Actichem Forest Fresh is a neutral antibacterial all-purpose detergent, ideal for cleaning and sanitising bacteria-sensitive areas. It uses a combination of germicides that kill bacteria, along with a pleasant perfume, to effectively deodorise and freshen a wide variety of areas. For areas such as sick bays, hospital wards and change rooms, where odour control is an issue, Forest Fresh makes an ideal all-round cleaner for all hard surfaces. It removes the bacteria that cause foul odours, rather than masking them. This listing is the 5 litre pack, Actichem code RG651.05.
Kills SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) - TGA Australia listing AUST L 374141.
It cleans and disinfects in one operation, so it replaces a detergent and a separate sanitiser on most hard-surface routines. At 20 to 40 ml per litre a 5 litre pack makes roughly 125 to 250 litres of working solution.
Benefits
- Anti-bacterial. Will efficiently kill a broad spectrum of bacteria (Commercial Disinfectant Grade), including organisms such as Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
- Potentiated. Contains an effective surfactant and wetting agent, which enhances the ability of the sanitiser to penetrate and destroy the bacteria effectively.
- Deodorises. Has a fresh, lingering floral fragrance.
- Versatile. Cleans and sanitises in one operation.
- QAC-based. Based on a QAC-type disinfectant (alkyl benzyl ammonium chloride, sometimes known as benzalkonium chloride).
- Surface safe. Safe to use on all types of floors, whether sealed or not. Will not dull polished flooring.
Where Forest Fresh fits
Forest Fresh is a commercial-grade disinfectant and cleaner. It is the right product for routine cleaning and sanitising of hard surfaces in places where bacterial odour is the problem - washrooms, change rooms, sick bays, wards, kitchens, gyms, childcare and aged care floors, waste areas and bin rooms.
It is the wrong product where you need a hospital-grade disinfectant, where you are treating mould rather than bacteria, or where you are deodorising soft furnishings and carpet rather than hard surfaces. Forest Fresh is listed as Commercial Disinfectant Grade, which is not the same thing as hospital grade. If your scope of works calls for hospital grade, use Thymox instead.
Surfaces
Sealed and unsealed floors, natural stone, ceramic and porcelain, concrete and masonry, plasterboard, rubber, timber and vinyl. The neutral pH is what makes it safe on polished floors - it cleans without stripping or dulling the finish, so it suits maintenance routines on sealed and burnished surfaces where an alkaline cleaner would cause problems over time.
Always pre-test the cleaning solution on the surface to be cleaned.
Dilution
| Application | Rate | Dilution |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning and sanitising hard surfaces | 40 ml per litre of water | 1:25 |
| Cleaning and sanitising floors, or general deodorising | 20 ml per litre of water | 1:50 |
| Where large amounts of organic matter are present | Higher than the rates above | Stronger than 1:25 |
How to use
- Read and understand the safety data sheet before use.
- Always pre-test the cleaning solution on the surface to be cleaned.
- Apply the solution using clean equipment.
- Scrub if the soil is stubborn.
- Allow at least 5 minutes of contact time for maximum anti-bacterial efficiency.
- Rinse with clear water if desired.
- Soak bed pans and similar items in Forest Fresh solution for 5 minutes or longer before rinsing.
The 5 minute contact time is the step most often skipped, and it is the step that does the disinfecting. Spraying a surface and wiping it dry straight away cleans it but does not sanitise it. The surface has to stay visibly wet with solution for the full five minutes. On a warm day or a porous surface that usually means going back over the area a second time rather than relying on the first application to stay wet.
Apply the solution using clean equipment. Quaternary ammonium disinfectants are deactivated by anionic detergent residue, so a mop or cloth still carrying ordinary floor detergent will reduce the effectiveness of the Forest Fresh solution. Rinse equipment out before you change over.
Safety
This listing previously described Forest Fresh as non-hazardous. That was incorrect and it has been corrected here. Actichem's current safety data sheet, RG651 version 2.4 issued 9 January 2026, classifies the concentrate as a hazardous chemical.
- Signal word: DANGER
- Skin Corrosion / Irritation Category 2 - H315, causes skin irritation
- Serious Eye Damage Category 1 - H318, causes serious eye damage
- Non-dangerous goods. No HAZCHEM code. No poison schedule. Ships unregulated.
The classification applies to the concentrate. H318 means a splash of undiluted product in an unprotected eye can cause irreversible damage, and in practice that happens while decanting and diluting rather than while mopping.
Personal protective equipment specified in the safety data sheet:
- Chemical goggles, or safety glasses with side shields
- Elbow-length chemical protective gloves - neoprene or butyl
- Access to an eye wash unit wherever the concentrate is handled
If concentrate enters an eye, wash out immediately with fresh running water for 10 to 15 minutes and seek medical attention. If it contacts skin, remove contaminated clothing and flush the skin and hair with running water.
