The Simple Science of Neutralizing: How do Chemical Neutralizers Work?

One of Nyco’s most popular winter products is Trax-Buster Ice Melt Film Dissolver. When ice melt is applied to walkways and driveways after snowfalls, some of it inevitably ends up tracked into facilities, creating a white powdery haze on floors. This ice melt residue is both unsightly and damaging to floor finish, so it’s important to remove it as soon as possible.

Trax-Buster works by “neutralizing” ice melt. But what does this mean?

Neutralizing is a chemical process that converts either an acidic or alkaline substance or solution to a neutral state, meaning a pH of 7 on the pH scale. This is a good article to read for some additional information on pH.

Back to Trax-Buster… We know that pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity. Ice melt compounds are alkaline, meaning they have a pH above 7. Trax-Buster is acidic with a pH of about 4. When a solution of Trax-Buster is applied to ice melt on a floor or carpet, it neutralizes and dissolves it.

In Simple Science terms, Trax-Buster molecules and ice melt molecules cancel each other out. The solution that is left is easily mopped up or picked up with an auto scrubber.

And there you have it…the Simple Science of Neutralizing.