Proficient cleaning of nora floor coverings

Cleaning of nora floor covering
nora floor coverings leave our factory in Weinheim as premium products. Cleaning is not to be disregarded if they are to continue looking good in everyday use for years to come.

Important instructions

Generously dimensioned dirt-retention areas result in an effective reduction of dirt being carried in.

  • Sand, chips and sharp objects can lead to irreparable damage. During the construction phase, the floor covering must be protected with suitable covering material.
  • Initial cleaning must be carried out after completion of the adhesive’s bonding phase, at least 48 hours after installation.
  • Before each wet clean, any loose dirt should be removed using suitable measures.
  • Use cleaning and polishing agents from a specially designed manufacturer range.
  • Do not use any cleaning agents with a pH higher than 12.
  • Cleaning and polishing agents must not adversely affect the electrical properties / function of the floor coverings.
  • Do not use any grit brushes, nor any green, brown or black pads.
  • Single disc machines for the initial or basic clean should not exceed 200 rpm.
  • Do not use high-speed machines over 1500 rpm. Proper polishing requires the use of sufficient protective film.
  • Surfaces with a relief structure (norament 926 arago) or a pastilled surface (norament 825/926) must not be coated.
  • Depending on the premises, it may be useful to use products and processes that differ from the standard, but as per the wash polish manufacturer's recommendations. In doing so, sufficient self-tests must be carried out in order to ensure that the cleaning measures, materials and machines meet the special requirements.
  • Products and processes used must not adversely affect the floor covering and its properties (e.g. DIN 18032 for sports hall floors)
  • Areas exposed to intense sunshine require increased application of polishing agent.
  • Cleaning should always carried out according to the specifications of the professional building cleaners’ association or the methods taught in the building cleaners’ trade

Complementary Cleaning Recommendations

Please find below our complementary cleaning recommendations for different areas of use. Please see also our standard recommendations sorted by floorcoverings.  
Healthcare

Surface disinfectants

Surface disinfectants, e.g. based on quaternary ammonium compounds (QAV), leave behind residues that can lead to stickiness and increased soiling of floor covering surfaces. If necessary, these residues should be removed using suitable cleaning agents. (See also the information of the German Industrial Association for Hygiene and the Protection of Surfaces in Industrial and Institutional Applications (IHO: Industrieverband Hygiene und Oberflächenschutz für industrielle und institutionelle Anwendung e.V.)

Floorcoverings in operating theatres

All materials and methods used must be agreed with the cleaning, polishing and disinfecting agent manufacturers. Drugs, wound and hand disinfectants etc. should be removed immediately if possible. Otherwise, these media dry on the surface and, irrespective of the type of floor covering, lead to stains that can often only be removed using targeted stain treatment (see stain table).

Floorcoverings in intensive care units

Spilled colourless infusion solutions containing the active substance of dopamine lead to brown stains due to reactions with cleaning, polishing or disinfecting agents, regardless of the type of floor. Stains can only be prevented by immediately mopping up the medicine, which is initially colourless. Recent stains of up to 3 days old can be removed by simply wiping them off with conventional phosphoric acid-based sanitary cleaners. In the case of stubborn and old stains, using certain oxygen-splitting surface disinfectants, such as “Dismozon pur” (Bode Chemie, Hamburg), “Apesin AP 100” (Tana-Chemie, Mainz), have proven to be the most effective means of stain removal. These VAH-listed products are sprinkled on and moistened with water. The exposure time is at least 10 to 15 minutes. Then mop up the loose dirt without leaving any residue and wipe off thoroughly with water

It is important to work a suitable and highly concentrated wash polish into the floor covering after intensive stain removal as per the manufacturer’s recommendation. The applied wax polish film should then be compacted by polishing (e.g. using white pads).

