How To Make Kitchen Floor Less Slippery [With 5 Simple Methods]

You might think at first that a slippery floor is just a nuisance, but according to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), one million people visit an emergency room per year due to slipping and falling. Numbers like this underscore the dangers of slippery floors. To help you protect yourself or someone you love from ending up in the emergency room, we are going to give you some advice on how to make your floors safer. We have some basic suggestions you can follow to make your kitchen floor less slippery and much safer.

There are steps you can take, even if it seems like your floors are just naturally slippery:

  1. Keep it dry
  2. Sweep regularly
  3. Use the correct cleaning products
  4. Wash with a vinegar solution to remove old buildup that can cause slipperiness
  5. Dry the floor after mopping and whenever you have spills

Now that we've given you the basics, we will go into a bit more detail on why each step is important. It might be easy to think you could skip one, but they all work in tandem to keep the floors slip-free. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's worth it if it keeps you or someone you love from falling and being hurt. Keep reading for a little more info on each step.

A low angle view of a man mopping the floor in his kitchen, How To Make Kitchen Floor Less Slippery [With 5 Simple Methods]

5 Methods To Make Your Kitchen Floor Less Slippery

1. Keep It Dry

Soggy cereal and milk spilled onto waterproof luxury vinyl hardwood floor

Water or other liquids are the most likely to cause your floors to be slippery. Be careful to avoid tracking water through your kitchen. It is also important that you clean up spills immediately and completely when they happen. Making sure that any residue from a food spill is also washed away and the floor dried. Putting it off until you finish something else can cause an unsuspecting person to come into the room and slip and fall.

2. Sweep Regularly

Grandfather and his three year old grandson mopping and sweeping the dining room floor

Since dust and dirt will make it difficult for your feet to grip the floor it is very important to sweep daily. If you have a lot of dust or dirt on the floor, you greatly increase the chances of someone falling. It is a simple way to make your kitchen safer.

3. Use The Correct Cleaning Products

Hand of man wearing orange rubber gloves is used to convert scrub cleaning on the tile floor

Make sure what you are using to clean your floors is the best product for the job. Using the wrong cleaner can lead to buildup on your floors. This buildup can seem invisible but still makes your floors slippery. Also, if you have moved into an older place, it's good to follow the next step on the list as part of your move-in cleaning.

4. Wash with a vinegar and water solution to remove old buildup

A sponge mop cleaning a path across a dusty wood floor

To get rid of the slippery buildup of old cleaning solutions, you should clean your floors periodically with a solution of vinegar and water. The vinegar will cut through the buildup of old product on the floor and leave you with a clean, fresh, and not slippery floor. If you still want to use disinfecting cleaners that may leave residue, you can alternate between using those and using a vinegar solution. This way, you avoid the buildup that can make your floor slippery.

5. Dry floor after mopping and whenever you have spills

Cleaning the floors with a mop

While you can let your floor air dry after mopping, it is better to actually dry the floor yourself. You can do this with a dry mop or an old towel. By drying the floor yourself, you find and remove any spots that are especially damp. You also spot puddles that might not adequately air dry.

If you follow these basic rules, you will reduce the danger of slipping and keep your kitchen in top shape. That said, we understand that the problem may go beyond the basic solutions. If you are looking for some more specific or in-depth answers, keep reading for more advice.

How do I make my laminate kitchen floor less slippery?

Maybe you have followed all the steps above. You always wipe up spills and keep the floor dry and clear of product residue. You sweep daily, sometimes more than once, and still, you find yourself slipping and sliding. All hope is not lost. Before you tear up your floors and replace them, try a spray that adds grip to your floors.

See this Slip Doctors Extra Fine Clear Spray on Amazon by clicking here.

How do I keep my kitchen floor dry?

Having the correct mats in your house will help you keep your kitchen floor dry. Keeping on top of wet spills or splashes from the sink and water tracked across the floor from outside is a constant battle.

In both of these cases, having the right mat will keep your floor dry. A mat in front of the sink will soak up excess water or inadvertent splashes that occur while washing dishes or loading the dishwasher. This set by KMAT can be found at Amazon by clicking here.

Placing a doormat in front of your kitchen door and reminding everyone to wipe their feet will protect your floor from excess water. This DEXI Indoor Doormat is a great option. It is low profile so it won't catch under your kitchen door when opening and closing. It is also non-slip, absorbent, and machine washable. You can find it at Amazon by clicking here.

Which flooring is less slippery?

Hardwood floors and low pile carpeting are two less slippery alternatives but are still in line with what you want your house to look like. Although since kitchens or bathroom areas have more exposure to water and dampness, waterproof non-slip vinyl tiles might be better.

A good one to try is these Dark Gray Marble Non-Slip Vinyl Tiles made by Auxua. You can find them on Amazon by clicking here.  A great thing about these is that they are also removable if you decide later you want a different look.

How do you get rid of slippery tile floors?

Photo of multiple doors with golden door knob

To get rid of slippery tile floors, you could cover them with rugs or carpet runners. Although, this isn't an ideal solution for a kitchen. There is another solution that will keep you safe from falls while still being able to show off your beautiful tile.

Since the condition of the tiles makes the floor slippery, all you have to do is change the condition of the tiles. This may sound easier said than done, but there is a DIY product that does just that. It works by creating microscopic holes and grooves in the floor so that your feet are able to grip better.

One of these is Stone Grip which is available here at Amazon. You can keep the look you love without the danger of falling.

How do I stop my vinyl floor from being slippery?

Empty white tabletop with blue armchair standing on the concrete floor with geometric patterned carpet

Vinyl can be among the slipperiest of floor surfaces. For instance, if you have it in your bathroom, it can be a danger since it is almost impossible to ensure the floor stays dry. While you can apply a non-slip floor treatment like the ones we've mentioned above, there is another option for smaller spaces.
This anti-slip tape can be found at Amazon by clicking here.  It is clear and is a great option if you only want to do something about the most high-traffic areas. It can also be a temporary solution that you can put down quickly.
In cases where someone has become more prone to slipping, you can immediately make their path safe. Plus, it also has the added bonus of being removable without a trace. This is especially good if you are renting and can't make any permanent changes.

In Closing

We've given you some potential solutions to your problem of slippery floors and potential accidents. What solution is best really depends on what you want to achieve. If you love how your floor looks, you probably won't want to cover it up with rubber mats or non-stick tiles. In that case, the floor treatment might be the way to go.

Remember, it may not even come to that. If you try our first five steps, you may find that it solves your problem completely, and what seemed like an unsolvable problem will have been solved with no trouble at all.

Check out these other great articles for more advice on your kitchen floors:

How To Paint The Kitchen Floor [A 5-Step Process]

Does Kitchen Floor Need Waterproofing? [And How To Achieve That]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *