How Grip Guard Anti-Slip Treatment is Applied
Grip Guard treatment is a range of chemical formulations that react with surfaces in such a way as to make surfaces safer wet than dry. It is a treatment that can be applied simply and safely to many types of existing floors. The surface must be porous such as ceramic tile, quarry tile, terrazzo, concrete, brick, limestone, granite and slate. Grip Guard can also be applied to porcelain as found in bathtubs and “steel” bathtubs. Grip Guard will also work on marble, but this must be tested first.
Grip Guard creates a chemical reaction with the pores of the surface to create a ‘tread’ pattern, resulting in a higher coefficient of friction. In other words, it actually increases the friction of the surface, allowing for safer, surer footing. The Grip Guard treatment is unrivalled in its application. It has helped countless individuals and businesses address safety standards set by Standards Australia (AS/NZS 3661.1 & AS/NZS 4586). The Grip Guard treatment has been tested by an independent testing laboratory (ATTAR) to indicate its achievement of relevant Standards.
Test all surfaces before treating
Not all surfaces treat the same (even if they look the same)
Choosing the Right Solution
#1 Surface Preparation
Application Method: Mopped on
Usage: Prepare and clean dirty, greasy, or waxy floors before slip proofing
Needs to be used to prepare the floor when the floor has any wax or grease buildup, or if the floor is at all dirty. If these conditions are not present you can skip the preparation cleaning step and go directly to GG#2 and slip proof the surface (only after testing to reach the right mixture). When in doubt, PREP THE FLOOR with GG#1. This will ensure that the GG#2 and GG#3 solutions can work properly.
Once you have finished the preparation cleaning with GG#1, you must rinse thoroughly with water and let the floor dry before applying GG#2. If you squeegee the surface after rinsing, this should be sufficiently dry as long as you have removed any standing or ‘puddling’ water or water in grout recess (with wet vacuum if necessary). A little moisture is O.K.
Note: If puddles or areas of water are left on the surface this will Change the mix ratio of GG#2 when you apply it over these areas.
Mixture: 4:1 to 8:1 depending on the degree of cleaning.
#2 Grip Activator
Application Method: Sprayed on and agitated with bristled brush
Usage: Slip proofing
Test all surfaces to be treated
Area | Ratio |
Bath Tubs | 10:1 to 15:1* |
Tile Showers | 15:1 to 20:1 |
Ceramic Tiles | 15:1 to 30:1 |
Cement floors or ramps | 10:1 or higher per test |
Marble, Granite, Limestone, or any mined flooring | 20:1 or higher (up to 30:1) |
Additionally: When treating floors with GG#2, keep the solution moving using a nylon bristly deck brush on the floors. The will make the solution a little more effective and may work faster.
A side benefit to Grip Guard slip proofing is that it cleans rust off tiles and grease off cement quite well.
#3 Neutraliser
Application Method: Mopping essential to ensure this solution mixes with the GG#2).
Usage: Must be used to neutralize GG#2 after GG#2 has been on the surface just long enough to reach the degree of slip resistance. It is used to stop the process of GG#2 before it “over treats” the surface. Therefore, have your GG#3 mixed in your mop bucket and ready to go so that when it is time to use it, you are ready.
After applying GG#3, rinse surface with clean water using a hose or mop to remove residue. You can go without neutralising only if you can rinse the surface for at least 2 minutes with a hose as in floors with a drain or exteriors. This does not apply to mined tiles such as Polished Marble, Granite or Limestone. These must always be neutralised with GG#3. Works well at 6:1 mixture or higher
Ceramic Tips
Ceramic Tiles will treat with a mix ratio of anywhere from 15:1 to 30:1. (4.1 means 4 parts water to 1 part Grip Guard solution.) The mix ratio required is determined by testing the tile surface.
- When testing a tile surface, all tests should be in an inconspicuous area.
- Put 3 or 4 drops of a 30:1 mix of GG#2 on the test area. (You only need to test a 4 to 6 centimetre spot).
- After one minute, spray with water bottle, then feel for slip proof effect. If there is not effect, dry off with towel and repeat the process, this time leaving on for three to four minutes then test again.
Note: The reason for this testing approach is to determine the durability of the tile. If the tile becomes treated (slip-proofed) within one minute to three minutes, the tile is less durable than average and a 30:1 mix may be too strong. If this is the case, you may be setting up to over treat the tile.
This means you need to test again at a higher water mixture (35:1 or 40:1 etc.), on a different spot, until you reach a time period of 8 minutes or more before the slip resistance is obtained. This will help you to control the amount of slip resistance while still keeping the original appearance of the surface.
If you did not do this test and left this 30:1 mix on the surface at a “too strong for too long” mix, you would be over treating the floor. For instance, if you leave the solution on the floor for eight minutes and it was already treated after one minute, you will have over treated the floor by eight times. This will open the pores of the floor too much. This may change the tile’s appearance and/or possibly make it harder to clean.
Advice on floor cleaning for Grip Guard clients
In some cases floors may be kept grease free using normal cleaning methods. You can help your customers by recommending the following:
- Don’t mix their normal cleaning ‘detergents’ stronger than recommended.
- Warm water should be used when mopping. The warm may need to be replaced several times during each clean. As soon as the water temperature drops, its effectiveness quickly decreases.
- Don’t leave soapy, greasy water to be used the next day.
- Mops, left to soak overnight in Enzyme Floor Maintainer, ensure that a clean mop is used every day. If this isn't done, the same dirt and grease (trapped in the fibers of the mop) will be spread over the floor the next day
Precautions
- Do not spray any of the solution on glass windows, stainless steel or aluminium. It may cause staining!
- GG#2 may discolour countertops.
- Keep all solutions out of reach of children both when being stored and when being used in applications.
- Ensure all traces of solutions are removed by finally rinsing all treatment areas with clean water.
- Take care when walking on areas while they are being treated with GG#2. Residual solution on your shoes could affect untreated sections when you walk on them.
- Ensure all equipment, buckets, mops, brushes etc. are rinsed and cleaned after each treatment.
Extremely Important
-
Test for mixture ratios on all surfaces before you treat them!
- A Test is not complete until you let the surface dry and check the appearance. While still wet or even damp you cannot tell what your finished product will look like.
- Do not over treat surfaces.
- Do not get solutions on glass, stainless steel or countertops.
- Do not let GG#2 dry on any surface you are treating.
- Once you reach the level of slip resistance, stop the process.