Cleanrooms

norament® 928 grano ed

1. Initial Cleaning 

a) Installation on screed or concrete subfloors 
  • Vacuum-clean and/or damp wipe using cleanroom approved cleaning textiles. 
  • Wet clean by means of a cleanroom approved single-disk cleaning machine (150-200 rpm) with a red pad and a suitable cleaning agent (see chart for cleaning & care products). Then use a vacuum cleaner incorporating an "absolute" filter for removing the soiled cleaning solution. 
  • Rinse with clear water and vacuum-clean the rinsing water using an aqua-vacuum cleaner incorporating an "absolute" filter

We strongly advise not to use routine cleaners, wax emulsions or self-shine dispersions; as such products may not only lead to a cleanroom contamination but also exert a negative impact on the flooring’s electrostatic properties. 

b) Installation on raised-access floors 
  • Vacuum-clean and/or damp wipe using cleanroom approved cleaning textiles. Both methods should be applied in the same way.
  • Spray clean by means of a red pad (150-200 rpm) using a suitable spray cleaning agent e.g. „Taski omni strip“ (Diversey GmbH), „Bendurol Top Stripper“ (Ecolab GmbH). 
    Use cleanroom approved single-disk cleaning machines only. 

2. Routine cleaning 

  • Vacuum-cleaning may have to be performed occasionally. The use of a vacuum-cleaner incorporating an "absolute" filter is compulsory. 
  • Damp wipe using cleanroom approved cleaning disposable textiles, wiping cloths or mops with a mixture of de-ionized water and Isopropanol. 

3. Intermediate cleaning 

Please refer to the initial cleaning procedure for intermediate cleaning.

4. Cleaning agents for cleanrooms

  • Below listed cleaning agents are to be understood recommendations by German based manufacturers. 
  • Depending on the specific cleanroom’s properties, it might be reasonable to use different cleaning agents and procedures as per the manufacturer’s recommendation. 
  • Other non-listed cleaning agents might be suitable as well, however, the product specific information and manufacturer’s advice must be followed closely! 
Tabel cleaning agents for cleanrooms

Cleaning double floors

In the case of double floors, the plate elements are only butt jointed against each other and are not absolutely leakproof. Normal wet cleaning procedures must therefore not be used! Ventilation plates: Special care must be taken with these plates during cleaning. 

Initial cleaning

Remove loosely adhering dirt by using suitable, dry procedures.

Cleaning with the spray method and using a red pad.

Cleaning agent:
Special spray cleaners or cleaning agents suitable for spray cleaning must be used. The proper method of application is shown in the manufacturer’s product descriptions. The conductive properties of our nora floor coverings must not be adversely affected by the polishing agents, and suitability may have to be agreed with the respective wash polish manufacturer. 

Continuous routine cleaning

Damp-wiping with damp or prepared cleaning agent fabrics (gauze cloths). If wiping products are used, they can be dry polished at regular intervals with a polishing machine (white pad).

Intermediate cleaning

Thorough intermediate cleaning should be carried out as required after longer periods of time. The procedure is the same as for initial cleaning.

Sports and multi-porpose halls

Before starting work, sufficient self-tests must be carried out in order to ensure that the cleaning measures, materials and machines meet the special requirements for sports halls. Hard coatings must not be used on nora rubber floor coverings! The products and procedures used must not adversely affect the floor covering and the slide friction coefficient (tested according to DIN 18 032, part 2).

Initial cleaning

See the corresponding floor covering.

Initial polishing treatment

Initial polishing treatment as per the recommendation for the respective floor covering

Only products suitable for sports halls may be used. You must obtain approval from the wash polish manufacturer.

Routine cleaning

Routine cleaning should be carried out as per the applicable cleaning recommendations. The chemicals used must meet the requirements for sports hall floors.

Cleaning recommendations for norament steptreads

Steptreads are cleaned in the same way as the procedure provided in the standard cleaning recommendations.

See floor coverings.

Railway vehicles, busses, ships and offshore
Private households and small businesses

The cleaning and care products are recommendations of the cleaning product manufacturers on the German market. 

Werner & Mertz GmbH
+49 (0) 6131 964-2475 

Initial Cleaning
Emsal Kraftreiniger

Initial Care
Emsal Vollglanz

Routine Cleaning
Emsal Pflegereiniger

The above products are available in shops and supermarkets. Information on other country-specific products resp. recommendations can be obtained from our representatives abroad.

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