How to avoid and deal with slippery dance studio floors
The biggest complaint regarding movement floor surfaces is that they get too slippery. The second biggest complaint is that they also get too sticky. How can this be? There are three answers:
PERSPECTIVE, ENVIRONMENT, and MAINTENANCE.
Every movement activity has an ideal co-efficient of friction that provides optimum performance and safety. Unfortunately, it is different for every discipline. Differing footwear and activities change your PERSPECTIVE on the dynamics of your flooring surface.
Tappers like fast floors. Ballroom dancers, fitness and athletic participants prefer even faster floors. Ballet dancers like slow floors. Faster floors have less coefficient of friction. It all depends on what you do. If your floor is fast or slow, it is always somewhat dependent on your perspective.
The key to adjusting the floor to meet your movement needs is to assess the condition and maintenance of your floor. In many cases, floors get slippery or sticky because they are not being cleaned properly, or not being cleaned at all. In many other cases, humidity which is too high or too low, will cause of a floor to be too slippery as well.
First, clean the floor on a regular basis. Does the floor perform better right after cleaning then deteriorate over time? If so, clean the floor more often. Use a detergent, degreaser or manufacturer recommended cleaning product. Many home cleaning agents contain chemicals that make floors more slippery, so be careful.
Check your HVAC system, insuring the temperature and humidity are under control. Both can cause major changes in coefficient of friction. Use a dehumidifier overnight if humidity is an issue.
Dry mop the floor daily. If you find that your floor is still too slippery, Stagestep offers two recommended products that make floor surfaces less slippery or slower:
ProClean NS and Slip NoMor 2000C.
ProClean NS, a multi-purpose cleaner and non-slip agent. (See page 14 for pricing and page 8 for instructions.)
SLIP NOMOR 2000C
Floor finishes have a profound effect on how fast or slow your floor responds to movement. Always test a small of your floor before applying the product to the entire floor.
There are a variety of ways to adjust the coefficient of friction on floors designed for professional movement.
Slip NoMor 2000C, the original “liquid rosin”, is applied only after the floor is cleaned. With a dedicated mop and bucket, apply to floor at the desired concentration. If concentration is too strong, it will have a reverse effect and cause the floor to become more slippery. Remove with clear hot water prior to cleaning floor with a degreaser/ detergent such as ProClean. Then, reapply after cleaning. Be careful to follow directions, use separate mops and bucket, and you should have good results. Do not apply Slip NoMor 2000C repeatedly without rinsing first. Again, follow directions or call us for additional information.
General Directions
Mix 1 ounce of Slip NoMor 2000C per 20 ounces of water, or approximately 6 1/3 ounces of Slip NoMor 2000C to one gallon of water. For less slippery floors, decrease the ratio and mix 1 ounce per 22 ounces of water, or approximately 5 3/4 ounces to 1 gallon of water. Apply with a damp mop and allow to air dry. Do not flood mop.
Slip NoMor 2000C must be removed with a hot water rince prior to any wet mop cleaning.
Note:
Slip NoMor 2000C is not to be used on the same floor as ProClean NS. Slip NoMor 2000C must be removed per instructions with a hot water rinse before cleaning.
Use a detergent/degreaser such as ProClean or ProClean D for disinfection.
A dedicated mop and pale should be used when applying and removing SlipNoMor 2000C. If you intend to use them for other purposes, be sure to clean them twice with a mild detergent and hot water.
