How do you remove Simple Green?

Question

Some idiot has been "cleaning" the floor of the building I work in's gyms with Simple Green. They have been spraying it with straight Simple Green over and over with no water on static-free black mats. Where I live, the sand blows in constantly and turms it brown, not to mention the fact that anyone who walks into the gym slips, leaves footprints, and when they leave, leave brown footprints everywhere else they walk. How can I get rid of all the Simple Green? And how can I keep the mats clean without the slipperiness and footprints?

Answer 1

I really haven't used Simple Green that much.  Can you pull up a single mat and try soaking it, to see if that is effective?  When using bleach to clean, you generally just use a small amount in water, but should always neutralize the bleaching action by rinsing with vinegar water (not so much vinegar, and then rinse).  So - after trying plain warm water, or following it with a brush, I would try rinsing with vinegar water.  Then try detergent in warm water, and rinse.  Or try baking soda in water, as that will often cut other chemicals.

DO NOT use bleach, as it will probably seriously damage (pock and/or make brittle) the rubber.

Don't do any of the above over a wooden floor.

Another choice would be to seek out and respectfully ask someone who does this work for a living, or check who does this work for a nearby college, university, or professional team or gym.

Answer 2

Clean them with a mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. That will break down the residue and clean the mats--plus it will deodorize and kill germs. Then for regular maintenance, use 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. The vinegar smell dissipates as it dries.