Art Works by Karen Fincannon
floorcloths   |   floorcloth maintenance   |   making of a floorcloth  

Floorcloth Information and Maintenance

Floorcloths are very versatile. They can be used in almost any form of room decoration and can come in any size and shape. Most are used as floor decorations, but they can also be framed for the wall. Most of my floorcloth ideas are entirely original, but I can also use photographs to make a custom floorcloth of your pet (like the cat and dog floorcloths below) or anything you would like.

Floorcloth Maintenance

The floorcloth can be cleaned in much the same way as one would clean linoleum. My floorcloths all have been sealed with at least five coats of a water-based acrylic sealant. Wipe the floorcloth with warm soapy water made with a mild detergent. Sometimes I just use a glass cleaning product. Wipe any soapy residue with warm water and wipe the rug dry. Spots or particularly dirty areas can be safely cleaned with a small amount of mild liquid abrasive cleanser. Use cleanser sparingly and wipe it gently over the soiled area, being careful not to scrub too vigorously and mar the acrylic sealant. Rinse and wipe dry.

Avoid the following modern cleaners, which seem to cause problems with floorcloths: oil soaps (they leave a sticky residue); abrasive, gritty cleansers (except in liquid form); alcohol and ammonia-based cleansers.

Despite the flexibility of the canvas, folding a floorcloth can cause cracking in the painted surface or create creases. If storage is necessary, it is best to roll the floorcloth for that purpose.

Most of the floorcloths below are approximately 2x3 feet in size and rectangular. Some of the floorcloths have sold, but can easily be recreated.