One discrepancy worth knowing about. Actichem's own product page gives the signal word as Warning. Their current safety data sheet for the same product code says DANGER, and so did the previous version. We publish the safety data sheet position because it is the controlled document, and we have asked Actichem to confirm it.
Download the current Forest Fresh safety data sheet (RG651, version 2.4, 09/01/2026)
The sheet previously hosted here (version 2.2, 28/10/2022) is superseded. The classification is unchanged between the two versions, but use the 2026 sheet.
Specifications
| Product code | RG651 |
|---|---|
| SKU (this pack) | RG651.05 |
| Pack size | 5 litres |
| Product form | Liquid concentrate |
| Colour | Green (safety data sheet: clear green liquid) |
| Fragrance | Crisp forest pine (safety data sheet odour descriptor: eucalyptus / pine) |
| pH | 8.5 as published by Actichem and previously by CCW. SDS v2.4 gives a range of 7.5 to 8.5. Both are shown until Actichem confirm |
| Dilution | 1:25 to 1:50 |
| Yield | Approximately 125 to 250 litres of working solution per 5 litre pack |
| Contact time | At least 5 minutes |
| Specific gravity | 1.0 |
| Flash point | Not applicable |
| Dangerous goods | Not classified |
| Signal word | DANGER (SDS v2.4) |
| Pack sizes | Actichem list a 1 litre chamber, 5 litre and 15 litre. CCW stock the 5 litre and 15 litre |
| Vendor | Actichem |
The concentrate is a quaternary ammonium chloride disinfectant with isopropanol and two proprietary surfactants, each below 5 per cent per the safety data sheet. The full ingredient list with CAS numbers is in section 3 of the sheet linked above.
Approvals and certifications
TGA listed, AUST L 374141, to kill SARS-CoV-2 and a broad spectrum of bacteria. We reproduce this listing exactly as Actichem publish it, including the organisms named above. It should not be read as covering organisms or viruses that are not named.
Actichem list Forest Fresh in their Responsibly Green range and describe it as GECA certified. That is Actichem's claim and we publish it as their claim. If your tender or contract requires evidence of GECA certification for this specific product, contact us before ordering and we will obtain the current certificate from Actichem rather than have you rely on a logo.
Pack sizes
- Forest Fresh 5 litre - RG651.05 (this listing)
- Forest Fresh 15 litre - RG651.15
Frequently asked questions
Does Forest Fresh actually kill COVID-19?
It is TGA listed under AUST L 374141 to kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. That listing depends on using it correctly: at the right dilution, on a pre-cleaned surface, with at least 5 minutes of contact time. A quick wipe-over does not achieve it.
What dilution should I use?
1:25, or 40 ml per litre, for cleaning and sanitising hard surfaces. 1:50, or 20 ml per litre, for floors and general deodorising. Go stronger than 1:25 where there is a lot of organic matter present, because soil load consumes the disinfectant before it reaches the bacteria.
Do I need to rinse it off?
Only if you want to. Rinse with clear water if desired. On food contact surfaces, rinse. On floors, most operators leave it to dry so the residual fragrance carries.
Is it hospital grade?
No. Actichem list it as Commercial Disinfectant Grade. That is a genuine disinfectant classification and it is appropriate for the great majority of commercial cleaning work, but it is a different category from hospital grade. If your scope of works specifies hospital grade, use Thymox.
Will it damage polished or sealed floors?
No. The neutral pH is the point of the product. It will not dull polished flooring and it is safe on sealed and unsealed floors alike, which is why it suits maintenance routines where a strongly alkaline cleaner would degrade the finish over time.
Why does the label say non-hazardous elsewhere and this page says Danger?
Because the earlier wording on this page was wrong and we have corrected it. Actichem's safety data sheet, version 2.4 dated 9 January 2026, classifies Forest Fresh as Serious Eye Damage Category 1 with the signal word DANGER. Their website still shows Warning. The safety data sheet is the controlled document and takes precedence, and we have raised the inconsistency with Actichem.
How much does a 5 litre pack make?
Between roughly 125 litres at 1:25 and 250 litres at 1:50. For a regular cleaning round the 15 litre pack works out considerably cheaper per litre of working solution.
What we see in the field
[Technician's Note - replace before publishing: two to four sentences of first-hand CCW field experience relevant to this product. A pattern you see, a mistake customers make, or something learned from servicing or selling it. Not spec repetition, not a sales pitch, not invented.]
Not sure whether Forest Fresh meets the disinfectant requirement in your contract or cleaning specification? Call or email us before you order. We would rather check the grade and the listing with you than have you buy a product that does not satisfy an audit.
