Care recommendations

CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS

Our floor-coverings are provided with a resilient polyurethane surface treatment. This protective surface is important during transportation, but is also effective against potential damage, soiling or staining by impurities during and after the construction phase.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

Covering entrance areas and transition zones with suitable barrier systems offers effective protection against dirt and water, dust and grains of sand which can cause unnecessary scratches and wear. Furthermore, maintenance costs can be reduced significantly and, in the long term, the lifetime and appearance of the flooring can be improved considerably.

Cleaning measures taken during the construction phase to remove sand, dust and other disruptive particles make it possible to avoid irreparable damage. It is recommended that following installation our design floorings be covered with suitable material for the remaining construction work.

FINAL CONSTRUCTION CLEANING

After construction work has been completed, our design floorings are to be thoroughly cleaned, removing any residues or fatty substances left after construction. We recommend sweeping or vacuuming. A basic cleaning procedure can be carried out afterwards by damp mopping or by using a single-disc machine with a white, maximal red pad or a nylon brush. The basic cleaning procedure can also be carried out using a roller cleaning system or a scrubbing machine together with appropriate amounts of alkaline basic cleaning agent. The dirt loosened through this procedure is to be appropriately removed. Areas that are difficult to reach, e.g. corners, stairs, edges etc. can best be cleaned manually with handheld equipment.

Any residues of mortar, stucco or gypsum can be loosened using an acidic-based intensified cleaning agent and then removed with an industrial vacuum cleaner. Adhesive, tar or paint residues should be removed using a solvent for spot treatment. Test with left-over material prior to use. Once cleaning procedures are complete, any residues from the cleaning agents must be completely removed and the area should be well-rinsed with a substantial amount of clear water. Before use it is recommendable to polish the floor-covering using a single-disc machine and a white pad. In areas that are less frequented or in residential use, it is usually not necessary to apply additional surface treatment. The manufacturer’s surface treatment offers a solid basis for routine maintenance.

In this case, daily maintenance should be completed using our ‘Klarwischpflege’, a transparent cleaning and maintenance product providing slip resistance. This product can be used with both manual maintenance procedures and maintenance using cleaning machines. It can be used to polish the flooring with a cleaning machine, if required. The ‘Klarwischpflege’ is available with a silk-matte finish, providing both a cleansing and protective effect.

In heavily frequented areas subject to heavy-duty wear, it is recommendable to apply two treatments of our ‘sealer’ (acrylate-polyurethane-copolymer). This product is available in a silk-matte or silk gloss finish. In order to enable good adhesion to the existing polyurethane surface treatment, it will be necessary to roughen the surface using a single-disc machine and a green pad. The resulting dust must be removed thoroughly from floor-coverings that have coarsely grooved surface structures using a vacuum cleaner. In the case of floorings with smooth surfaces, the dust can be vacuumed away or removed using a special wiping cloth.

Our ‘sealer’ must be well shaken before use and can be applied using a short-napped microfiber mop, a short-napped wool wiping cloth or a short-napped lacquer roller. During application excessive exposure to sunlight and high room temperatures should be avoided, and underfloor heating should be turned off so that the surface treatment can dry free of any streaks and bubbles. Avoid any draught. If conditions are unsuitable, the sealer can be mixed with up to 5 % water before application in order to avoid too rapid drying.

Two applications in thin layers should be made with at least 45 minute intervals. The surface can be polished using a machine in order to make the treatment more compact and enable the surface to be accessed more quickly. The application is to be made crosswise at a 90° offset, whereby the last application should ideally run towards the biggest source of light (window). If the design floorings have coarsely grooved surface structures, the application should be made lengthwise to the grooves. The sealer can be poured directly on to the flooring surface and spread with a mop or a wool wiping cloth or it can be applied from a container using a lacquer roller. Applications should overlap to avoid visible transitions. After about 2-4 hours of drying time, the area can be accessed and after about 3 days it can be normally used. It will take 1-2 weeks before the sealer is completely hardened.

In healthcare facilities the application of a sealer that is especially resistant to disinfectants is recommended as these products are resistant to most flooring disinfectants and, largely, to disinfectant sprays containing alcohol if these are immediately removed from the surfaces. However, it is recommended that these qualities be tested in a low-key area in order to determine suitability on an individual basis. If disinfectant sprays containing alcohol are left on for longer periods of time they may leave white traces or visible damage. These can be removed using a fine pad (white, max. red).

ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

Manual cleaning using cleaning equipment, depending on the amount of soiling, done on a weekly basis or daily basis, is called routine maintenance. This can also be carried out using appropriate cleaning machines.

Our ‘Klarwischpflege’ is recommended for use in water as a cleaning agent and for maintenance. This clear gloss cleaner can be used manually or in a cleaning machine. It can be polished following use. The resulting layer is transparent, matte and slip-resistant in accordance with DIN 18032.

Any substances that could damage the design planks with a PU acrylate copolymer surface treatment, such as dyes, acids or other migrations, must be removed immediately. Depending on the amount of use, design floorings with coarsely grooved surface structures may gather particles of dirt in the grooves which can no longer be removed through manual wiping procedures. In such cases, it is recommended that an interim cleaning procedure be undertaken using a roller cleaning system or a single-disc machine (nylon brush) to loosen up the particles of dirt and remove them. In smaller areas it may be possible to achieve the same result through manual scrubbing with repeated wipe downs.

BASIC AND INTENSIFIED CLEANING

Should the protective surface treatment provided by our sealer be worn off or scratched and thus become unattractive after months or years of use or should disproportionate cleaning be required, it is possible to use a single-disc machine with a green pad or a nylon brush together with an alkaline basic cleaning agent to remove the rest of the sealer. For this purpose, the surface is treated using the basic cleaner in the right mix ratio and machine cleaned after a short, max. 10 min. application time.

The dirt should then be absorbed completely, ideally using a wet vacuum cleaner. Rinse with clear water afterwards to completely remove all alkaline residues and to create a pH-neutral surface. When completely dry, the new sealer can be applied.

GENERAL INFORMATION

For use on our design flooring, office chairs must be equipped with soft type "W" castors in accordance with EN 12529. Furniture should be equipped with felt pads or suitable synthetic pads (e.g. Teflon). The flooring should not come into contact with sharp-edged or abrasive surfaces.

Long-term contact with coloured or black rubber can lead to irremovable discolouration due to migrations from materials. It is thus recommended that appropriate pads be used under washing machines, fridges and fitness equipment.

WASTE DISPOSAL

Domestic waste disposal: like coated pieces of furniture; possible with normal household/bulk waste

Commercial waste disposal: waste code AVV170203