It was late (very) and wifey was still miffed
that I washed the oil ridden rags (I did a thorough cleaning of
the washing
machine).>> >>
No offense taken at all. I knew what you meant. I guess a smiley-face or
two would have made my feeble attempt at humor more obvious. I know
what you mean about the shop rags. I did that last week, and now all my
freshly-laundered clothes smell like Mr. Goodwrench. My wife almost killed
me!! I think in the future I’ll just throw them away and buy new ones >>
Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible! I also find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking oils). Doing so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
So here I sit in front of the wash with my fire extinguisher (First Alert
industrial model for paper, wood, grease, oil, gasoline and electrical fires
available at Sears in the department most of us are well familiar with)
realizing that I’m prepared in case of explosion or fire, but not quite sure
how to protect myself if death should occur. Maybe a death extinguisher?
Where would I find one? In the department of redundancy department?
Never mind… :-p
Cheers,
Eric Scott Williams
66fhc (scattered evenly across my garage floor)
In a message dated 5/2/00 12:56:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, EScott2U@aol.com
writes:
<< Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible! I also find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry
anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking oils). Doing so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
At LEAST remove the Jag fron the garage first!
Keith
It was late (very) and wifey was still miffed
that I washed the oil ridden rags (I did a thorough cleaning of
the washing
machine).>> >>
Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible! I also find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking oils). Doing so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
I degrease the rags in cleaning sovent first. then I use copious amounts
of Tide. My experience is that Tide cuts grease better than any other
detergent. If cleaning solvent is not available diesel fuel works also.
Soak the rags in deisel, wring out, hose off with water using pressure
nozzle then wash. However, if you do not clean the inside of the washer
after washing the rags wify will probably take your money and run off
with your best friend.**************************************
Or don’t wash them at all. I bought ten huge bags of rags at Costco for
about $70; I expect them to last the entire restoration. I have a three
stage process: New rags are used for very light cleanup, like wiping clean
castings; once they’re too dirty for that process I use them for heavier
duty, like cleaning dirty bits with an engine cleaner; and once they’re too
grotty for that, they then get used for mopping up the giant pools of
spilled oil from a tippe over pan or wiping the thick grease off of a 37
year old A-arm. After that, they go in the trash, or the haz-mat bag,
anyway.
Personally, I paid too much for my washing machine and like my clothes to
smell fresh too much for rags to be worth washing.
In a message dated 5/2/00 12:56:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, EScott2U@aol.com
writes:
<< Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible!
I also find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry
anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking
oils). Doing so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
At LEAST remove the Jag fron the garage first!
Keith
On a serious note, oily rags should be kept in metal cans to discourage
spontaneous combustion.On a silly note, coin op laundromats are good for oily rags and clothes. Al Roger Los wrote:
Or don’t wash them at all. I bought ten huge bags of rags at Costco for
about $70; I expect them to last the entire restoration. I have a three
stage process: New rags are used for very light cleanup, like wiping clean
castings; once they’re too dirty for that process I use them for heavier
duty, like cleaning dirty bits with an engine cleaner; and once they’re too
grotty for that, they then get used for mopping up the giant pools of
spilled oil from a tippe over pan or wiping the thick grease off of a 37
year old A-arm. After that, they go in the trash, or the haz-mat bag,
anyway.
Personally, I paid too much for my washing machine and like my clothes to
smell fresh too much for rags to be worth washing.
In a message dated 5/2/00 12:56:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, EScott2U@aol.com
writes:
<< Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible!
I also find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry
anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking
oils). Doing so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
At LEAST remove the Jag fron the garage first!
Keith
On a serious note, oily rags should be kept in metal cans to discourage
spontaneous combustion.
On a silly note, coin op laundromats are good for oily rags and clothes.
I was looking for a small can to keep my rags in. The only thoing I
could find was a parts cleaning can at Graingers.
I asked som firmen friends of mine if they knew where to get a can and I
was told not to worry about automotive grease.
They said it was animal fats and liseed type oils that combust
spontainiously.
Petroleum products werenot a problem. I use a metal can anywaybut made
me less fearful of such an event.–
Roger,
Just curious…If you paid too much for your washing machine, does that
mean that you brought it on Ebay ? Or did the PO represent it as a nice
rust-free washing machine that never got wet and wound up being a real
beater appliance underneath all of that shiny (via appliance orange peel
of course) fresh paint. I am looking forward to seeing the photo of the
washing machine mounted on the specially fabricated rotating jig/carou-
sel on the “Roger’s Washing Machine Restoration/Color Chart” website.
