Oily rag disposal
- Thread starter JDgreen227
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OP
JDgreen227
Super Member
You've seen my wardrobe??
:laughing: : My best rags are clean socks with holes in them...
i've been thinking of getting one of those oil waste cans that you see all the auto shops use for their used rags. i read a little about it and i'm probably ok, because i toss the old rags together into a container and then reuse them until they are literally drenched in grease. what i did get from reading is that wet rags won't instantly ignite - i never really got the full understanding but it must be something to do with the chemicals reacting to air when they are dry?
anyways, i bought a bag of 100 red rags at a wholesale store a few years back, and i've still got a bunch since i keep using them for increasingly dirty tasks until the point that they deposit more oil/grease than they remove. once i have some that are all used up i drop them in the rag bucket at the shop of a mechanic in town who has a weekly service for uniforms and shop rags.
anyways, i bought a bag of 100 red rags at a wholesale store a few years back, and i've still got a bunch since i keep using them for increasingly dirty tasks until the point that they deposit more oil/grease than they remove. once i have some that are all used up i drop them in the rag bucket at the shop of a mechanic in town who has a weekly service for uniforms and shop rags.
Soundguy
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the grease and oil you use in mechanics isn't the smae type of oil that you read about auto igniteing..
Soundguy
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this came fromt he wildwood survival site:
"oils from grains and plants are more prone to spontaneous combustion than petroleum oils. Linseed oil seems to be one of the worst/best candidates, depending on whether or not you want a fire.
The chemistry of spontaneous combustion is that of oxidation. An oil in its liquid form will oxidize, but there will be little heat buildup due to the limited surface area. If we spread out the oil, then there is a large exposure to oxygen, and more heat is generated. If we soak oil into a rag of some sort and confine it to some degree, we can end up with a magic (or tragic) combination which will ignite. There are various factors that do have to be properly balanced. Air needs to be able to get to the oil to enable oxidation. If there is too much air, then heat will be drawn away. If there is too little air, then there won't be enough oxidation, and the ignition temperature may not be reached. Having the whole rag/oil mass somewhat insulated also helps to retain/build heat. Lastly, there is a "critical mass" which must be established. A small piece of cloth will lose too much heat to its surroundings. One needs a large enough "pile" to make things work.
"
"oils from grains and plants are more prone to spontaneous combustion than petroleum oils. Linseed oil seems to be one of the worst/best candidates, depending on whether or not you want a fire.
The chemistry of spontaneous combustion is that of oxidation. An oil in its liquid form will oxidize, but there will be little heat buildup due to the limited surface area. If we spread out the oil, then there is a large exposure to oxygen, and more heat is generated. If we soak oil into a rag of some sort and confine it to some degree, we can end up with a magic (or tragic) combination which will ignite. There are various factors that do have to be properly balanced. Air needs to be able to get to the oil to enable oxidation. If there is too much air, then heat will be drawn away. If there is too little air, then there won't be enough oxidation, and the ignition temperature may not be reached. Having the whole rag/oil mass somewhat insulated also helps to retain/build heat. Lastly, there is a "critical mass" which must be established. A small piece of cloth will lose too much heat to its surroundings. One needs a large enough "pile" to make things work.
"
sparc
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NAPA and most auto parts dealers that cater to repair shops should have them too. I doubt you will find them at the consumer stores like Advance Auto though, but I could be wrong, I try to stay out of those places and deal with my local NAPA dealer.
OP
JDgreen227
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OP here with an update, back on December 18th in last year, a local thrift store caught fire and burnt with a total loss of building and contents. The original news story stated they thought the fire began in an area where, QUOTE: "an area of the store used to refinish furniture" and I immediately thought of oily rags, etc. as a possible cause.
Today's news story says "improper disposal of rags used to refinish furniture sparked the blaze" was the conclusion of the local fire department.
I cannot recall for certain, but I am pretty sure the thread I started was partly because of the fire I noted above. What is sad is that the store was one of the most charitable in the area, giving tens of thousands of dollars worth of donated merchandise and clothing items to the needy in the area. The loss of contents alone was over $100,000, only partly covered by insurance. What a waste, and all caused by someone's carelessness with useless rags.
Today's news story says "improper disposal of rags used to refinish furniture sparked the blaze" was the conclusion of the local fire department.
I cannot recall for certain, but I am pretty sure the thread I started was partly because of the fire I noted above. What is sad is that the store was one of the most charitable in the area, giving tens of thousands of dollars worth of donated merchandise and clothing items to the needy in the area. The loss of contents alone was over $100,000, only partly covered by insurance. What a waste, and all caused by someone's carelessness with useless rags.
Soundguy
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yep.. those oils commonly used in wood refinishing are the dangerous ones... as opposed to say.. engine oil.... etc.
soundguy
soundguy
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Yep...volatile and low flash point. A bad combination!
powerpace
Veteran Member
I was fire department Officer for many years. Fires caused by grease rags, refinishing rags and even old burlap bags storing oiled tire chains happen. Twice I have gone to a laundomat where the patron had washed and was drying kitchen rags from his restaurant. Same guy same result. Thousands of dollars of damage. Even kitchen grease under the right conditions can cause problems. Rags were washed improperly and grease residue were dried at high temperatures.
Never leave waste in a building, remove as soon as possible.
Never leave waste in a building, remove as soon as possible.