I live in a home built in 1923. The beautiful hemlock floors (as well as many other places including the wooden doors) have a coating on them that I am having a horrid time removing. The top layer is a light brown with a layer of white underneath - it looks like paint, however, if you try to sand it, it gets very gummy and sticky and then hardens. I have gone through many sheets of sandpaper trying to remove this. If you use a stripper it again turns very gooey and is a mess to try and scrape off. It never comes off entirely and forms a very hard substance when trying to scrape. I cannot find anyone to tell me what this is? Is it an old type of paint, varnish or shellac?? I just want it gone!!! Help!