Salt Stain Removal: A Complete Guide to Neutralizer Chemicals

During the upcoming winter months, I often field many questions from Facility Managers trying to find a solution for the ugly, white haze that is left on floors even after cleaning with mops or auto scrubbers. This white film is created from salt residue that has been tracked in all winter or from cleaners that have not been built to deal with ice melt or salts. While most believe that all floor cleaners are created equal, but the truth is that these floor cleaners and scrubbers often lack the additives in their chemical makeup necessary to properly deal with ice melt. Therefore, they quickly are overpowered by the chemicals and when your floor dries, the whole floor is coated with streaks and a haze that is impossible to get up.

Most ice melts (deicers) currently sold are made up of, or a blend of, five different chemicals or compounds — calcium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and carbamide. While most are made with calcium chloride and sodium chloride (rock salt), ice melts are very hygroscopic. This means that they draw moisture to them, holding it in. Separately, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride ice melts often leave behind an oily residue, damaging your urethane and acrylic finishes.

While knowing the complete chemical makeup of your ice melt is unnecessary for most, a basic knowledge is good to ensure understanding. All ice melts are alkaline, which means their pH levels are above a 7 and are less acidic. However, rinses have a pH level below 7 meaning are more acidic, so they neutralize. The acid that is used in the rinses contains H+ ions and a base, containing OH- ions. When H+ and OH- ions combine they create the chemical equation [H+]+[OH-] (H2O or water), and the leftover ions form their respective salts.

The most common mistake that an inexperienced janitor can make is to try and clean up the ice melt or detergent residue is adding more detergent to their bucket. By adding this, the floor keeps becoming hazier by the minute, often concluding that the detergent they are using is inferior. The other big mistake that is often made is considering mixing the neutralizer with the detergent. While neutralizer tends to be more acid, the detergent tends to be slightly alkaline. By mixing the two, they will just end up negating one another.

Salt Removal for Hard Surface Flooring

1. Use a small sweeper to pick up the particles of the ice melt
2. Use a double bucket system to prevent the re-spreading of salt residue on your floors
3. Mix the ES83 Haze Away cleaner to the recommended dilution for demineralizing and breaking down salt deposits
4. If you have a small scrubber this may speed up time – scrub and dry all in one step
5. If you do not have a scrubber and use a double bucket system, air movers will aid in dry times
6. Be sure to follow OSHA requirements for safety – prevention of slip/falls with bilingual wet floor sign

Don’t let ice melt chemicals dull your high gloss floors. ES83 Haze Away is an original formula that re-exposes the shine to floors by removing the white film left by ice melting chemicals at entrances. It will demineralize salt deposits, reduce slip hazards, and help your floor finishes last longer.

When it comes to those ugly salt stains, carpet cleaners are expected to remove them. In the past, they have always used an acidic rinse like acetic acid. With newer and enhanced ice melt compounds entering the market, it’s just not that effective anymore.

I’ve personally had the best results shampooing with a neutral cleaner that breaks down the soil and then using the emPAC Rinse All for the extraction. Thorough rinsing will be needed to get calcium chloride out because it keeps the carpet damp due to its affinity for holding moisture. The carpet will work like a damp cloth, wiping everything it touches.

The picture below expose the common problems with salt tracks on the carpet: