I quit using mineral spirits (paint thinner) to remove glue because the manufacturers adhesive removal cleaner is far and away better. That said, mineral spirits should not harm the finish but it does tend to leave a dullish film that will need to be cleaned off.

In my opinion, your best bet is cheap ceramic tile with area rugs you can throw away if necessary. No matter how well you have repaired your leak, sump pumps fail, sewer drains back up, washer hoses fail, hot water heaters fail, they are ALWAYS damp, etc. Even metropolitan sewerage districts sometimes back into people's basements...just ask us Milwaukeeans! I installed ceramic in our basement years ago. Am I ever glad. All we needed for cleanup was a hose and squeegees to push the muck back into the floor drain and plastic rugs to throw out the area rugs in. My neighbors, well, their tasks were much more disgusting and difficult, not to mention costly. I installed our ceramic myself, and ahem, it is beautiful! It wasn't hard, just long, and hard on my knees. We have loved it ever since. And you can buy bound carpet remnants for next to nothing and change them on a whim if you like.

I found this on https://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/113602 Removing Linoleum Adhesive From FloorsProcedure code:965001SSource:Ohj - Shirley Maxwell & James C. Massey, 9/30/92Division:FinishesSection:Resilient FlooringLast Modified:08/02/2016 REMOVING LINOLEUM ADHESIVE FROM FLOORS PART 1---GENERAL 1.01 SUMMARY This procedure includes guidance on removing the mastic adhesive left behind when linoleum flooring has been removed. Linoleum flooring was very popular from 1863 to 1974. It was used historically as an original floor treatment in some GSA buildings. Linoleum's chief ingredient was linseed oil, pressed from flax seed, which became a tough, elastic material when exposed to air. The process essentially consisted of mixing linseed oil and gum with ground cork or wood flour, and pressing it onto burlap or canvas. It was then glued down to concrete or wood floors using a mastic cement. See "General Project Guidelines" for general project guidelines to be used along with this procedureThese guidelines cover the following sections: Historic Structures Precautions Submittals Quality Assurance Delivery, Storage and Handling Project/Site Conditions Sequencing and Scheduling General Protection (Surface and Surrounding) These guidelines should be reviewed prior to performing this procedure and should be followed along with recommendations from the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO). PART 2---PRODUCTS 2.01 MATERIALS Clean, potable water Vinegar Citrus degreasing solvent such as "Limo Sol", or approved equal. Dry ice Chemical solvent such as isopropyl alcohol, paint thinner, xylol, lacquer thinner, or paint stripper. 2.02 EQUIPMENT Heat lamp or hot-air gun Putty knife or scraper PART 3---EXECUTION 3.01 ERECTION, INSTALLATION, APPLICATION NOTE: A waterproof glue is usually applied at the edges and seams of the linoleum; the center of the felt layers is usually attached with a water soluble paste. Soak the mastic area in hot water for 20-60 minutes or until soft.\ If this is not effective, try adding vinegar or high-strength citrus degreasing solvent to the water and then soak for 20-60 minutes until soft. If mastic still will not soften, try applying heat to the surface using a lamp or hot-air gun. -OR- Try freezing the mastic with dry ice to break the bond with the substrate. If no other methods are effective in softening the mastic, test a chemical solvent on the area. NOTE: Be sure to test in an inconspicuous area to determine appropriate chemicals and strengths before proceeding with cleaning. Scrape away the softened mastic using a putty knife or garden edger. END OF SECTION interesting................

daisy~Love your blog! Very helpful, thanks so much for linking to it here. I noticed you mentioned something about low slip finish, please elaborate. skypathway~Thanks for starting this thread, please keep us posted on your progress. I got a verbal estimate of $300-$400 minimum for both berber and new cut-pile carpet, inc. padding and installation. Since you have to remove carpet to replace carpet, I guess I could decide what to do when that happens. It looks like (although looks can be deceiving) we might be able to just remove the carpet and padding, patch and paint the risers and polish the treads. As one option. I am still very concerned about slipping. I am not sure-footed anyway, and am presently suffering from a foot injury. I have a cat, and little ones always on my stairs (kids, not babies). I do remember my grandparent's had slippery wood steps. I am not fond of laundry baskets and stairs, have two sets of stairs to navigate in order to do the wash.