Specialist Care for Linoleum and Marmoleum Surfaces
Linoleum is a natural, sustainable floor choice, but its linseed oil base makes it sensitive to the high-pH chemicals often used on vinyl.
Technical expertise on cleaning natural linoleum without causing 'ph-shock' or damage.
Unlike PVC-based vinyl, Linoleum (often known by the brand name Marmoleum) is made from natural materials like linseed oil, wood flour, and jute. This makes it a fantastic eco-friendly choice, but it also makes it a 'living' product that can be damaged by the wrong cleaning methods.
If you use a high-alkaline 'stripper' on linoleum, you can permanently damage the linseed oil bond, leading to a floor that is brittle, discoloured, and prone to cracking. We use pH-neutral, linoleum-safe systems that respect the material's unique chemistry.
Linoleum has been used in commercial and institutional buildings for well over a century, and many older schools, libraries, and civic buildings still have original or long-standing installations. Its natural bacteriostatic properties, which come from the oxidised linseed oil itself, made it a popular choice for hospitals long before modern vinyl existed, and that heritage is often reflected in the floors we're asked to restore today.
- Natural material requires pH-neutral cleaning chemistry.
- Prevents the 'browning' and brittleness caused by harsh alkalis.
- Specialist techniques for Marmoleum and other linoleum brands.
- Restores the natural matte or satin lustre of the floor.
- Antistatic and bacteriostatic properties are preserved.
The difference between Linoleum and Vinyl
To the untrained eye, linoleum looks like vinyl, but it's fundamentally different. Vinyl is plastic; linoleum is organic. This is why our technicians always perform a 'composition test' before starting a clean on an unidentified smooth floor.
Our process uses low-moisture scrubbing to ensure the jute backing isn't over-saturated, followed by a light buffing to restore the floor's natural protective 'bloom'.
Restoring worn Marmoleum
If your linoleum has lost its shine or looks 'thirsty', we can apply a specific linoleum sealer. Unlike standard vinyl polish, these sealers are breathable and flexible, moving with the natural floor rather than cracking over time.
Caring for heritage and older linoleum installations
Older linoleum floors, particularly those laid before the 1980s, can be thicker and more robust than modern sheet formats, but they may also have accumulated decades of old wax or polish layers. Removing these safely requires patience: aggressive stripping chemicals designed for vinyl are usually too harsh, so we use gentler, linoleum-specific strippers applied in stages.
Once old coatings are removed, the original colour and pattern of a heritage linoleum floor is often far richer than anyone on site remembers, since it has typically been hidden under years of dulled wax.
- Gentle, staged stripping removes old wax without damaging the base material.
- Heritage floors often reveal richer colour once old coatings are lifted.
- Assessment identifies whether a floor is genuine linoleum or vinyl look-alike.
- Breathable sealers respect the flexible nature of older linoleum.
Why businesses ask us for this
- • Linoleum requires specialist, pH-neutral care to avoid permanent damage.
- • Professional cleaning preserves the natural bacteriostatic benefits of the floor.
- • Avoid high heat and harsh chemicals to prevent brittleness and cracking.
- • Heritage linoleum floors can often be revived by carefully removing old wax layers.
- • Correct fibre identification prevents the wrong chemistry being used by mistake.
Deciding between the two
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