How to Make Metal Less Slippery? Complete Guide!

Getting to know how to make metal less slippery for the first time could be challenging if you do not know where to start.

But there is a need to do this since slippery metals might cause accidents in the blink of an eye.

When metals become oily, they will move any object that comes into contact even slightly. More friction builds upon the metals than that on the other objects around them, a scientific property known as viscosity.

The slipperiness of metals needs to be controlled and avoided. In this blog post, we will learn how to make metals less slippery.

These are the best methods for improving the friction between the metals and the objects they come in contact with, including our fingers. Sit back and learn these tricks.

In order to make metals less slippery, you need to dust your hand, clean the metal, wear gloves, Knurl the Metal, Combine an alkaline and acidic cleaner, and use sandpaper on the metal.

What Makes Metals Slippery?

Slippery metals, especially those used in making surfaces or staircases, can become a death trap and a venue for recurrent accidents.

Metals, especially aluminum, are highly slippery when exposed to severe conditions.

Here are the effects that make metals such as aluminum highly slippery.

Water

Water is a slipping agent on almost all surfaces.

On metals, water breaks the friction and covalent bonds, making the metals highly slippery, and posing a great risk to the traffic going through them.

Water can be found on these metals due to rain or spilled while cleaning the floor.

The water should be gotten rid of immediately to reduce the risk. The metal should also be left to dry before being reused.

Oils and Greases

Oils and greases are extremely slippery. They are the greatest danger to metals, and their effect on causing slipperiness can’t be compared to any other.

When spilled on metals, oils and greases cause them to become slippery.

Although oil can serve as a metal lubricant, oils and greases pose a great risk when applied in the wrong places, such as metallic pathways where lubrication isn’t needed.

Oil is more slippery because it forms a thin film that is best for lubrication.

Other factors, such as its high boiling point, low freezing point, high viscosity, stability towards chemical oxidation, and temperature changes, make it a good lubricant.

Note: This characteristic of oils and greases causes them to move easily against each other, making them slippery on metallic and non-metallic surfaces.

How to Make Metal Not Slippery

To save you or others the dangers that may befall you if you do not make metals in your homes less slippery.

Below are the highlights of the necessary steps and measures you can learn to know how to make metals less slippery.

These are DIY methods; you won’t need to hire anyone for these easy tasks.

You would be able to remove the slipperiness from your metals in just a few minutes.

Dust Your Hands

We aren’t talking about removing dust but applying dust. You see, dusting your hands while handling slippery metals makes them less slippery.

Dust particles mix with the agents that make the metal slippery, thereby causing friction between your hands and the metals.

Apply sand depending on how slippery the metal is. If it is highly slippery, then do apply plenty of dust.

Dust used to make metals less slippery should be solid with big and firm particles to enhance the friction.

Once there is adequate friction, the metals become less slippery.

Wear Gloves

Gloves, especially those with a rubber palm grip, are highly effective and efficient in removing the slipperiness of metals.

Gloves are made of tough materials that provide friction to the slipperiness, making it easier for the metals to be grasped by the hand.

If the metal to be made less slippery is one to be walked on, you should wear padded shoes with big soles to repel the slipperiness.

While gloves may not be effective if the slipperiness is in excess, they help in the event there is little water or oils and greases or any other slipperiness-causing agent.

Cleaning the Metals

Cleaning the metals is one of the most effective ways to make metals less slippery.

Using the relevant cleansing methods, wash out the agent causing the slipperiness, be it water, oils, or greases.

Washing them out saves the situation and maintains the metals.

Knurl the Metal

Knurling the metals means the metals’ rolling or pressing into a cross-grained pattern of ridges or indentations pressed into a grip.

Knurling makes the metals less leveled by making them patterns that will heighten the grip, especially if the metals are walking tracks.

The pattern can either be dotted or zigzag. So long as it improves the grip between the metals and objects those come into contact with them.

Combine an Alkaline and Acidic Cleaner

Alkalis are any of the classes of generally water-soluble compounds with a bitter taste.

Acids and bases share similar characteristics as much as solubility in water and taste is considered. Both are highly soluble in water with a sour taste.

Tip: Combining two cleaning detergents of both alkaline and acidic nature helps eliminate the slipperiness of the metals.

Use Sandpaper

Also, you can use sandpaper which is a strong paper coated with sand or other abrasive materials for smoothing and polishing surfaces.

Sandpapers scrub the metallic floors to increase the force of gravity and friction that enables any material coming into contact with the slippery metallic surface to stick to it.

These tips come in handy in making metal surfaces less slippery. They work better with the intensity you use while dealing with the metal.

Below are guidelines that will help you deal with the metal to ensure it becomes less slippery successfully.

How to Deal With Slippery Metallic Surfaces

How would you deal with slippery metallic surfaces to eradicate slipperiness?

Here are hints and tips that will ensure you make metallic surfaces totally or less slippery.

Step #1: Identify the Slippery Spot

Step one is to identify the spot that appears to be much more slippery.

You can see slippery spots by carefully walking on them or touching them to see where there is a danger or tripping off.

You can, too, use your eyes to look out for any signs of oils or grease, or water on the surfaces.

Step #2: Fix the slippery area

Step two, fix the slippery area and look out for another area that may be fairly slippery.

The methods you should deploy to fix the slippery part have been explained in this blog.

You can choose from any of the many. Opt for cleaning if both the spot and effect are large.

Note: The other methods can be used in places with a low slipping threat.

Step #3: Risk Assessment

Assess the area and see whether the danger has been taken care of. In case the slipperiness persists, then here are other contingent measures to try out.

Step #4: Use Mats

After cleaning, you can get mats and lay them on the spot with slipperiness.

Mats are a good solution if you are to prevent any further slipperiness that may arise, this is due to water or oils getting to the metals.

Tip: They offer a protective layer between the metal and the feet or hands.

Step #5: Use Signs

Practically, slippery cleaning surfaces, especially where there has been an oil spill before, could be so hard.

To prevent accidents that may occur to people who may not know of the existence of the slipperiness, signs and billboards work well to call people caution concerning the slippery part.

Tip: The billboards should be placed in places where they are visible to everyone, or the area should be completely locked out until the slipperiness is handled.

Conclusion

How to make metals less slippery can be achieved by using the guidelines in this article.

The danger posed by slippery metallic surfaces cannot be avoided, and it is best to deal with the problem before it grows into a crisis.

Is your metallic staircase or kitchen sink slippery? Then these tips will guide you on how to make metals less slippery. Shall they.

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