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Are You Storing Your Grease Rags Correctly?

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 17:22:44 GMT

Improper storage of grease rags is a recipe for disaster. Grease rags and rags that are full of solvents pose a combustion risk. Proper storage and disposal of grease rags and other types of rags is essential to the safety of your business and your home.

OSHA Has an Entire Section Dedicated to This Topic

Improper disposal and storage of rags used to clean petroleum products and other solvents is so important that OSHA dedicates an entire section of one of the safety manuals to proper disposal and storage. Rags that have been used to clean up oil and other solvents are combustion hazards. This is because as the oil in the rag oxidizes, it heats up. If the rag is not properly stored, the heat from oxidization can cause the rag to burst into spontaneous flames. How do you ensure that your rags are not going to become a risk? You follow some simple guidelines.

Safe Storage Container

You can recycle rags for use later with industrial washing services and by properly storing the rags until laundry day. It is important that you reuse the rags as many times as you can, not only to save on costs but to be kinder to the environment. According to the EPA, in 2017, there were about 16.9 million tons of textile disposed of. Of that waste, only about 15% was recycled. That means about 11.2 million tons ended up in landfills.

Do your part and invest in a special container that is designed to keep rags safe while they are waiting to go to the washing service. These metal containers have lids and venting systems on the underside to keep rags from spontaneously combusting.

Proper Disposal

The easiest and safest way to dispose of rags that have lived out their useful life is to soak the rags in a metal container filled with water. The container should have a secure lid. You can remove the rags from the water after 24 hours and place them in a bag for disposal. Consult with local authorities for the proper disposal according to local regulations.

Train Your Staff

Make sure all your employees are well versed in what to do with the rags when they are finished working with them is important. Set up a training program for employees to create a standard operating procedure for managing disposal and care of rags used for oil and solvents. Get everyone on board to reduce the risks associated with grease rags.

As you can see, there's a lot to learn about grease rag storage and care. If you want to make sure you're dealing with your rags the best way possible, consider a textile cleaning service. To learn more about this topic or discuss our service options, call us today!

How to Keep Your Kitchen Wiping Cloths Clean

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:20:58 GMT

Are you using a lot of wiping cloths in your day-to-day tasks and finding that they end up rather dirty? This situation is not uncommon and can be a real problem. For example, dirty and stained clothes may have a lot of bacteria that you could spread across your home by wiping down with them. Thankfully, you can keep your wiping clothes relatively clean by using these simple steps.

Know When to Wash Them

At a certain point, your wiping cloths are not going to be safe to use anymore. Typically, this occurs after 2-3 uses. By then, you'll likely have used them to wipe down multiple surface areas, washed your dishes, and much more. Remove any dust or debris from them by rinsing them in hot water and then either put them in a washing machine or hand-wash them with appropriate anti-bacterial soap. When washing by hand, wear a pair of gloves to avoid contamination and scrape off all stains and debris to avoid problems.

Drying Them Out

Next, you need to make sure that you dry out your clothes after you rinse them off. This step is important because it helps to avoid mold and other long-term growths on your cloths. Try to wring them out as much as possible to get all the water out and then throw them in your dryer or even hang them up outside to dry. These steps help to keep them safe and minimize mold growth and also help minimize bad smells.

Replacing Them When Necessary

Many people try to keep their clothes as long as possible to protect the environment. After all, according to RoadRunner Recycling Inc., about 84% of all clothing ends up in landfills or incinerators, with New York City alone wasting more than 400 million pounds of clothing. However, there comes a time when common sense dictates you throw away those clothes. For wiping cloths, if your cleaning just doesn't work anymore, replace them to stay safe.

If you're worried about throwing away too many wiping cloths, you can avoid the kind of waste mentioned above by reusing your old shirts, pants, or other items! Tear them up into small squares and clean them in the laundry to prepare them for use. You can then clean them using the steps above, cutting back on your waste and also keeping your home and family safer at the same time. Bonus!

5 Benefits of Using Recycled Rags

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 15:41:01 GMT

There are different types of wiping rags, including microfiber rags, terry rags, and cotton rags. The rags can either be new or recycled. While many people like using new wiping rags, recycled rags are also effective. There are many benefits associated with using recycled rags . Here are the five big benefits of using recycled rags:

1. Save Money

Saving money by buying recycled items is always a smart choice. Recycled rags are often less expensive than new rags. Buying recycled rags will save you a lot of money.

2. High Absorbency

Adequate wiping materials should be highly absorbent. Unlike new rags, recycled rags are more absorbent and soft to touch. Clothing used to make recycled rags was washed many times. Washing removes sizing, making clothing more absorbent and soft. A recycled wiping rag will wipe and absorb a pool of water quicker than a new rag.

3. Positive Environmental Impact

Using recycled rags is more environmentally friendly than new wiping rags. Manufacturing new wiping rags results in the emission of carbon gases which negatively affect the environment. Conversely, the manufacture of recycled wiping rags is a green process that doesn't emit carbon emissions.

Also, clothing takes many years to decompose and releases many carbon gases into the environment. The use of old clothing to make recycled rags is environmentally friendly as it prevents textile decomposition. This also reduces landfill waste. You will positively impact the environment by buying recycled rags.

4. Creates Jobs

The second-hand textile industry is a very big industry that has employed thousands of people in the U.S. People are employed to cut and process wiping rags from used clothing. In 2018, the recycling rate was 14.7%, equivalent to 2.5 million tons of recycled clothing that year. According to the American Textile Recycling Service, the recycling rate in clothing and footwear was 13%, while sheets and pillowcases were 15.8%. You will be creating jobs by buying a recycled rag.

5. Versatile

Recycled rags are versatile. They can do the job, whether you are a homeowner cleaning up a spill in your bedroom or a mechanic cleaning oil off a car. You can rely on recycled rags to help you with any cleaning task.

Buy a recycled rag the next time you go shopping. Even though recycled rags don't look as new, they are more absorbent and versatile. This makes them suitable for any cleaning task.