Expert: Dr. Henry Boyter, Jr. - 1/30/2008

Question
We have a dental office and people are slipping on our floor. Our theory is that calcium chloride we are using for snow and ice is reacting someway with the floor or what we may be using on the floors. COuld the mop we are using that has had bleach on it be reacting with the calium chloride.

Answer
Although the bleach may make things worse, the slippery nature of the calcium chloride is well known.

http://www.lelandpaper.com/usefulinfo.html

It is the reaction of the calcium chloride and water that is the culprit.  Put some of the snow salt in a container with a little water.  You will find it will start getting slippery.  

The way to prevent this is that people must wipe their feet when they come indoors.  Place extra mats down at the door to insure this.  Also, if things get slippery, you are probably using too much of the salt outside.  More salt really does not make things happen faster.  Lastly, rock salt will work well unless your temperatures are getting 20 degrees BELOW zero.  With anything down to negative ten degrees, rock salt will work, maybe a bit slower.  But rock salt will not have the slippery problem.

Lastly, although it may not be needed, during these periods have the staff wet mop the floor first, then use the bleach water.