Nontoxic ways to keep linoleum floors clean

EarthTalk is a Q&A column from E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: I have a new linoleum floor, which I chose partly for its eco-friendliness. How do I clean and maintain it without using harsh or toxic chemicals? -- A.J. Maimbourg, via e-mail Whether you chose linoleum flooring for its no fuss functionality, the soft feel underfoot, its distinctive look, or its green attributes, you definitely want to take care of your investment in an eco-friendly way for the sake of maintaining it for as long as possible while protecting the indoor air quality in your home. Real linoleum—as distinct from synthetic versions or vinyl—is made from all-natural materials, including wood flour, rosins, ground limestone, powdered cork, pigments, jute and linseed oil. As such it is one of the greenest flooring options out there today. The GreenFloors.com website reports that old linoleum—including scraps and remnants from the production process—can be recycled to create new sheets of the stuff. And given that it is made from natural materials, linoleum is practically carbon neutral, and the energy created by incinerating it at the end of its useful life is almost equal to the energy needed to create new linoleum. Given how green linoleum is, cleaning it with harsh synthetic chemicals and maintaining it with polymer-based waxes just wouldn’t be right. Luckily there are alternative ways to help keep your linoleum floor looking good for decades without compromising the environment or shortening your own life span in the process. Melissa Breyer of the green lifestyle website Care2.com recommends sweeping, dust-mopping or vacuuming your linoleum floor frequently in order to cut down on the amount of abrasive dirt around that can build up and mar the finish. As for actual cleaning, she says to use a damp mop with a mild all natural liquid dish soap and warm water. Adding a half cup or so of vinegar to the rinse water will increase shine if that's the look you’re going for. To get rid of scuff marks, Breyer suggests dipping a sponge in jojoba oil and rubbing lightly before wiping up completely. Pencil erasers can also work wonders on linoleum scuff marks. As for what to avoid, Breyer says to stay away from solvent-based products which can soften and damage linoleum. Typical floor cleaning solutions will leave a sticky residue behind, so sticking with something like Ivory Liquid dish soap is the best bet. Also, the best way to deal with tough stains is not by scouring; instead make a paste of baking powder and gently wipe with a wet rag until the stain fades away. In terms of wax, there are several greener varieties now available. Livos' BILO is a paste wax designed for wood, cork, tile and—you guessed it—linoleum. It is derived from beeswax and linseed oil and produces a semi-gloss finish after buffing. Like all Livos products, BILO is made from organic ingredients and is 100 percent biodegradable and safe for humans, animals, air, water and soil. For those willing to commit to periodic occasional maintenance, linoleum flooring should last decades if not longer. And given its relative low-cost and ease of installation, some consider linoleum the “green flooring for the masses.” GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it here or via email. Read past columns here and check out the recent book Earthtalk: Expert Answers to Everyday Questions about the Environment Friend us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter. More from The Daily Green

• (Green) Swab Your Decks! It's Almost Talk Like a Pirate Day
• Green and Gorgeous Remodeling: Eco-Friendly Flooring
• Is Vinyl Flooring Causing Autism?
• Green Products from A to Z
• Do Common Cleaners Have Toxic Ingredients?

Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc  Print This Post

DuroDesign: a green cork flooring supplier

In a previous gwg article, we discussed the 10 must knows regarding cork flooring.  Now to find suppliers near our readers.  Within a week of emailing DuroDesign, I received cork samples and information.  In fact, they sent me samples in each of their six collections and 54 colors.

When the samples were opened, my husband and I poured over the options and were immediately impressed with DuroDesign’s cork line.  Recently, we’ve decided to use cork throughout our future home, except the great room, (unless I convince him to use an area rug).  We found it difficult to choose a favorite, so it appears we will have a few different schemes going throughout our home.

One of the reasons we would choose DuroDesign is because their cork tiles and uniclick panels are pre-finished with water-based polyurethane sealants.  Just because it is a cork floor, doesn’t mean it is necessarily green.  DuroDesign’s water-based finish assures that the cork floor is still green.  When you order their product, the price includes enough water-base polyurethane for 4 additional coats (the stain lasts approximately 4 years), as well as Read more

 Print This Post

10 things you must know about CORK FLOORING & informative cork sites

 Print This Post

Eureka Envirovac: Can A Vacuum Really Be Green?

In today’s marketplace  greenwashing is rampant.  Many companies are purposefully misleading consumers to believe that their products are environmentally friendly in order to catch that ever-important environmentally aware segment of the population.  In such a day, I wondered if there was really a thing as a green vacuum cleaner.

Sure, I’d heard the green benefits of installing a central vacuum system.  Longer life and no bags both equal less impact on the landfills.  With my modest pocketbook, the upfront price of $2000 plus to install a central vacuum system was out of my league.  A portable vacuum was more my speed.

In my attempt to answer this question, the friendly people at Eureka offered to send me their new, green Envirovac to try for myself.  I explained to them that I live in a busy household with two energetic kids, a frantic husband and one crazy cat.   Carpet, hardwoods, linoleum, and drapes are all included in the household.  The brave people at Eureka didn’t seem the least bit concerned.  Game on.

The Eureka Envirovac arrived in a 100% recycled and unbleached box.  The vacuum boasted such environmentally responsible features as an 8 amp motor (33% less energy to operate) and a washable HEPA filter (cleaner air and less waste).  How very green!

