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Hardwood floors are not slippery by nature but may have slick spots when a coating of wax or polish is applied or when they’re wet.
There are various measures you can put in place to get rid of slick spots on hardwood floors and reduce their slipperiness.
Keeping your floor dry at all times is a great way to stop the floor from being slippery and accidents that could occur otherwise.
In this article, we will look at how to get rid of slick spots on hardwood floors!
How To Get Rid Of Slick Spots On Hardwood Floors
1. Use Anti-Slip Coating
Apply Anti-slip wood floor coatings on both outdoor and indoor flooring, it usually requires a double coat which is spread thinly, and each coat should be left to dry for about 10 hours.
The anti-slip coating does not affect the wood floor’s color and waterproofs the floors, making cleaning up spills easier.
2. Clean The Floor
The accumulation of debris such as pet hair, food crumb, and dust can make your hardwood floor slippery, so sweeping and keeping your wood clean at all times is very important.Â
Clean your hardwood floor regularly with a microfiber mop; this should prevent the formation of slick spots in the first place.
3. Dry The Floors Immediately After Wet Mopping
After wet mopping your hardwood floor with a wood floor cleaner or water, dry it thoroughly with a clean and dry cloth or towel, removing any pool or film of water that is left on the wood floor.
Drying your hardwood floors immediately after mopping also helps to avoid mold growth on the floor.
4. Clean Up Spills Immediately They Occur
Water and oil-based spills on hardwood floors should be cleaned and dried out immediately they occur as they can stain your wood floor and make the floor slippery.
5. Remove Wax Or Polish Coating
Waxing or polishing wood floor can make the floor lustrous again, but some waxing and polishing products can leave a slippery residue on your wood floor finish after repeated usage.
So, you’ll need to remove old wax or polish from your wood floor, which you can do using a solution of white vinegar and water.
In a bucket, combine two parts of water with one part of white vinegar. Saturate a soft texture mop with the solution and start mopping the hardwood floor to remove the wax or polish film.
Then, with another clean cloth dampened with water, clean up the vinegar from the floor and allow it to dry completely.
You can repeat this procedure if you are dealing with a large buildup of wax or polish.
6. Use The Right Cleaning Products
Certain cleaning products leave a dull and slippery residue on your hardwood floor when used.
So before using any product, carry out proper research and observe the characteristics of the cleaning products by spot testing them on an inconspicuous area of the floor.
If the cleaning product leaves a dull and slippery residue on your floor, discontinue use and see how you can remove the residue.
If the cleaning product does not leave a slippery residue, you can use it.
7. Use Oil Finish
Oil finish is regarded as the best finish for hardwood floors because they penetrate deep into the wood and provides an unequaled level of protection.
They are best suited for areas susceptible to changing weather conditions and temperatures, such as; greenhouses.
Professional oil finishes are also known as non-slip because they are less slippery in nature compared with other hardwood floor finishes.
8. Place Rugs on Slick Spot
You can place an area rug over slick high traffic areas that are known to be slippery.
You can also place rubber-backed rugs in places that are prone to moisture, such as underneath the sink or under the exit door.
But this should be used as a temporal solution as allowing moisture to sit on your floor for an extended period of time could cause the wood to buckle.
9. Sand and Refinish the Floor
A more lasting solution to slippery hardwood floors is sanding and refinishing. This removes the old slippery finish alongside the wax or polish coat on the floor, and a new one should be applied.
This procedure not only gets rid of slick spots but also gives your wood floor a brand new look and a fresh layer of protection over the wood.
If you do not have proper woodworking skills, you might want to leave the procedure of sanding and applying a new sealant to an expert.
Conclusion
The numerous ways to get rid of slick spots on hardwood floors were discussed in this article.
From giving your floor a good wipe down to sanding and refinishing the floor, you can implement any of the methods that work best for your floor.
