Why is the Gym Floor Slippery? And How to Fix It!

One of the most popular flooring solutions in school gymnasiums are vinyl floor coverings such as our BOKER sports flooring. It is most sought after for reasons such as its capacity to reduce impact force while providing many health benefits and presenting ease of maintenance.

However, after a few years of use, we sometimes hear about slipperiness issues in regards to vinyl flooring installations.

Is the flooring faulty or is the slipperiness caused by something else?

In every case, we took a close look at the maintenance routine and discovered that the flooring surface was not the problem, but rather it was the buildup of detergent residue caused by inadequate maintenance. There is also dust that can affect the friction of a floor's surface, so it's important to dust mop the floor frequently.

Rinsing is an important step to completely remove all contaminants and impurities in order to bring the floor back to its original condition. If the floor has not been properly rinsed, detergents leave a residue that causes dirt to stick, bacteria to grow and appearance to dull.

Bringing the floor back to its original condition

Slipperiness issues call for a deep cleaning of the gym sports floor and we recommend the use of a restorative cleaner. These specialty cleaners are made to remove common soiling and even old detergent residues, leaving nothing behind to attract more dirt.

A restorative cleaner can be used periodically for heavily soiled areas or a floor that has become sticky or slippery. The cleaner is made to restore surfaces by removing the many layers of sticky detergent residue left from previous cleanings. In addition, it completely removes stubborn soiling from other sources, allowing surfaces to return to their original appearance and performance levels.

Deep cleaning with a restorative cleaner

•For initial restorative cleaning, dilute the restorative cleaner according to the instructions on the container. Apply to the floor and let sit on the surface without allowing it to dry.

•Machine scrub repeatedly, lifting layers of soil and heavy suds from the floor.

•Vacuum up slurry, rinse thoroughly.

•Once free of detergent residue, you may want to prepare another mixture of restorative cleaner for future use.

Basic guidelines

There is a simple maintenance routine that should be followed in order to avoid any slippery flooring issues. You can follow these 5 basic guidelines to maintaining your vinyl floor. By the way, we are a sports flooring supplier. If you have any questions about sports flooring, don't hesitate to contact us, we'll be glad to help!