Re: Re: Cleaning wood floors

November 24, 2006

I would use dilute ammonia and just put it on a rag and wipe down.. don't

let it soak in..

Sure, it will dull the finish, but it will get it clean.. Then wax it..

Even if not but especially if there has been a mold issue there remember to

use rubber gloves...

On 11/23/06, barb1283 <barb1283@...> wrote:

>

> These are old fashioned hardwood floors, not the shiny new ones with

> the protective coating on them, so I guess the term would be

> stained/varnished.

>

> -- In <%40>,

> LiveSimply <quackadillian@...>

> wrote:

> >

> > I've heard that the pine oil in pine soap is a natural antifungal.

> > However, I am sure that pine soap does not inactivate mycotoxins and

> >

>

November 26, 2006

Hi Barb,

After having the pleasure of speaking to a few of you this weekend, I would like

to make a comment to the wood floor/crawl post. Many of us here have them, also

many of us here live on crawlspaces. NO! there is no need to jump up and move

because you live on a crawl. In some areas basements are hard to find, homes

are built either on slabs or crawls. If your crawlspace is vented properly, and

the landscape elevation is done properly you will have no problem living on one.

My crawlspace is 30 years old, not one trace of mold or mildew on my wood or

cement in the crawl. It looks like new. My furnace/AC blows into my crawl, and

keeps it very dry. I also have wood floors, and ceramic in my main home. The

sub-floor under my wood and crawl looks like it is new. I have an " ER " back-up

unit on my sump pump, and the barrier on the dirt. The dirt is even very dry.

That is how a well built crawlspace should look. I am also in a high water area

and basements back when this home was built, were not used. So, finding a home

w/a basement is not an option. Yes, some crawlspaces are not the best if not

constructed properly, and the outside elevation is done improperly. But, this

also true w/basements too. You can see this though simply by going into the

crawlspace. It will damp, wet ground, water lines on the cement, and

mildew/mold growing. Enjoy your homes. Just remember crawl or basement, check

on them regularly. If it rains heavy make sure your sump pump is working, and

there is not any standing water.

[] Re: Cleaning wood floors

, I just reread your post and yes, everything in SW Ohio where

I am at is over cement because all houses are built over cement

basements. Some are built over ccncrete cinder blocks. My house is

over concrete cinder blocks and cinder blocks if they get a crack

can hold water and that is what happened to my basement in two

corners (fixed now) but this house has solid concrete basement that

is in good condition and I am on second floor, so if you count

basement as one floor, I'm on third floor but here we usually do not

count basement as a floor. However building has a flat roof but it

is best I can find. Here at hotel I am in a small room shared with

a large moldy a/c unit (I have wrapped) and carpet and toilet with

mold on lid (I have that wrapped also), moving to hardwood floors

and better everything except toilet there is also moldy, and I have

looked at ALOT of places! I'm not happy with place but I can't look

any longer. Landlord is allowing me month to month lease (since it

is hard for him to find tenant in the winter/holiday seaason,

otherwise he normally does not allow short leases), so I'm only tied

to a 30 day notice.

>

> >Does anyone have any advice. I am moving into a small apartment

with

> >wood floors. In the bedroom there was a window air conditioning

unit,

> >that they have taken out of window for winter but I'm sure it

probably

> >sprayed bedroom with mold spores over the summer. Walls have

been

> >painted but any advice on good way to clean wood floors. I don't

want

> >to damage them. I have carpet at home so I have no experience

with

> >right way to clean wood floors. I'm thinking of dry sweeping

them

> >with a swiffer very good and then lightly mist them afterwards

with

> >ammonia? This is what I am thinking but not sure ammonia can go

on

> >wood floors??? Does anyone know if I can safely mist wood floors

with

> >ammonia? I can see for first time why ceramic tile might be good

> >flooring all over, as it could take almost any kind of cleaning I

> >would imagine.

> >

> >I can't believe I'm about to sign a lease for an apartment while

still

> >having a home...can't see how I am going to afford this but

landlord

> >has agreed to month to month lease since I am putting in new

toilet

> >for him (one there is moldy).

> >

>

November 26, 2006

,

To reinforce your comments to Barb, with additional context:

The point is not whether or not you have a basement, crawlspace,

slab, attic, hot tub, steam room or sun room full of plants. The key

is the environmental conditions of the space. Such parameters as air

source and movement, temperature, RH, surface temperatures, food

source, moisture etc. These are the conditions that determine whether

or not mold will die, merely survive, grow or wildly thrive.

