Case Study: Solving the “Invisible Ice Rink” at a Botany Car Detailing Bay

· The Space: Vehicle Detailing Bay (Dry Zone) in East Tamaki/Botany.

· The Issue: Silicone tyre dressing overspray creating a dangerous “invisible slip hazard” on high-gloss tiles.

· The Failure: Previous cleaners using standard tools were smearing the silicone, creating a haze rather than removing it.

· The Fix: Targeted Chemical Degreasing to chemically break the silicone/wax bond followed by extraction.

· The Result: 100% traction restored for detailing staff and a pristine floor for the cars.

We were called into the dry detailing bay of a high-profile automotive dealership in Botany.

This area is the final stage of the car sales process. It isn’t a wet wash bay; it’s where vehicles are vacuumed, polished, and prepped for the showroom. The floor consists of premium high-gloss tiles.

The problem wasn’t visible dirt. The floor looked clean, but it felt like an ice rink. Staff were walking on eggshells, and the Health & Safety risk for a slip-and-fall accident was critical.

The culprit wasn’t mud or engine oil; it was the detailing products themselves. When detailers spray Silicone Tyre Dressing or apply Carnauba Waxes, microscopic overspray settles on the tiles.

Why the Previous Cleaners Failed: The client confirmed that previous cleaners had tried and failed to fix the slip issue. The reason is simple chemistry: Silicone is hydrophobic. If you use a standard general purpose floor detergent (which most cleaners do), it cannot break the molecular bond of the silicone. Instead of lifting it, the mop or scrubber just smears the silicone into a wider, thinner layer. This actually makes the floor more slippery and leaves a frustrating haze.

We didn’t come to “wash” the floor. We came to strip the chemical contaminants.

The Chemical Breaker: We deployed a specific Heavy Duty alkaline degreaser protocol (Strike Force mix).

• The Science: Standard cleaners were too neutral. We needed a high-pH solution capable of cutting through the silicone and wax polymers to lift them off the tile face.

Agitation & Extraction: We applied the solution and let it dwell to ensure the bond was broken. We then agitated the surface using a Green Foam Pad.

• Technique: Because these are high-gloss showroom tiles, we couldn’t use abrasive grit brushes. The Green Pad provided enough friction to lift the dissolved silicone without scratching the expensive tile glaze.
• Extraction: Crucially, we vacuum-extracted the slurry. If you mop it, you re-deposit the silicone. You must extract it to remove the hazard completely.

The “Ice Rink” effect was gone. We restored 100% traction to the floor, allowing the detailing team to move quickly around the cars without fear of injury. Visually, the haze was lifted, returning the tiles to their original showroom shine.

Is your detailing bay a slip hazard? Standard mopping won’t fix silicone buildup. Contact us for a technical floor audit in Auckland, Hamilton, or Christchurch.