can one restore real lino?

[mrsflibble]

we've found some gorgeous REAL lino tiles under the carpet in the livingroom.... is there an ything we can do to restore them? they'rer kind of dried up but not cracked. I was thinking, give them a thorough clean, then run in linseed ioil, leave to soak for a few hours and clean off with white vinegar, then repeat the process....? sort of like the method used for doing french polishing with turpentine and shellac; only instead of wood it's lino, an instead of turps and shellac it's vinegar and linseed oil.....?!

ta for any input!

[Ellendra]

If they're dried, I'd suggest avoiding soaps and such until after you have them well-hydrated again. Maybe a dry brush or broom to get any loose stuff off, then oil thoroughly. I'm not an expert, though.

[Green Aura]

Hi Mrs F
Great news about the floor - I love real lino.
Did a quick google - couldn't find much, but a few things stood out.
1) Has the lino been waxed (older housewives loved waxing their floors ) - you'll have to get all that off before you restore them - but you may find that once the wax is gone the lino's not as bad as you first thought.
2) I saw ammonia, oxyclean and various other suggestions for cleaning all the crud off - but you might need to find some hidden areas and do test patches.
Post photos when done so I can drool with envy.

[LBR]

I've heard of using turpentine and milk on those old floors. I did a google but didn't see anything about how to restore an old floor in DIY. I'll keep checking.

[MKG]

I can't be of direct help, but you have to be right about the linseed oil - as the name suggests, that's what linoleum was made from in the first place. Except, of course, you'll need to allow it to soak in rather than getting it straight back off.

At a guess, I'd suggest putting a few drops of linseed oil on the surface in an out-of-the-way place and leaving it for a day. If it soaks in, you won't have to worry too much about any wax surface treatment. If it doesn't, then there IS a surface coating that needs to be taken off. Don't worry about taking the pattern off the surface when you're cleaning - apparently, with lino, any design and colour goes all the way through.

Best of luck.

[mrsflibble]

thanks peeps. it extends about 3ft into the room and the rest has been pulled up Iove lino!