Why Wood Flooring Is Slippery -- And How You Can Fix It

You’re walking across your floor, but you notice that it’s a bit slippery — which is a common occurrence! Oftentimes, many homeowners complain of slippery floors, and how it’s difficult to walk across with socks on. In other cases, it can also be dangerous on stairs and for younger children. To combat this issue, you must first assess why your floor is slippery, and how you can prevent it. Below is our cheat sheet and how you can remedy the situation before it becomes an issue!

The reason your hardwood floor might be slippery deals with the finish, and the chemicals you’re using to finish it. A high shine floor is certainly not for everyone, and may yield the results you’re worried about. If you’ve got kids and want to keep a less slippery look, it’s best to coat it with a matte or polyurethane coating — just to be safe.

When you’re cleaning your floor, it’s also important to note the amount of chemicals that go into the cleaner. These cleaners can leave a slippery, high-gloss film that can be dangerous to anyone walking or running across it. In an effort to prevent that from happening, look for non-slip cleaners and chemicals that are both safe for the floor, and prevent anyone from sliding around.

One of the other options is to use vinegar on your floors to clean it, because of the lack of chemicals in this natural cleaner. Make sure that your floor is clean and free of debris beforehand, and then dilute it into water! Mixing about one cup per gallon of water is perfect, and will effectively get the job done — just make sure to dry it quickly!

The last ditch effort would be to insert mats and runners to eliminate slipping in high traffic areas until the shine wears down and you can reapply the next matte coating.

Of course, when the time comes to reapply a finish or clean your floors, you’ll need the right tools to get the job done! Make sure you head over to Hall Flooring for everything you need!