Many properties use ice melt compounds designed to reduce the freezing point of water, helping to keep surfaces safer to walk on during cold, adverse weather. However, these compounds are often tracked into buildings where they dry, leaving a white haze on interior hard-surface floors. This haze can become very difficult to remove and if cleaned improperly, can seriously damage the floor's appearance.
 
To remove ice melt from floors carefully and safety, cleaners must first select an ice melt cleaner with a neutral pH.
 
"The product's pH is critical," says Mike Englund, a cleaning industry trainer and product manager for Powr-Flite. "A cleaner with a very low or very high pH may prove ineffective or possibly damage the floor or remove the floor's finish."
 
Once the proper cleaning solution selected:
• Remove all mats.
• Thoroughly sweep or vacuum the area using an advanced filtration unit; utilize all necessary vacuum attachments, such as corner and crevice tools, in order to maximize debris removal.  
• Dry mop the same areas with a microfiber flat mop to remove any remaining dry ice melt crystals.
• Damp mop with a properly diluted, neutral pH ice melt residue remover.
• Rinse the floor with clean water if needed.
• Repeat the process if ice melt remains.
• Implement preventative measures, such as strategically scheduled cleaning and an effective high performance matting system. 

"Ice melt helps promote safety, but it must be applied carefully and properly removed from indoor hard-surface floors," adds Englund. "Keeping it off floors can be a challenge, but using these steps can clean up its residue, help protect floors and preserve the shine."