greenliving

If you don’t want chemicals or plastics in your paint, you also can go far a casein (milk enzyme) emulsion or lime wash.

Lime wash is a great alternative to painting. It’s natural and toxic free and made by crushing limestone with water to make lime putty. This is then left to mature before being thinned with water to make the lime wash.

The use of caseins can be traced back to cave paintings over 9000 years ago and acts as a great base for oil colors.

If you are using wallpaper, then select one which needs no or low VOC glues. Regular wall paper is produced using PVC. Avoid them like the plague. Instead try a wood based lining paper. Wall covering options are endless- you could select PVC free silk screened paper, wallpaper made from recycled paper, textile wall coverings and coverings made from sisal, stone, straw, bark and wood pulp.

If you are looking at hard materials, fun options include cork, bamboo, recycled glass tiles and wooden paneling.

When looking at wall paper paste alternatives, I found this on care2.com

• 1 cup flour (wheat, corn, or rice)
• 3 teaspoons alum
• water
• 10 drops oil of cloves (natural preservative)

Combine the flour and alum in a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler, set a smaller pan inside a bigger one that contains enough water that can be brought to a boil without overflowing). Add enough water to make a consistency of heavy cream; stir until blended. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened to a gravy texture. Let cool. Stir in the clove oil. Pour into a glass jar with a screw top. Apply with a glue brush.

Makes 1 cup. Shelf life: 2 weeks refrigerated.

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