Greasy shop rags?

Eds_tls · Mar 9, 2011

Dumb question. What do you guys do with greasy shop rags at home? I buy the big package from HF for arond $15. But I wind up throwing them all out after a few months once they'r all too dirty to work with anymore.

The better half would go postal on me if I tried to wash them in the washing machine. I thought about washing them at the laundramat, but thats just asking for bad karma.

I feel super wasteful just tossing them in the garbage when they're dirty. Any ideas how to wash them while still keeping a happy home?

Charles (in GA) · Mar 9, 2011

Previous thread on this subject.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35178

I don't get them too dirty. As soon as one has just a little oil, grime, dirt, etc, it goes in the can. The clean easier that way. I presoak them in a bucket of water and detergent for weeks before I get around to cleaning them.

Charles

Gary S · Mar 9, 2011

I never buy shop rags. I get all the rags I can use by recycling old worn out clothes. Then, once they are greasy, they go in the trash.

jmh21586 · Mar 9, 2011

I made the mistake of washing greasey rags in my wash machine.

It took another 3-4 loads to get the smell out, and all those loads reaked.

fr0mastaj · Mar 9, 2011

I had the same dilemma. Now I use the Scotts Blue shop towels and throw everything away! They arent too expensive, can be had for a little over $1 for a 50 sheet roll if you shop around...

Scoutman · Mar 9, 2011

Gary S said:
I never buy shop rags. I get all the rags I can use by recycling old worn out clothes. Then, once they are greasy, they go in the trash.

Same here. In addition to the above I have a roll of blue shop towels and a roll of cheap white paper towels. The job I'm doing depends on which one I grab.

JCQuick · Mar 9, 2011

we have iniform service at work and i just swap them out with the uniform man every now and then i will toss him a $10 spot

JamieK · Mar 9, 2011

Be careful with the used rags. They need to be in a metal fireproof can. Motor oil and grease probably won't, but certain oils, especially linseed oil, can spontaneously combust.

rsanter · Mar 9, 2011

a friend soalks them in a bucket of TSP

some guys get an old used washing machine and use that

another friend goes to the thrift store where they will take and all the old Tshirts and towels that pwoplw donate that have holes in them or are torn get stuffed into a bag and sold as 'shop rags' for a couple of bucks for that big old bag

bob

Killer95Stang · Mar 9, 2011

My dad owned a laundry mat business for a few months and had this A-hole mechanic that started bringing his greasy shop rags to wash in the regular washers. My dad almost got in a fist fight with that azzhat, after those machines ruined about 5 peoples clothes. Not to mention the gas smell...

NUTTSGT · Mar 9, 2011

JamieK said:
Be careful with the used rags. They need to be in a metal fireproof can. Motor oil and grease probably won't, but certain oils, especially linseed oil, can spontaneously combust.

Even the sparks from welding, grinding or the dropped cigarette can be hazardous to the life of your shop.

I generally use blue shop paper towels. Anything that is nasty, gets burned up in the wood burner.

Highbeam · Mar 9, 2011

I use plain white paper towels. If I can't get it done with paper towels then something is wrong.

Charles (in GA) · Mar 9, 2011

Killer95Stang said:
My dad owned a laundry mat business for a few months and had this A-hole mechanic that started bringing his greasy shop rags to wash in the regular washers. My dad almost got in a fist fight with that azzhat, after those machines ruined about 5 peoples clothes. Not to mention the gas smell...

Someone on here mentioned that a coin laundry near them had one machine and dryer dedicated to rags and greasy stuff, so marked with signs. Would be a good thing to do if you owned a laundrymat.

Charles

KrisKustomPaint · Mar 9, 2011

Light 'em on fire, that's how they always wind up anyway.

NUTTSGT · Mar 9, 2011

I know one of the local owners. He told a buddy of mine to take his nasty oily coveralls to his laundrymat. He said he pays the women that work there to clean the washers. :beer:

wafrederick · Mar 9, 2011

I don't wash them,the uniform place does them.When the clean uniforms come in,new rags are brought in also and pick up the dirty shop rags including the uniforms.There is one huge drawback with the blue Scott shop towels,do not spray brake clean on them.They fall apart in pieces.

