If you have bad allergies, then your home is one of the few places where you can control contact with triggers. However, there may be times when you need to do something that you know will affect your environment and set off your allergies.

For example, you may be keen to have your old timber floors sanded down and revarnished. You may have planned to use a professional floor restoration company, so you can avoid exposure to triggers like wood dust. However, you may also be worried about how you'll deal with any residual dust left in your house once the job is done. How can you get your timber flooring looking good without aggravating your allergies?

Remove Dust Traps

While your timber restoration company will clean up as much dust as possible, some may be left behind in less obvious places. While you'll have to clear the room before work can start on your floor, the room may still contain things that can trap dust. Try to remove these or cover them over.

For example, it may help to take down your curtains, blinds or shutters and store them in a different room. If you have built-in cupboards or bookcases, then empty them out. Alternatively, cover them with dust sheets, or ask your flooring company if they can do this to stop dust from getting inside.

Keep Out of the Firing Line

Sanding a floor creates a lot of dust. It's best to get out of the house before sanding starts. Try to stay away until the job is done and the company has had a chance to clean up.

Consider Dustless Sanding

Floor restoration companies use powerful vacuums that can deal with large amounts of dust. However, even if they use an industrial hoover, and you take your own steps to prevent dust from hiding in odd places, you may still suffer a bit when you get home.

Things may be easier if the company can use dustless sanding. For example, some floor restorers use sanding machines with special hoses that suck dust up immediately and then dispose of it in a sealed unit. This means that less dust escapes into the room or the rest of your home.

To learn more about dustless sanding and to get more tips on how to have your timber floors restored without making your allergies worse, talk to your floor restorer.