How do you remove calcium from a floor?
In winter, shoes bring in salt and calcium that leave a whitish film on floors near entrances. This residue is abrasive and wears down the finish. Here is how to remove it and keep it from coming back.
Updated
Quick answer
To remove calcium from a floor, first sweep up the salt and sand, then wash with a calcium neutralizer diluted in lukewarm water, let it work for a minute and rinse with clean water. Ordinary soap is not enough: it spreads the white film. Entrance mats that are long enough greatly reduce the problem.
Time: 20 to 30 minutes for a store entrance
What you need
- Broom or dust mop
- Calcium neutralizer (a floor care product)
- Bucket, wet mop and lukewarm water
- Absorbent entrance mats
Steps
- 1
Sweep
Remove the sand and salt crystals dry: rubbed under the mop, they scratch the finish.
- 2
Prepare the neutralizer
Dilute the neutralizer in lukewarm water according to the manufacturer.
- 3
Wash
Run a well-wrung mop over the whitened areas and let it work for about a minute.
- 4
Rinse
Rinse with clean water and a clean mop to remove the dissolved calcium.
- 5
Dry
Let it dry or run a dry mop over it to prevent falls.
Preventing calcium
- Install entrance mats long enough for each person to take several steps on them.
- Sweep and wash the entrance every day during the winter.
- Clean the entrance mats regularly: once saturated, they no longer hold anything.
Mistakes to avoid
- Washing with ordinary soap: the white film spreads and comes back as it dries.
- Using undiluted vinegar on a waxed floor: the acidity dulls the finish.
- Waiting until spring: calcium wears down the finish all winter.
When should you call a professional?
If the finish is dulled or worn by calcium despite washing, stripping and waxing in the spring makes the floor look new again. HygiePro does this in stores and offices across Greater Montreal.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use vinegar to clean a ceramic floor?
On the ceramic itself, a little vinegar diluted in water is harmless, but repeated use wears down the grout joints. On a waxed floor, avoid it: it dulls the finish. A calcium neutralizer is safer.
Why does calcium leave white marks?
Salt and calcium dissolve in melted snow, then crystallize as they dry on the floor. Ordinary soap does not dissolve them: you need a product that neutralizes them.