Forbo Floor Care – Sphera
Forbo Flooring Cleaning and Maintenance advice:
The Forbo Sphera homogeneous vinyl collections are easy to clean and maintain, thanks to their highly durable PUR finish.
Initial clean before use
Newly installed floors should not be wet cleaned within 3 days of installation.
Remove all debris, dirt and dust off the floor and clean the floor with a neutral floor cleaner. For larger areas a scrubber dryer or a rotary machine (150-300 rpm) with a 3M red pad or equivalent may be used. Pick up dirty water with a wiper and mop or wet vacuum, rinse with clean water and allow floor to dry.
Regular cleaning
The frequency of regular cleaning method will depend on the amount of traffic, soiling levels, desired appearance, and hygiene standards.
- Remove dust and loose dirt by vacuum cleaning, sweeping or mopping.
- Remove spots, stains and spillages with a damp mop and a neutral floor cleaner.
If required:
- Spray clean the floor with a rotary machine (150-300 rpm), a 3M red pad or equivalent and neutral floor cleaner
Periodic maintenance
The following maintenance actions should be used when needed to maintain a satisfactory level of appearance.
- Remove dust and loose dirt by vacuum cleaning, sweeping or mopping.
- Remove spots, stains and spillages with a damp mop and a neutral floor cleaner.
- Spray Buff the floor with a rotary machine (300-500 rpm) and a 3M red pad or equivalent using a buffable pH neutral floor maintainer to remove gloss irregularities and provide an even appearance.
Best Practice: Tips for effective floor care
General advice
Protect newly laid floors
All newly laid floors should be covered and protected from all other trades during the contract with a suitable non-staining protective covering. Use protective feet on chairs and tables to reduce scratching. Castor wheels should be of soft material suitable for resilient floor coverings (according to EN425)
Use Entrance Systems
As much as 80% of dirt entering a building is brought in by foot traffic. Entrance flooring systems of an appropriate size (ideally more than 6lm) and quality should be used. Forbo Coral or Nuway entrance flooring systems, are independently proven to remove and retain up to 94% of all dirt and moisture entering a building by foot traffic; reducing maintenance costs and maximising appearance retention of adjacent flooring products as well as reducing slip risk. As with any dirt removal system all entrance flooring systems should be regularly cleaned to release the dirt
which has been removed.
Cleaning
- Regular cleaning is more beneficial and cost effective than occasional deep cleaning.
- Use recommended cleaning products. High quality cleaning products and equipment ensure efficient maintenance and represent only a small proportion of maintenance costs.
- Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning products.
- Always follow the Health and Safety guidance provided.
Use of Floor Care Chemicals
The improper use of cleaning chemicals may cause damage and/or discolouration. Overuse or inadequate rinsing of cleaning chemicals may compromise the performance of the floor.
Abrasive powders or cleansers should not be used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I clean my floor?
The optimum frequency for cleaning and maintenance is determined by the way the floor is used. When producing a cleaning and maintenance schedule it is good practice to consider the situation of the floor first: e.g. is it near an entrance to the building or on an upper floor? Will it collect dry or moist soil? What level of traffic will it be subjected to? Remember that light and uni-colours may need to be cleaned more frequently.
Do I need to polish my floor?
The advanced surface finish applied to Forbo Sphera does not require the use of polish.
How do I remove stains?
Remove stains as soon as they are discovered. Most stains can be safely removed using a dry (paper) towel, water, detergent, white spirit or alcohol (in that order). Do NOT use highly alkaline products (ammonia, soda) or strong solvents such as acetone as they can be harmful to both people and to your floor.
| Marks caused by | Removed with |
|---|---|
| Chocolate, grease, egg, coffee, juice, etc. | Neutral floor cleaner in lukewarm water |
| Asphalt, oil, rubber, soot | Cleaners’ white spirits |
| Chewing-gum | Cool with cold spray or ice cubes and scrape. |
| Rust | Oxalic or citric acid in lukewarm water |
If any doubt exists test cleaning materials on a sample piece or in an inconspicuous area.
Cleaning pads, machine speeds and floor care products
Pad codes
The colour codes indicating grades of pads may vary depending on the manufacturer/country
| Task | 3M Pad colour |
|---|---|
| For regular spray cleaning | Red |
| For periodic maintenance | Red |
Note: Blue or green pads are not required for normal cleaning and maintenance. Brown or black pads should not be used on Sphera products
Machine speeds
For machine cleaning 150 to 300 rpm is perfectly suitable. For spray buffing, 300 to 500 rpm is the recommended speed for removing gloss irregularities and restoring the floor’s original, optimum appearance.
Recommended Floor care products
Forbo Flooring Systems recommends the use of a neutral cleaner such as Forbo Cleaner or Forbo Monel. For spray buffing use a pH neutral floor maintainer.
Other floor care products may be used on Forbo Flooring resilient floor coverings. If alternative products are to be used consult with your regular supplier for more information, guidance and warranty.
