Slippery wood floors can pose hazards in your home especially if you have kids and pets. It is equally dangerous if your stair is slippery.
Normally, wood floors are not slippery but they become slippery after oil or water spillage, prolonged usage of polish, and frequent usage of certain cleaning products.
Some home remedies for slippery wood floors include using anti-slip coating, drying the floor immediately after wet mopping, using appropriate cleaning products as well as sanding and refinishing the floor.
How to Make a Wood Floor Less Slippery
Table of Contents
- 1 How to Make a Wood Floor Less Slippery
- 1.1 Use Anti-Slip Coating
- 1.2 Keep Your Wood Floor Clean
- 1.3 Put On Appropriate Foot Wears
- 1.4 Dry Wood Floors Immediately After Wet Mopping
- 1.5 Clean All Spills On Your Wood Floor Immediately
- 1.6 Remove Wax Or Polish Coating From Your Wood Floor
- 1.7 Use Appropriate Cleaning Products
- 1.8 Use Oil Finish
- 1.9 Place Rugs On Slippery Areas
- 1.10 Sand and Refinish your Wood Floor
- 2 Conclusion
Use Anti-Slip Coating
Anti-slip wood floor coatings are commonly used both outdoors and indoors. Anti-slip products normally require a double coat which is spread thinly.
Each coat should be allowed to dry (about 10 hours). And also, the coating must not affect the wood floor’s color. Waterproofing wooden floors also make it easier to clean water spills on wood floor thereby making the floor safe to walk on.
Keep Your Wood Floor Clean
Sweeping your wood frequently can aid in decreasing the accumulation of debris. This debris which includes pet hair, food crumb and dust can make up a slippery loose surface layer on your wood floor.
That said, regular cleaning of your wood floor, especially with a microfiber mop, is very important in preventing a slippery wood floor.
Put On Appropriate Foot Wears
As obvious as this instruction is, it is still worth mentioning as regards preventing slipping on wood floors. You should put on footwear that will not ease slipping on wood floors. Avoid high heeled shoes or socks; instead, put on house slippers or rubber-soled sports trainers.
Dry Wood Floors Immediately After Wet Mopping
Woods floors are wet during and immediately after wet mopping with a wood floor cleaner or water. Immediately after wet mopping, use a clean and dry cloth or towel to wipe and dry out any pool or film of water on the wood floor.
When you are drying the wood floor, put a caution sign on the floor showing other people to tread with caution or avoid the area for the time being. Drying wood floors immediately is also a good approach to also avoiding mold on hardwood floor.
Clean All Spills On Your Wood Floor Immediately
Apart from leaving a stain spot on your wood floor, spills can make your wood floor slippery. So water and oil-based spills on your wood floor should be cleaned and dried out as soon as they are spotted.
Leaving this spill on your floor does have a great disadvantage and can result in white spots on hardwood floors, ensure to get them cleaned immediately.
Remove Wax Or Polish Coating From Your Wood Floor
Although waxing or polishing wood floor can make the floor to regain splendor, some waxing and polishing products can leave a slippery residue on your wood floor finish after repeated usage.
Therefore you have to remove old wax or polish from your wood floor. You can do this by using a solution of white vinegar and water.
Mix two parts of water with one part of white vinegar in a bucket. Dip a soft texture mop into the solution and wring out excess solution. Use the mop to remove the wax or polish film.
Then, use another cloth, moist with water to clean up vinegar from the floor. Let the floor dry. You might have to repeat this procedure if you are tackling a large buildup of wax or polish.
Use Appropriate Cleaning Products
Some cleaning products, after being used, leave a dull and slippery residue on your wood floor. Take time to research, enquire and observe the characteristics of cleaning products before using them on your wood floors.
You can test a cleaning product by using it on an inconspicuous part of your wood floor for some time. If the cleaning product leaves a dull and slippery residue on your wood floor, stop using it and see how you can get rid of the residue.
On the other hand, if the cleaning product does not leave a slippery residue on your wood floor, you can go ahead to use it. We recommend using a cleaning product such as pine sol and windex.
Use Oil Finish
Oil finish penetrates deep into wood and provides an unequaled level of protection; hence, it is regarded as the best finish for wood floors.
It is especially needed in rooms that might be susceptible to changing weather conditions and temperatures, for example; greenhouses.
Professional oil finishes are commonly referred to as non-slip because of their less slippery nature when compared with other wood floor finishes.
Although wax and lacquer finishes on wood floors are cost-effective and attractive, it has been observed that they increase the slippery nature of wood floors. Therefore, to reduce the chance of having a slippery wood floor, use oil finish instead of lacquer and wax finish.
Place Rugs On Slippery Areas
Cover high traffic areas that are known to be slippery with rugs that have non-slip pads. You can also place the rugs in places that are often wet like beneath the sink or under the exit door. At least, this is a temporal solution for the time being.
Place a doormat at the entrance of your house to prevent moisture or any other slippery material from being tracked in.
Interestingly, while preventing moisture from being tracked in, you are preventing your wood floor from scratches caused by soil and debris tracked in under shoes. While this might be a temporal fix, ensure to clean these areas regularly.
Avoid moisture from sitting on your food for a long period as this could lead to wood floor buckling.
Sand and Refinish your Wood Floor
If you have a slippery wood floor, sand and refinish it to make it less slippery. The old slippery finish which has a coat of wax or polish should be removed and a new one should be applied.
Simultaneously, this procedure will give your wood floor a fresh look and an updated protection of the wood beneath. The procedure of sanding and applying a new sealant should be carried out by an expert.
Related: How to make gym floor less slippery
Conclusion
Slippery wood floors should be tackled immediately because of the hazard it poses to people. People can get injuries, dislocations, and fractures from slipping on floors. To tackle slippery floors effectively, practice the methods explained above, and also, always maintain a very clean wood floor.
You can maintain your wood floor by cleaning it frequently, wiping off spills immediately and using appropriate cleaning products to clean it.
