The number one problem with dance and theatrical flooring is “it’s too slippery”. There are plenty of reasons why floors become slippery and unfortunately too many solutions to “fix” them resulting in damage and shortening their life expectancy.
The first problem you may be having is you are dancing on the wrong type of floor. In general, wood, laminate and bamboo floors are inherently slippery because they use a factory finish that is not compatible for many dance activities. These finishes are ingrained in the materials and cannot be removed. In spite of this, many attempt to make the surface more non-slip. In a number of cases efforts fail because some rely on “magic potions” and bad advice that do not work. In fact, they make the situation worse. Coke, rosin, vinegar, alcohol, bleach and solvent should never be used on any dance floor. There are two products that can help. The first is Proclean NS. It is a degreasing and cleaning agent that has a chemical additive that makes all floor surfaces more non-slip over time. In an extreme slippery environment, it may not work completely but will improve the situation. You can use it in lieu of your regular cleaning product. It is easy to use, inexpensive and adds no more time to your maintenance routine.
The second product is Slip NoMor. Used correctly, this temporary treatment solves the problem immediately. Downside, it must be removed before re-application and it lasts up to one week. Clean, re-apply, clean, re-apply. It is twice as much work but you have a surface you can dance on. There are a number of owners who simply give up trying and buy a non-slip dance floor to cover their existing problem surface.
Buy Slip NoMor For Your Dance Floor
Sometimes cleaning your floor with the wrong product can make your floor slippery. Stay away from household products, abrasive cleaning agent and anything not recommended by the manufacturer.
Using plain water will neither clean your floor nor help with the slippery surfaces. In fact, it adds to the problem.
The prime culprit is body oil from perspiration and body lotions the dancers slather on themselves. Water does not dissolve oil. Water and oil do not mix and by using water alone you are spreading the oil over the entire floor surface. What does dissolve oil is a detergent/degreaser. Proclean, a concentrated detergent/degreaser, does the job economically and efficiently.
An often overlooked cause of slippery floors is environmental. Temperature and humidity changes impact both wood and vinyl flooring. Keep humidity between 30-50 percent and the temperature between 60-80 degrees 24/7. If that is not possible, dry mop the floor and get the temperature and humidity within range prior to holding class.
In conclusion: buy the right floor for your use, keep it clean, beware of unapproved cleaning agents and keep the temperature and humidity in check.
