Shifting into Neutral:
Have you ever walked into a restroom and suddenly felt like you were walking on fly paper? That sticky floor experience most likely means the facility is taking the time to mop with a disinfectant. That’s a good thing. It also means they are using too much of the product, or they are using the product too frequently. That’s not so good. The stickiness can be attributed to the Quaternary ammonia compound (quat) found within the disinfectant. In order for any disinfectant to work properly, it must be allowed to dwell for 10-minutes – resulting in an air dry application method. This leaves a quat build-up that is sticky in nature. Is this a bad thing? Yes, for many reasons. As fly paper attracts insects, dust, and debris so too a sticky floor attracts dirt and soil. It may be germ free, but the appearance of the floor will gradually deteriorate.
Have you ever walked into a building and noticed a white residue coating the entrance matting as though it was an armpit sweat mark? That residue is salt residue which means the facility is protecting its patrons by removing potentially hazardous snow and ice. Again, this is a good thing, but it leads to an unsightly interior. That, in turn, leads to a bad first impression.

These examples are commonplace, but often ignored. The solution is neutral pH. Continue reading →