Ideas for rag storage

[deadbolt don]

Hey Guys, I been trying to clean up the shed this weekend.
I need a brilliant way to deal with my rag supply. I get them in bags but once they are opened and take a few out they just don't act right. Also I have loose rags that need to have a "place".
What have you done to organize this area?

 

[astroracer]

Filing Cabinet. I keep most of mine in a two drawer but have been thinking of expanding to a four drawer. If its a nice one it will be fully sealed to keep the critters out.
Mark

 

[NUTTSGT]

When you mention rags that come in a bag, are these typical square "shop rags" or shredded clothing style rags. If they are the former, just fold them up and stick them in a cabinet.

 

[Richard Cranium]

I have just a box of shop rags in my rack system.

 

[Nexussian]

I use an old steel drum, it's 20 or 30 gallon, used to have grease in it (got it sans grease) I throw all my clean rags in it, dirty rags are thrown away or cleaned.

 

[jd_1138]

A milk crate is a good way to store rags. You can hang it from hooks in the rafters or place on a shelf.

 

[CJM8515]

Do yourself a big favor and any very oily or greasy rags are put in a METAL can of some kind. If they should combust at least the metal can will buy you some time.

I wind up storing non oily rags in plastic shopping bags I leave hanging on nails in my garage wall. I dont throw the rags out until they are nasty. Even then nothing like spending a few bucks washing them at the laundromat lol..

 

[Outlander]

Plastic pails that once held pool supplies. I wash them thoroughly and , I don't store my microfiber cloth squares with the common torn up clothing rags.

 

[Squddle]

I keep my clean rags in a plastic tub. If they get too oily or greasy, I toss them. Not worth trying to wash that much oil or grease out of one rag. Also keeps from having a lot of oil soaked rags around. Much safer.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Do yourself a big favor and any very oily or greasy rags are put in a METAL can of some kind. If they should combust at least the metal can will buy you some time.

I wind up storing non oily rags in plastic shopping bags I leave hanging on nails in my garage wall. I dont throw the rags out until they are nasty. Even then nothing like spending a few bucks washing them at the laundromat lol..

This. Commercial shops must have a oily waste storage can.


Tommy

 

[MDSPHOTO]

I use a couple large pieces of generic Tupperware to keep shop rags and car/bike cleaning rags, towels, Sham-Wows.

 

[Cyberbear]

A simple 32 gallon galvanized trash can with lid serves the purpose for me. My work seldom requires any amount of grease or flammable fluids, and I simply toss them when necessary in order to prevent the boogeyman of spontaneous combustion.

 

[deadbolt don]

Thanks got some good ideas. Yes the majority of these rags are tear offs and no 2 are the same size/shape. I have a small workshop/shed so finding the right spot has become the issue. I need to reclaim my floor space. I have a bakers rack in the back corner that could store some not to tall bins. Fine for "overstock", But need to have them @ hand when I need the.
I do have small metal bin that holds 5-10 rags that I temporarily throw gas rags into. I throw out bad stained rags, I don't wash often.
I have done the cloth shopping bag full hangin or tossed in corner, some flaws are still grab one and many come out. Although I expect the impossible it still takes up awkward space. Cardboard box didn't work so well either.
Think I Would like to see them hanging from my ceiling (finished and rather low).
For now I may just have to do the home depot pail thing. Wonder if I could make a spring loaded "pusher" so they are always at the top!
Microfiber cloths are in a clear plastic shoebox bin to keep out dust & filings. Seems to work for now.

 

[RedRider48]

I use an old clothes hamper from my grandmother's house. Works good, but, for the clean ones only. The dirty, are usually not recoverable, so they are trashed. I use a lot of paper towels when warranted.

 

[deadbolt don]

I try to use paper or blue shop towels for the grease and such that can be "collected". I have a few small bags I use for fire starter when camping.
The local thrift store gives me bags of torn clothing to recycle as rags. Anything they can't sell they cut so can't be used, and I go grab a garbage bag at a time as I need and often more than I need . Once and awhile there is cherry material like terry cloth bath towels.

 

[charger0926]

i keep all my shop rags in a larger rubbermaid tub and then grab a handful and put them in a 5 gal. bucket and keep it in a lower cabinet in the garage.

when they are used and dirty, i put them in a oily waste can like this one

 

[frank001]

i keep all my shop rags in a larger rubbermaid tub and then grab a handful and put them in a 5 gal. bucket and keep it in a lower cabinet in the garage.

when they are used and dirty, i put them in a oily waste can like this one

Everyone has heard that you shouldn't store oily or solvent soaked rags because of the danger of combustion, but have you ever actually seen it happen?
Well about 1 year ago my neighbor had some rags that had been used to clean up varnish that he then threw in a plastic trash can in his detached 4 car garage. During the night a fire started in the trash can and damaged a section of the garage. He had a fire sprinkler system in the garage that minimized the damage, or the whole garage would have gone, and possibly the house as well. He only noticed that something was wrong when he came out of the house in the morning and saw water running out from under the garage door.
Had to replace drywall because of water damage, but better than the alternative. I have been much more careful since then.

 

[snakeeyes]

If they are only clean rags we use cardboard boxes and just cut a small 6"x 6" hole in the side.

Simple and cheap

 

[Richard Cranium]

Yes, I have. I was working at a hardware whse and someone had cleaned up a spilled can of varnish and tossed the towels into a metal trash can. The next morning someone said that they thought they smelled smoke. After a quick look we found that the can was smoking, so we took a forklift and moved the can outside the building and then put the fire out.

 

[HotRodHudson]

If I remember correctly linseed soaked rags were the cause of the fire where Reggie Jackson lost his 35 car collection. $3.5 million loss in 1988 or 1989!

 

[southalabama]

I caught a Zoro sale and got an oily can rag.

I've also found myself using Scott's blue shop towels on a roll more often.

I also keep an old plastic washing powder bucket with some soapy water in. A quick dip and them lay they outside to dry.

As far as new rags. Milk crate.