Just read something about old linoleum that blew my mind

I was looking up how to deal with this super old kitchen floor in a 1920s house in Tacoma, and I found out some original linoleum from back then was made with cork and linseed oil on a burlap backing. The crazy part? If it's in good shape, you can actually restore it with a special wax instead of just tearing it out. I always thought linoleum was just that cheap sheet stuff from the 70s, but this was a totally different animal. The homeowner showed me a corner that was hidden under a cabinet, and the colors were still bright after all these years. It got me thinking about how much good material we might be covering up with new installs. Has anyone else ever worked on a true historic linoleum job and brought it back to life?

3 comments

3 Comments

joelt705d ago

Yeah, we found some in our old place and just gave it a good scrub and wax.

sullivan.spencer5d ago

That's what we did too, and it came out looking brand new!

rosebarnes4d agoProlific Poster

My mom's old linoleum floor looked terrible until we used a mix of warm water and a cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for ten minutes before scrubbing with a stiff brush. A couple coats of paste wax made it shine like it was just put in.