By the way, IMHO a opalescent silver/blue Whirlpool looks absolutely
hideous if not seriously dated with whitewalls.
Ray S,64 OTS,69 Kenmore________________________________________________________________________
From: “Roger Los” roger@los.com
Personally, I paid too much for my washing machine and like my clothes to
smell fresh too much for rags to be worth washing.
On a serious note, oily rags should be kept in metal cans to discourage
spontaneous combustion.
On a silly note, coin op laundromats are good for oily rags and clothes.
I was looking for a small can to keep my rags in. The only thoing I
could find was a parts cleaning can at Graingers.
I asked som firmen friends of mine if they knew where to get a can and I
was told not to worry about automotive grease.
They said it was animal fats and liseed type oils that combust
spontainiously.
Petroleum products werenot a problem. I use a metal can anywaybut made
me less fearful of such an event.
Don’t relax yet. Paint thinners are well known for spontaneous
combustion.On Tue, 02 May 2000 13:11:09 -0700, you wrote:
I actually bought my washing machine new. I normally don’t like to do that,
as I prefer for the first owner to take the depreciation hit, but for just
once in my life I wanted something that was not someone else’s second: damn
the expense.
However, I must admit to a bit of jealousy, as '69 was THE classic year for
Kenmore. Big blade agitator, high rpm spin cycle, you name it. Did you get
bleach walls on it? My girlfriend was wanting counter space, so we got the
under-counter front-loader, which is very efficient, but somehow it
feels…antiseptic. It’s too easy to wash well with it. It requires no skill
or finesse. I never sneak off to the laundry room to just sit and stare at
the machine…
Wanting a classic style sporty washer, I even tried to sell her on the
possible benefits (to her) of an off-balance load and a romance novel, but
she has ridden horses her whole life and said there’s no truth to that one,
either.
Roger Los, W(asher)-whipped> Roger,
Just curious…If you paid too much for your washing machine, does that
mean that you brought it on Ebay ? Or did the PO represent it as a nice
rust-free washing machine that never got wet and wound up being a real
beater appliance underneath all of that shiny (via appliance orange peel
of course) fresh paint. I am looking forward to seeing the photo of the
washing machine mounted on the specially fabricated rotating jig/carou-
sel on the “Roger’s Washing Machine Restoration/Color Chart” website.
By the way, IMHO a opalescent silver/blue Whirlpool looks absolutely
hideous if not seriously dated with whitewalls.
Ray S,64 OTS,69 Kenmore
From: “Roger Los” <@Roger_Los>
Personally, I paid too much for my washing machine and like my clothes to
smell fresh too much for rags to be worth washing.
Just curious…If you paid too much for your washing machine, does that
mean that you brought it on Ebay ? Or did the PO represent it as a nice
rust-free washing machine that never got wet and wound up being a real
beater appliance underneath all of that shiny (via appliance orange peel
of course) fresh paint.
Here’s the description from the E-bay ad:
AMANA WASHER $100. OWNED BY CLEAN BACHELOR WHO SELDOM WASHED.
That Roger is wierd!!
I thought I was the only one who uses rags in “stages” like this…
LLoyd
Roger Los wrote:> … I have a three
stage process: New rags are used for very light cleanup, like wiping clean
castings; once they’re too dirty for that process I use them for heavier
duty, like cleaning dirty bits with an engine cleaner; and once they’re too
grotty for that, they then get used for mopping up the giant pools of
spilled oil from a tippe over pan or wiping the thick grease off of a 37
year old A-arm. After that, they go in the trash, or the haz-mat bag,
anyway.
…
Roger,
Just curious…If you paid too much for your washing machine, does that
mean that you brought it on Ebay ? Or did the PO represent it as a nice
rust-free washing machine that never got wet and wound up being a real
beater appliance underneath all of that shiny (via appliance orange peel
of course) fresh paint. I am looking forward to seeing the photo of the
washing machine mounted on the specially fabricated rotating jig/carou-
sel on the “Roger’s Washing Machine Restoration/Color Chart” website.
By the way, IMHO a opalescent silver/blue Whirlpool looks absolutely
hideous if not seriously dated with whitewalls…
Having been through a shop fire (twice, actually) caused by improper storage of
rags, I now have an outside (steel) container where used rags reside.