SCscoutguy · Mar 9, 2011

I have done the laundry mat thing once. Over the past few years I have been using surplus brown towels as shop rags and they work great. The local army/navy guy at the flea market goes to near by Ft. Jackson and gets pallets upon pallets of them after the kids are done with basic training. He sells them for four for a dollar so I just buy $10 worth or so a month and when they get to dirty to use I throw them away. Most have the recruits name and platoon number written on them in permanent marker but I could care less for what I want.

jay50 · Mar 9, 2011

just throw'em out just like the wife/gf throws out her "rags"

JCQuick · Mar 9, 2011

jay50 said:
just throw'em out just like the wife/gf throws out her "rags"

you mean wrap each one in tolit paper :shocking:

you sick puppy :lol_hitti

tdkkart · Mar 9, 2011

Blue paper Shop towels, I put them on momma's grocery list, she comes home with 3-4 rolls. She doesn't mind, she's seen what shop towels do to the washer.

richashley · Mar 10, 2011

I got a used washing machine from my bro-in-law, fixed the leaky top gasket and use it in the garage, then dry them in the house dryer ... making sure they don't smell bad coming out of the washer. I don't have hot water in the garage, but a little extra detergent seems to handle it OK.

Daddy_Rabbit · Mar 10, 2011

I use the blue "shop towel on the roll" for the greasiest, dirtiest, and smelliest of jobs and save the cloth shop towels for hand wiping and such ... wash them in the local laundromat machines AFTER soaking them in a 5 gallon bucket of Simple Green/water mix.

lametec · Mar 10, 2011

Just buy 'em when on sale for $9.99, throw 'em out when they get too dirty. Then buy more @ $9.99. It's $10 every few months, not worth it to me to wash 'em.

lowbucktruck · Mar 10, 2011

Uh... I put my dirty, greasy rags into one of these Justrite rag cans:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_40439_40439

And then I throw them away when the rag is too filthy. Replace it with old bath towels my wife wants to get rid of. Not worth it to wash those greasy rags and gunk up your main washing machine (although the rags soaking in a bucket of Simple Green is a good idea). My uncle has his own washing machine (an old 1970's Maytag) in his shop just for washing shop clothes and coveralls.

Lippyp · Mar 11, 2011

When I finally get a decent sized garage the aim is to pick up a cheap or free machine from something like Freecycle and keep it in the garage, doesn't matter if its a bit leaky or whatever. It'll just be used for washing rags and overalls, that way SWMBO can't complain about a smelly washer. At the moment I soak them in a bucket of detergent and hand wash them.

NUTTSGT · Mar 11, 2011

richashley said:
I got a used washing machine from my bro-in-law, fixed the leaky top gasket and use it in the garage, then dry them in the house dryer ... making sure they don't smell bad coming out of the washer. I don't have hot water in the garage, but a little extra detergent seems to handle it OK.

Ever try adding some Simple Green ? It does a fair job cutting the grease.

e-tek · Mar 11, 2011

Blue shop towels. No issues.

juiced10 · Mar 11, 2011

I got friendly with the maintenance guy at a local hotel. They throw away all the towels that still have stains on them after 2 washes. I have gotten 1000's of towels from him. They can't use bleach to wash them so a lot of them have made it into the house. I have cabinets full of small,medium,large towels and also those thicker bath mats. And they also throw away the pillow cases and sheets. Use them to cover things in the garage if I am going to paint or sand.

chadman · Mar 11, 2011

I have a seperate washer and dryer from the wife's for all of my greasy stuff.

jvitez · Mar 11, 2011

I use all 3. Mostly dollar store white paper towels. They're so cheap if I have to use an entire roll, so what? I save the Kimberly-Clark blue paper "cloths" for something where I know I'll be using it a few times, or need to wipe with a lot of pressure. They never go on sale around here, and the cheapest is ~ $2.30 per roll, so I don't use them if the cheap paper towels work. For bigger spills or wiping hands, I'll use shop rags from Princess Auto (Canuck Harbour Freight), and chuck them when too dirty.

dansmurf · Mar 11, 2011

My wife found a place that sells old uniforms. They usually have big boxes full of used rags that they sell for $5-$10. I use them to wipe my hands and small stuff first. Then they go into a pile and get used for big spills and then they get tossed. My last box lasted me over a year. For under $10 a year its just not worth washing the rags.

On a side note my wife also picks me up work pants there for $2-$3 a pair. If I get them too greasy I just toss them too.

jay50 · Mar 11, 2011

juiced10 said:
I got friendly with the maintenance guy at a local hotel

Greasy shop rags?

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