
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U
M

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "floor covering" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case floor covering = linoleum.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does LINOLEUM mean?

LINOLEUM noun
  1. An inexpensive waterproof covering used especially for floors, made from solidified linseed oil over a burlap or canvas backing, or from its modern replacement, polyvinyl chloride.

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