Rags

[gk777]

I found the thread on storing flamable liquids and there is comments about rags but I have a diffferent question.

Which rags can you clean (i.e. What chemicals, wax, etc) and which do you just toss, (safely of course) and of the ones you clean how do you do it, washing machine, by hand, etc and do you care what you use as soap?

[ldh]

Throw the cruddy ones away (you know the ones) and wash the others in the washing machine in the dead of night preferably while your wife (or any other witness) is away. Pray that the funny smell left by the rags in the washing machine has dissipated before she returns and if not, just pray.
LDH

[Ed in Tampa]

Frankly I question the wisdom of trying to wash rags. In many cases the stuff on them you don't want in your washing machine and sewer system (especially if you have a septic). Also some chemicals can be dangerous once they are on rags and storage awaiting washing becomes a problem.

I usually mess up enough t -shirts a year to keep me supplied in rags that I toss when they become problems. I'm mineful of making sure I don't mix chemicals on rags (again can result in disaster).

If the chemical I need a rag for is an acid, is reactive, extremely sticky or gooey I usually use a paper towel and dispose (usually by burning the rag). If it is something with glue I usually wash it before the glue dries. For oil and grease I usually use it until it is to dirty to use and dispose of it.

Haing had a house burn completely down and having seen the effects of mixing chemicals and the fact my present house has a septic system I rarely try to preserve a rag by washing it. Usually at the end of the day I gather up all my rags, the ones that have harmless chemicalls and are still usable I put aside all others go out to the burn barrel and are burned that day.

All paper towels are also burned immediately the day of the their use, I'm real senstive to conditions like oil and pool chorine mixing, acid and reactive chemicals mixing(tung oil, boiled Linseed oil and etc)
Ed

[paulmcohen]

I found the thread on storing flammable liquids and there is comments about rags but I have a different question.

Which rags can you clean (i.e. What chemicals, wax, etc) and which do you just toss, (safely of course) and of the ones you clean how do you do it, washing machine, by hand, etc and do you care what you use as soap?

I purchased something called "Box of Rags" at Costco very cheap and it contains at least 100 rags. I mounted it to a pegboard using 1/4" threaded rods, hardboard and wing-nuts. After 10 years I have not made a dent on them.

Just another idea.

[gk777]

Burning is prohibited in my area. I live with in City limits. I hang my greasy and oily rags up until trash day then when I am putting them to the curb I throw them in. But now I am wondering if those might be considered hazardous waste.

I was mainly wondering about wax, polish and wipe down rags. I like to use clean rags for these because I am concerned about wiping foreign material around my tables and such. So when this get a little dirty I demote them to the oil rag pile. It doesn't take much for these to get demoted so I was hoping I could clean them and use them longer.

I think cleaning in the middle of night will be the only way my wife will let me because then she won't know about it. SHHH don't tell here about this thread.

But Ed you bring up a good point about the chemicals. I am on public sewer and do not know if or what chemicals could be a problem.

Guess its good that its getting warm and can go shirtless and add the shirt of my back to the rag pile cause. (I can here the scream of terror from the lady across the street already):D

[berry]

Rags w/ naphtha or mineral spirits - I dry out throughly and then wash and re-use for those chemicals again.

Rags that I use to apply finishes including stain, BLO, polyanything, varnishes, or sealers get tossed. Varnish rags reside in a water bucket until garbage day.

Rags used for cleaning with light oil/grease get washed. With heavy grease or oil get tossed.

Rags saturated with oil from oil changes get turned in to our local hazard waste collection facility with used oil and filters.

Rags that might have metal filings get tossed.

Rags used for final wipe-off or buff a finish like Watco or BLO get washed.

Any rags I wash, I wash separate from family articles and I never use fabric softeners.

[a1gutterman]

Another option is a laundry service. Almost all rags (other then paper) are washable, and reusable, if cleaned professionally.

BTW, in my state, the use of burn barrels is illegal. People still use them, but they risk a fine at the very least and criminal charges are a possibility.

[eldyfig]

BTW, in my state, the use of burn barrels is illegal. People still use them, but they risk a fine at the very least and criminal charges are a possibility.

Do you/ can you burn yard debris?
What about the use of chimineas?

[a1gutterman]

Do you/ can you burn yard debris?
What about the use of chimineas?

Depending on where you live, outdoor fires, (except for agricultural burns [which do not require a permit] and permitted slash burns [only allowed certain times of the year]) are outlawed completely or limited to a specific sized fire for natural growth fueled fires only. Campfires (recreational) are still allowed. Scrap lumber, and even using paper to start a fire, are illegal. Charcoal, natural wood and yard waste is allowed in camp fires. Yard waste fires are limited to an area no larger then 4' square, in the county in which I live. There are areas that NO fires are allowed in, except for campfires, enclosed cooking fires and ABSOLUTELY NO BURN BARRELS. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me, and violators abound!

We also have times when a "burn-ban" is in effect. Then there are NO outdoor burning allowed, except for enclosed cooking fires.

Indoor burning is allowed with fewer restrictions, except during burn-bans, where you are only able to have an indoor fire if that is your only source of heat.

[ryanbp01]

I will wash rags, typically along with jeans. I normally don't use cloth rags except when appling paste wax. If I put a finish on while in the lathe mode I use paper towels since they will only tear rather than wrap themselves around any moving parts.

BPR