Now for the real test.  My eight year-old’s Read more

 Print This Post

Bamboo Flooring: Top 20 things homeowners should know before purchasing

For a long time now, I’ve been in love with the beauty of bamboo flooring.  The fact that it is considered “green” is another bonus.  Yet, I’ve heard many negative things about bamboo floors as well.  Hopefully the items listed below will help answer questions you may have and rectify any possible bamboo misconceptions as well.

• Though bamboo flooring is categorized with wood floors, it is actually a grass.

• Bamboo flooring is considered ’green’ because of its ability to rapidly regenerate.

• Just because bamboo itself is ‘green’ doesn’t mean that your floor is green.  Has a forest disappeared because it was cleared for the growing of bamboo?  Have panda bears relocated because of the harvesting of the manufacturer’s bamboo?

• Ask yourself how ‘green’ you and your pocketbook are willing to go.  Check with a manufacturer and do your homework to make sure you’re getting the “green grade” you desire.  Make sure you know what you’re getting before you pay a “great deal” for it.

Read more

 Print This Post

DirectBuy offering eco-friendly green products for your home remodel?

Can’t say that any of us on the GetWithGreen team used a DirectBuy membership for our remodels, but I will say that some of us definitely were solicited to do so.   This week DirectBuy issued a press release saying that their members have the opportunity to purchase a variety of green products and save by paying manufacturer-direct prices.

According to the announcement, some of the green products available to DirectBuy members include:

• Faucets and plumbing fixtures tat offer low consumption
• Natural cork flooring and underlayments
• Flooring made of renewable natural bamboo
• Lighting and ceiling fans with Energy Star ratings
• Energy Star compliant kitchen appliances, washers and dryers
• Cabinets treated with low-voc, LEED-compliant stains
• Bedroom, dining room, living furniture manufactured by members of the Sustainable Furniture Council; many of these pieces are made from natural fibers, use eco-friendly foam, and contain organic, halogen-free fire retardants.

Being in an urban area doesn’t mean you can’t make ‘greener’ purchases. Living in the city is probably an even better reason why people should be buying green. Unfortunately, there’s no real Read more

 Print This Post

Brilliant recycled glass tile from modwalls

We had the pleasure of meeting with Sarah Graves from modwalls at the West Coast Green show this week.  Modwalls is a a manufacturer of recycled glass tile, located in Scott’s Valley, CA.

modwalls just announced the availability of their Viridian recycled glass mosaic tile modwall glass tile.  The Viridian line is SCS Certified for a minimum of 98% pre-consumer recycled content.  Contents include old windows and windshields.  The Viridian recycled glass tile series comes in two lines: Viridian Pearl & Viridian Industrial.

Viridian Pearl Viridian Pearl Series recycled glass tile consists of 1″ tiles that carry an iridescent sheen.  The display at the show was beautiful.  The tiles are attached to mesh, and carry a price tag of Read more

 Print This Post

Green flooring options, watch and learn about eco-friendly products

Looking for eco-friendly flooring options for your home?  We’ve talked carpet, Marmoleum, bamboo, concrete and more here on GetWithGreen.com.  The team at Designing Spaces produced this nice nine minute video on options that you can consider for your remodel.  Watch and learn about lifespan, recycling, and installation.

 Print This Post

KITCHEN & BATH: Recycled glass tile continues its rise in popularity

GetWithGreen.com continues to see a rise in interest for recycled glass tile.  Our articles on the topic are some of the most viewed on GetWithGreen today.  So we wanted to tell you about Stardust Glass out of Portland, OR, which is manufacturer of recycled mosaic glass tiles.

Husband and wife artisans, Jason and Megan Coleman have extended a family tradition in ceramics by offering a complete line of glass tile.  The tile in varying shapes and sizes is offered as small as 1″ and as large as 4″ square (other shapes are also available).

Recycled content in their glass tile is very high.  Clear tiles are made from 100% recycled glass.  Emerald, Lava, Mercury Red, Moss, Rum, and Ultra Red 87% recycled content, and all other colors are 98%.  Jason and Megan claim that their kiln process which fuses the glass tile is more efficient than a furnace.

 

Prices range from $35-75 per square foot retail.  You can purchase the products from a host of stores in Oregon, Texas, and our favorite in the Bay Area – Ecohome Improvement.

Come on, with such rich sounding color names as Lava, Mercury Red, and more, it just tempts you to take a look!

 Print This Post

FLOORING: FLOR offers new Martha Stewart modular carpet tile designs

FLOR, the modular carpet company that offers a ‘Return & Recycle’ program, has just made available their new Martha Stewart Floor Designs.

FLOR, teamed up with Ms. Stewart to create Martha Stewart Floor Designs. Interior design a la Martha Stewart is now even more accessible to the DIY set.

Derived from Ms. Stewart’s personal collections and her own homes — Lily Pond in the New York Hamptons, Skylands in Maine, Turkey Hill, built over two centuries ago in Westport, Connecticut — Martha Stewart carpet collections, now include carpet tiles from FLOR. FLOR’s Martha Stewart Floor Designs, available in a variety of styles, colors and textures, are a good start for budget-conscious DIY’ers who want to create tranquil and intimate bedrooms, vibrant family rooms and warm, inviting living areas, says the FLOR team.

The Martha Steward carpet styles come in 9 different collections with multiple patterns in each collection.  Pricing ranges $5-6+ sq. ft, and the carpet tiles can be purchased directly from the FLOR website, or various FLOR retail outlets.

 

 

 Print This Post

Next Page »