Shop Rags

[Targa Me]

So what is everyone doing for shop rags?

Do you buy them from your local parts house then toss the when they're dirty?

Do you clean them, if so, how? I've tried putting them in a washer with hand cleaner, they came out pretty clean but the washer was trashed after that.

Do you have a service?

Or maybe your buddy has his own shop and you have a rag exchange program going on with him?

[lendaddy]

Dollar store baby. I buy dish and/or washcloths that are bundled I think 4 to a set for $1. It's one of my favorite "finds"....my god I'm pathetic

[cashflyer]

I don't buy purpose-made shop rags because I believe it to be wasteful.

Instead, I buy scraps and remnants. You can order them for about $1 per pound from places like this: NEW PIG

Also, you can usually go to garment factories and buy the remnants for about $0.40 per pound.


I wouldn't mind sending them to a recycler when they are used, however they may be considered a "hazmat" once they are oil soaked. Unless the service picks them up, I wouldn't spend the money to ship them. Just put them in a fire-safety can until bin day.

I don't think it is wise to launder them yourself due to the buildup in your drain system. And if you are on septic, you can poison the tank and/or poison the ground water.

[Esel Mann]

I bought a couple of bags of those "red" rags from discount auto parts.

They look like rags, they even feel like rags, but never in my life have I found something so good at NOT absorbing oil, antifreeze, windshield washer fluid, brake fluid, gunk, dirt debris, etc. They're great if all you want to do is push the turd around or dance with a bull in an arena though!

I promptly threw them out and went back to old reliable. Old cotton t-shirts, shirts, and tighty whiteys (with or without skid marks do just fine). I do not wash them however due oil and cleaners not being good for the water system, environment, etc. I drop them off with my oil to the reclamation station.

[Hugh R]

Paper towels, or shop paper towels. I toss them 1) fire danger, and 2) I don't want them near my washer and dryer.

[porsche4life]

The local thrift store bags up tshirts they find not worthy for sale. A walmart sack full is $0.50 and provides quite a few shirts. We go through lots of them in the shop....

[sailchef]

My shop rags are made of the finest Tennessee cotton, picked early in the harvest so it is of the softest and most absorbent nature. They are color matched to my 911 and embroidered with my initials so they may be identified quickly. They are never used to wipe up spilled liquids except for BP oil or Swepco transmission fluid. They have a seperate drawer in my tool box all to themselves. They are sent out "to be cleaned" and neatly folded before being returned.

When I run out of those I use an old T-shirt or PJ's.

[on2wheels52]

What, you don't have them ironed?
Jim

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Paper towels, or shop paper towels. I toss them 1) fire danger, and 2) I don't want them near my washer and dryer.

This. Once I discovered how cheap I could buy the blue shop paper towels at Sam's Club, I quit using anything else for shop rags.

[legion]

I just use old underwear, t-shirts, and socks. Once they have holes or are no longer usable as clothing, I launder them one last time then they get tossed in the rag bin. The get thrown away and never used again.

[A930Rocket]

I buy the red cloth and blue paper shop towels at Sams. As mentioned, the red ones absorbancy is questionable, but they do have their uses thuough.

[sailchef]

Originally Posted by on2wheels52

What, you don't have them ironed?
Jim

Of course not. Any shop rag afficiondo will tell you that ironing a rag will flatten the fibers and not allow complete absorbancy.

Besides, having them ironed is an extra charge. I'd rather spend it on parts.

[azasadny]

I buy them and wash them separately with Krud Kutter. If they get soaked with oil/transmission fluid or grease, I just throw them away.

[URY914]

Hotel towels

[Embraer]

Uniform guys...like the Cintas guys that clean uniforms for service techs, etc. will have them in their trucks. you can buy them by the box (talking like 20lbs of shop rags) for dirt cheap.

when they're dirty enough, don't wash them at home. take them to a laundry mat, and let all of the grease and dirt go through their machines.

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

This. Once I discovered how cheap I could buy the blue shop paper towels at Sam's Club, I quit using anything else for shop rags.

They are lint free, BTW. I use them too.

[Evans, Marv]

If I don't have any old rags around to serve the purpose, I always have a box of the Scott "Rags in a Box" to draw from. Actually I use those things for most used I need an absorbent rag for - mechanical, painting, etc. They cost $10 for 200, do a good job, cost a nickle apiece, and are stored in a handy cube shaped box you can carry around with you.

[VINMAN]

I use the red shops rags from Sams and I buy el cheapo white cotton wash cloths or hand towels at kmart or similiar store. Pack of 10 for about $3

Im a rag hoarder, I probably have a few hundred. If I wash them I'll wash them in lestiol or orange cleaner. really heavily greased ones I just toss

[Eric Coffey]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

This. Once I discovered how cheap I could buy the blue shop paper towels at Sam's Club, I quit using anything else for shop rags.

+1

A cache of the thick blue shop paper towels is a must have in any garage. The only real "towels" I have are for care care duties (wax/polish/etc.), and those are the nice microfiber ones.

[red-beard]

I buy white shop towels from Sams club. Work great. Depending on what I use them for, they get thrown out or are washed. Wife uses them around the house as well.