I have hundreds of those red and purple roughly 12 X 12 cotton shop rags that I'd like to trade in for clean ones. I've checked all over the Seattle area but can't find a source for us civilians to trade. Not enough business for a truck to come by regularly on a route. Any ideas in this city or elsewhere of a company that does this?
Where to take dirty shop rags????
- Thread starter bobforman
- Start date
tonydanzah
Well-known member
local all night laundry mat?
Ray-CA
Well-known member
I take mine and put them in 5-gallon buckets full of Simple-green and water (50/50 mix.) Soak them for 24-hrs then lay them out to dry. Once dry, run them through a laundry mat. The Simple-green soak take most if not all the grease-oil and other bad stuff out of them so they're okay to wash.
Ray
Ray
tdkkart
Well-known member
Several years ago I took mine and placed them directly in the garbage can. With the exception of a few T-shirt remnants I keep around for detailing, I have gone completely over to the "shop rag" blue paper towels. When dirty they go directly in the garbage.
You should wash them at home. Do it by hand or use your own machine. Only wash them at the Laundromat if they have a machine set aside for greasy items (some Laundromats do). Generally, those who must use a Laundromat are people who can least afford to replace their clothes if they are ruined by accidentally placing them in a greasy washing machine.
GeorgiaHybrid
Well-known member
I do mine at home on the hot settings and when they are done, I run another cycle with detergent and bleach added (nothing else) to get any trace of oil and red dye out of the machine. Been doing that for a long time now without any problems.
Remember to wash your microfiber in a different load (I do them first) and then wash the greasy shop towels.
Remember to wash your microfiber in a different load (I do them first) and then wash the greasy shop towels.
ruby76
Well-known member
ditto - I do mine in the our machine on the hot settings, then run an empty except for soap load to clean out the machine - My wife's only complaint is the smell that occurs from drying them in a hot dryer!!! The rags come clean - but still smell like oil while drying.
Scarey 24 hour laundry mat late with a beer to keep me company. I figure it kills the bugs the other customers bring in.
i8tokyo
Well-known member
look in the phone book for a drop cloth laundry service.. if your around chicago this is my buddy's place
http://www.chicagodrop.com/
yeah probably not a good idea at a laundry mat. we get people that wash horse blankets and ****... I remember when i used to have to use the laundry mat... ***** big time.
http://www.chicagodrop.com/
yeah probably not a good idea at a laundry mat. we get people that wash horse blankets and ****... I remember when i used to have to use the laundry mat... ***** big time.
nolatoolguy
Banned
We have a old beat up 6 cubic foot cement mixer we use. We pretty much simply toss them in there when there dirty. When half full we wash them.
Steps
1-get enough
2-spin/wet let water keep falling out to get the heavy debris out
3-stop an let most of the water out without taking the rags out
4-put some bleach or cleaner on them
5-spin for a few minutes
6-drain
7-rinse with fresh water keep it going till the water thats overflowing is clear
8-let them sit in sun to dry
Steps
1-get enough
2-spin/wet let water keep falling out to get the heavy debris out
3-stop an let most of the water out without taking the rags out
4-put some bleach or cleaner on them
5-spin for a few minutes
6-drain
7-rinse with fresh water keep it going till the water thats overflowing is clear
8-let them sit in sun to dry
foghorn
Member
I put a washer and dryer in my shop just for my shop towels, dog towels, and any other rags that we have around the house that we don't want in our clothes machines. I often wear coveralls in the shop that get pretty grungy as well. I just toss them in the machine at the end of the day and they are ready to go the next day. For the really greasy rags, I presoak in simple green, and also add some simple green to the cycle. I use my share of blue paper towels as well, but there are a lot of things that I really prefer a good rag or towel for.
A while back I added an outdoor shower attached to my shop so I can take a shower and put on some clean clothes when I am done for the night. Between the shower and the washer/dryer, I have completely eliminated tracking shop grease and dirt into the house. My wife appreciates that very much. I pipe all of my grey water from the shop into a dry well. I don’t think I’d try it if I were on city sewers.
A while back I added an outdoor shower attached to my shop so I can take a shower and put on some clean clothes when I am done for the night. Between the shower and the washer/dryer, I have completely eliminated tracking shop grease and dirt into the house. My wife appreciates that very much. I pipe all of my grey water from the shop into a dry well. I don’t think I’d try it if I were on city sewers.
RbrtAWhyt
Well-known member
Another vote for taking them to the local laundromat...
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55571&highlight=dirty+shop+rags
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35178
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2605781
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55571&highlight=dirty+shop+rags
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35178
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2605781
Gary S
Well-known member
I don't buy shop rags. I tear up old clothes, use them once, and toss them in the garbage.
This serves more than one purpose. I get use from old clothes before they get tossed. I have all the rags I need, and I don't ever have to wash a rag.
Simplify your life. You might like it.
This serves more than one purpose. I get use from old clothes before they get tossed. I have all the rags I need, and I don't ever have to wash a rag.
Simplify your life. You might like it.
shocksystems
Well-known member
I wish had that many old clothes. My wife does tear old t-shirts into rags and I use them, but there are only so many old t-shirts. Old jeans don't work. All of the clothes we throw away don't translate to near enough rags. How many rags do you produce a year from old clothes?
Cheers!
Jim
bgott
Well-known member
I bet that depends on what you are asking them to absorb.
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