Shop towels sustainability

[PoorUB]

I can't imagine the time, effort and cost to clean them versus wypalls at 10 cents a piece. If you spent more than 15 minutes it isn't worth it to me! Plus the detergent isn't free either.

 

[ericm]

Don't put them in the washer. I did that as a teenager living in my parents house. Mom had a fit about the film of greasy scum in the washer. It was a lot of work to clean off.

I have clean rags, semi clean rags and super oily rags. When the rags get too nasty to wipe spilled oil off the floor they go into the trash.
I use the blue paper towels for a lot of stuff and save the cloth rags mostly for wiping my hands clean.

 

[kelpaso1]

I just use old clothes cut up for rags. Not a problem getting free old shirts, towels, rags here for free. But when they are all greasy and oily what do you do with them? I don't feel it's environmentally responsible to just throw them in the trash, and go to a landfill, but what do you do with them? Washing them doesn't get rid of the problem either. Whether all the oil and grease goes down the drain washing them vs throwing them in the garbage to go to a landfill does not get rid of the problem. I not a greenie but I do try to not pollute my environment.