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Old vinyl sheet, please put my mind at ease

Rachiekas
Rachiekas Posts: 4 Newbie
in House buying, renting & selling
Hi all!

I've just bought a 1950s semi and the box room contained an old sheet of either vinyl or lino. I can't tell the difference. It was underneath thin carpet. It had an almost decorative pattern almost floral like and it was glued to the floorboards. There was a thin layer of newspaper underneath it dated 1956.

My husband simply rolled it up and the people clearing the house removed it for us no issue.

Now my mind is racing because a section of it broke off when rolling and rather than it being glued it was nailed into place.

Please can someone put my mind at ease that I need not worry about it containing asbestos. I wanted to clean the room and hoover there today.

Thanks all!

Comments

  • Rachiekas
    Rachiekas Posts: 4 Newbie
    It was stapled to the floor in few places not nailed.
  • Alter_ego
    Alter_ego Posts: 3,842 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Vinyl does not contain asbestos, neither does linoleum
    I am not a cat (But my friend is)
  • ACG
    ACG Posts: 24,720 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've helped Parliament
    I think it was only Vinyl tiles that may have contained asbestos - but I am no expert.
    I am a Mortgage Adviser
    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a mortgage adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
  • mobileron
    mobileron Posts: 1,218 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Bet it was lino,no problem for you. Do you have any artex ceilings.
  • Rachiekas
    Rachiekas Posts: 4 Newbie
    No artex ceilings just embossed wallpaper everywhere! Including the ceilings.
  • Fire_Fox
    Fire_Fox Posts: 26,026 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 19 September 2019 at 7:58AM
    Welcome to MSE. :)

    There have been a number of relevant discussions on asbestos exposure on the In my Home (includes DIY) board if you use the search this forum function (link at the top of each page of each board).

    In general it is not healthy to breathe in the dust from any DIY task: use a decent disposable face mask, wet wipe or wet mop and/ or use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter rather than dry brushing or dry dusting.

    HTH!
    Declutterbug-in-progress.⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
  • Caitykinss
    Caitykinss Posts: 162 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    Asbestos can be found in both vinyl tiles and coverings/sheet, but only in very small amounts with the fibres tightly bound within the matrix of the material.
  • Norman_Castle
    Norman_Castle Posts: 11,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    If it contained asbestos the amount released from a tear would be tiny. Vacuum the room and forget about it.
  • Rachiekas
    Rachiekas Posts: 4 Newbie
    Thank you for your replies guys. I have an asbestos shed which needs to be removed so I highjacked the guy giving me a quote for that to check under the bathroom carpet tiles to check other pieces of vinyl. But he basically told me to calm down. I most certainly feel better for it.
This discussion has been closed.
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