How to Clean Linoleum Blocks Without Ruining Them – Essential Tips for Linocut Artists
A small mistake during cleaning can have surprisingly big consequences and can be incredibly frustrating. If you rinse your linoleum block under running water, you risk warping it or even making it unusable.
Traditional grey or brown linoleum has a backing layer made of jute fibers.
If this backing becomes fully or heavily saturated with water, the fibers contract as they dry.
The result? The block starts to warp and curve upward – almost as if it dries crooked.
Unfortunately, this is very difficult to reverse. Printing with a warped linoleum block is frustrating and imprecise, and the only real fix would be mounting it onto a rigid surface. But it doesn’t have to come to that.
How to Clean Linoleum Plates Properly
You don’t need running water to remove ink after printing.
A bowl of water, a sponge, and some dish soap are enough – assuming you’re working with water-based inks, of course! My recommendations for beginner-friendly inks are here.
Extra tip: An old towel or dishcloth is perfect for cleaning — but not as you might expect. Place your lino block on top of it to prevent moisture from soaking into the jute fibers!
A box with water and a spray bottle
Dish soap or a simple bar of soap
Thin dish sponges and cloths
Proper Storage = Longer-Lasting Plates
Proper storage is just as important. Linoleum blocks should be kept flat and dry.
That way, they won’t bend or collect dust on the surface.
If you print often, it’s worth setting up a dedicated drawer or folder to store your blocks — neat, accessible, and protected. I store them in plastic boxes called “SAMLA” from IKEA.
More Tips in My Online Course
In my online linocut course, there’s an entire module dedicated to cleaning and storing your printing tools.
In three video lessons, you’ll learn:
✔ How to set up a practical, space-saving cleaning station
✔ Simple rules to keep your tools in perfect shape
✔ The best way to store your materials for long-lasting quality
I’d love to welcome you to my course and guide you on your creative journey into the colorful world of linocut!
Linocut Tool Guide
Still unsure which tools and products you need for your lino printing starter kit? Just download my guide with product recommendations for linocut beginners – on 6 pages I list all the materials and tools I need to make my colorful prints – and you can do it too!