Re: Hardwood floors

[Guest guest]

I had all the carpet removed from my apartment because it was moldy

and the wood floors were sanded and sealed. The sanding got rid of

the top layers of mold on the floor but after about a year and a half

the mold has started resurfacing. The sealer is very strong and if

you are sensitive it most likely will bother you for awhile after

it's done. I'm actually thinking about getting carpet back. It's hard

to keep the wood floors dust free. Hope this helps.

>

> We have carpet on top on very nice wood floors. Carpet is still in

very good

> condition and we've never had any pets. However I would like to

start with

> one room and see what is in store for us. My husband removed the

carpet in

> our small basement room just last year without any problems. I

was scared to

> death but it was completely dry and not even a stain any where.

He cut it

> into about 24 " squares including the mat placed in plastic bags

and carried it

> outside. Then we cleaned the floor and painted it. Looks really

nice.

> When we start a room upstairs we will probably do an unused bedroom

or the

> hallway first. My questions is, if the floors are in good shape

can they just

> be washed well and then some type of sealer put on that won't

bother me. A

> friend of mine said she used Orange Glow in her 150 yr. old house

and never

> sanded the floors! She didn't want all the dust and her floors

look beautiful to

> me. May not look like something out of House and Garden but they

very look

> nice and CLEAN!!!

> I appreciate any suggestions from anyone.

> Sue

>

>

>

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>

[Guest guest]

Physicians are pretty consistent in advising people to avoid the use

of carpeting. Dust is always present but can be kept to a minimum

with wood or tiled floors because they can be easily vacuumed daily,

dry mopped and occasionaly washed without soaking. Carpet will hold

dust (and moisture) indefinitely with mold developing after steam

cleaning or other wetting. Carpet also holds in toxins from

people's shoes, a major source of pesticide contamination indoors.

Some people like to have wood floors with washable cotton throw rugs

(careful of slip factor) they can put in the washing machine every

so often. But wall to wall is an invitation to increased problems.

Tile is ideal for its washability of course and the use of things

like portland cement (may or may not work for you) means rapid

drying and avoidance of sealers.

Remember that sealers are very toxic - people have been poisoned by

polyurethane including deaths in some very young children in NYC

some years back.

Laminated floors emit formaldehyde so if you are leaning towards one

of these, consider buying them well in advance of using them and

allow them to outgass in a harmless space for a year.

Barbara Rubin

=====================================================

--- In , " gsgrl2000 " <gsgrl2000@...>

wrote:

>

> I had all the carpet removed from my apartment because it was

moldy

> and the wood floors were sanded and sealed. The sanding got rid of

> the top layers of mold on the floor but after about a year and a

half

> the mold has started resurfacing. The sealer is very strong and if

> you are sensitive it most likely will bother you for awhile after

> it's done. I'm actually thinking about getting carpet back. It's

hard

> to keep the wood floors dust free. Hope this helps.

[Guest guest]

AFM Safecoat's Super Clean.

--- In , " le " <danielletoile@...>

wrote:

>

> What does everyone use for cleaning hardwood floors? 's oil soap

> doesn't make me feel good. Thanks.

>