Guest Blogger: How to Treat Slippery Surfaces In Your Home

Guest Blogger #796, Entry #1885, November 30, 2012

It’s usually not until someone almost loses their balance in the front doorway or slips and falls in the kitchen that we even consider the kinds of things that we can do to treat slippery surfaces throughout our home. Yet, being that sometimes those slips can lead to bruises or even breaks, it’s definitely a good idea to be as proactive as possible about coming up with solutions that can keep those kinds of accidents from happening.

Image via: Sroka Design

So, what are some things that you can do to prevent and treat the slippery surfaces throughout your home? We’re glad you asked. We have a few ideas below:

Mop your kitchen and bathroom floors regularly.

The kitchen is the one room in the house that is the most vulnerable when it comes to spilling water, juice, oil and cooking grease. The bathroom is one place where body oils and lotions can sometimes end up on the ground as we’re applying them to our bodies. For this reason, it’s wise to mop both floors a couple of times per week with a solvent that is marketed specifically for floors and tiles.

Add a non-slip floor treatment.

Did you know that when it comes to treating slippery surfaces there are non-slip floor treatments that you can buy? Whether your floors are made of vinyl, marble, tile, wood fiberglass or even cement, you can apply this solution and it will make them slip resistant. Some companies that sell this kind of product include Slip Doctors, Slip Tech and Trusty Step.

Use rugs and mats.

One thing that you can do to make yourself less vulnerable to slipping is putting mats down in your kitchen and hallways. That’s because they will help to provide more traction as you move about. Tacky mats, rubber mats and even kitchen rugs are all items that you can use that will not just help to prevent falls, but will add a bit more décor to those areas of your house as well.

Image via:  Chipper Hatter

Get some anti-skid tape.

Something else that you can purchase that will help to create traction on slippery floors is anti-skid tape. It’s easy to use and very cost-effective. However, the one “downside” to going with this option is that the tape is not the most attractive thing to look at. Therefore, you might want to use it in places like the basement or garage more than rooms where you entertain guests.

Keep a dry mop around and paper towels handy.

You might not always have time to actually mop your floors, but your hectic schedule doesn’t keep your kids from tracking in rainwater or your pets from bringing in mud. That’s why it’s always a good idea to keep a couple of dry mops around the main entrances of the house (if those floors are slippery) and some paper towels close by as well. The closer a mop or some paper towels are to you, the quicker that you will be able to get the liquid off of the floor and the less of a chance that anyone will slip and fall.

For more kitchen and flooring ideas on Stagetecture, click here.