Some structures such as crawlspaces, by their very nature, tend to

support mold growth and mold thriving. But not all do. Other

structures such as a slab-on-grade tend to NOT support mold growth

and thriving. But they will if something changes. Like, cracks or

water pressure from below.

All the combinations of structure, materials, moisture, time, etc are

involved. PLUS the individual who lives there. What they are reactive

to, at what level, with what symptoms and level of impact is very

complex. All buildings are different, and all individuals are

different. Put the two together and you have more complexity.

When conditions become gross, like some of you have experienced, more

people will react but not everyone. If exposure occurs over long

periods of time, like many of you have experienced, your

susceptibility and impact increase, often to the point that nearly

pristine locations will still result in reactivity. This makes even

slight healing and recovery an extremely difficult and long process.

Yet others recover in days.

The broad general strokes of what happens are true for many people.

But the specific details makes for the differences and the

complexities. And it is here that the understanding, empathy and

acceptance of differences is so important.

Carl Grimes

Healthy Habitats LLC

-----

> Hi Barb,

> After having the pleasure of speaking to a few of you this weekend, I would

like to make a comment to the wood floor/crawl post. Many of us here have them,

also many of us here live on crawlspaces. NO! there is no need to jump up and

move because you live on a crawl. In some areas basements are hard to find,

homes are built either on slabs or crawls. If your crawlspace is vented

properly, and the landscape elevation is done properly you will have no problem

living on one. My crawlspace is 30 years old, not one trace of mold or mildew

on my wood or cement in the crawl. It looks like new. My furnace/AC blows into

my crawl, and keeps it very dry. I also have wood floors, and ceramic in my

main home. The sub-floor under my wood and crawl looks like it is new. I have

an " ER " back-up unit on my sump pump, and the barrier on the dirt. The dirt is

even very dry. That is how a well built crawlspace should look. I am also in a

high water area and basements back when this home was

built, were not used. So,

>

> [] Re: Cleaning wood floors

>

> , I just reread your post and yes, everything in SW Ohio where

> I am at is over cement because all houses are built over cement

> basements. Some are built over ccncrete cinder blocks. My house is

> over concrete cinder blocks and cinder blocks if they get a crack

> can hold water and that is what happened to my basement in two

> corners (fixed now) but this house has solid concrete basement that

> is in good condition and I am on second floor, so if you count

> basement as one floor, I'm on third floor but here we usually do not

> count basement as a floor. However building has a flat roof but it

> is best I can find. Here at hotel I am in a small room shared with

> a large moldy a/c unit (I have wrapped) and carpet and toilet with

> mold on lid (I have that wrapped also), moving to hardwood floors

> and better everything except toilet there is also moldy, and I have

> looked at ALOT of places! I'm not happy with place but I can't look

> any longer. Landlord is allowing me month to month lease (since it

> is hard for him to find tenant in the winter/holiday seaason,

> otherwise he normally does not allow short leases), so I'm only tied

> to a 30 day notice.

>

> >

> > >Does anyone have any advice. I am moving into a small apartment

> with

> > >wood floors. In the bedroom there was a window air conditioning

> unit,

> > >that they have taken out of window for winter but I'm sure it

> probably

> > >sprayed bedroom with mold spores over the summer. Walls have

> been

> > >painted but any advice on good way to clean wood floors. I don't

> want

> > >to damage them. I have carpet at home so I have no experience

> with

> > >right way to clean wood floors. I'm thinking of dry sweeping

> them

> > >with a swiffer very good and then lightly mist them afterwards

> with

> > >ammonia? This is what I am thinking but not sure ammonia can go

> on

> > >wood floors??? Does anyone know if I can safely mist wood floors

> with

> > >ammonia? I can see for first time why ceramic tile might be good

> > >flooring all over, as it could take almost any kind of cleaning I

> > >would imagine.

> > >

> > >I can't believe I'm about to sign a lease for an apartment while

> still

> > >having a home...can't see how I am going to afford this but

> landlord

> > >has agreed to month to month lease since I am putting in new

> toilet

> > >for him (one there is moldy).

> > >

> >

>

November 27, 2006

Carl,

Thank you for helping express the point. You put it so elegantly, I just put it

in my normal everyday terms. You give it to us in a professional more exact

manner. For that I thank you, I always learn so much more from you. Because of

some calls I got yesterday from members here, I just didn't want group members

to think they needed to jump and move because they were on a crawl.

Thanx,