I never store any combustables near any source of sparks…we had one shop
fire created while welding…a spark set off a pile of rags stored under the
workbench…on top of the work bench were a couple gallons of
solvent…luckily we managed to put out the fire BEFORE the shop went
up…but we sure burned the heck out of the bench…the flames were shooting 8
feet high, and the welder, standing three feet away, was still blissfully
ignorant of the conflagration…
The other fire was caused by an exotherm reaction of polyester resins…a “hot”
batch had gelled and was no longer useful for a fibreglass repair under
way…the whole mess was just dumped into a 20 gallon waste can…half an hour
later we could have used some hot dogs or marshmellows…
In my advance state of age and conservatism, I don’t allow ANY solvent-exposed
rags to be retained. They go out of the shop right then and there into the
outside garbage…
Last year a friend’s wife started a (small) fire in my waste can in my home
garage…with her (supposedly) extingushed cigarret but…I just about lost my
house, my D-type, and perhaps my life!!!
Anyway, my recommendation is to get a couple of the big bags of rags and
dispose of them as you go. Then you won’t mess up your washing machine. I NEVER
was oily rags in our own washer…I would go down to the coin wash first.
Remember, those oily rags could contain some small metal filings…they will go
right through the seals in your washer…not to mention your wife won’t
appreciate when her bras end up looking smokey grey, and smell like the inside
of your mechanics overalls (of course, this has never happened to me!!!??)
Regards, Tom
Jim Manson wrote:> On Tue, 02 May 2000 13:11:09 -0700, you wrote:
Alistair Bell wrote:
On a serious note, oily rags should be kept in metal cans to discourage
spontaneous combustion.
On a silly note, coin op laundromats are good for oily rags and clothes.
I was looking for a small can to keep my rags in. The only thoing I
could find was a parts cleaning can at Graingers.
I asked som firmen friends of mine if they knew where to get a can and I
was told not to worry about automotive grease.
They said it was animal fats and liseed type oils that combust
spontainiously.
Petroleum products werenot a problem. I use a metal can anywaybut made
me less fearful of such an event.
Don’t relax yet. Paint thinners are well known for spontaneous
combustion.
It was late (very) and wifey was still miffed
that I washed the oil ridden rags (I did a thorough cleaning of
the washing
machine).>> >>
Irony of ironies -
I’ve just thrown my shop rags in the wash and have sat down to read the
above. I go check the machine and the odor is bloody horrible! I also
find
this ominous warning on the washing machine lid:
WARNING EXPLOSION HAZARD
Never place items in the washer that are dampened with gasoline or other
flammable liquids. No washer can completely remove oil. Do not dry
anything
that has ever had any type of oil on it (including cooking oils). Doing
so
can result in death, explosion or fire.
Many years ago, a friend tried to dry some rags which had been subjected to
absorption of flammable liquids.
Unfortunately, the dryer exploded, and the friend suffered 2nd degree burns.
There was significant damage done to the laundry room as well.
There are laundry services available for cleaning such rags. Check with a
local service station as to where they get their shop rags cleaned. I know,
not many exist anymore; most “service stations” have long ago converted to
junk-food sales. As a last resort, you might consider hand-washing them in
a deep sink with plenty of detergent.
The best solution I found was to go to a farm auction and buy an old wringer
washer. They are usually on wheels, there is no timer so you can let it
wash as long as you like, and you can reuse the soap solution if it still
has life. If the wringer rollers are still good they usually do a great job
wringing out the moisture. I also think Tide works well for shop rags.
Roger,
I haven’t had much time lately, but don’t worry. I am working on a draft
for a response to this posting. It may take some time but hopefully it
will be worthwhile.
Ray S,64 OTS,nothing to say at this point>From: “Roger Los” roger@los.com
I actually bought my washing machine new. I normally don’t like to do that,
as I prefer for the first owner to take the depreciation hit, but for just
once in my life I wanted something that was not someone else’s second: damn
the expense.
However, I must admit to a bit of jealousy, as '69 was THE classic year for
Kenmore. Big blade agitator, high rpm spin cycle, you name it. Did you get
bleach walls on it? My girlfriend was wanting counter space, so we got the
under-counter front-loader, which is very efficient, but somehow it
feels…antiseptic. It’s too easy to wash well with it. It requires no
skill
or finesse. I never sneak off to the laundry room to just sit and stare at
the machine…
Wanting a classic style sporty washer, I even tried to sell her on the
possible benefits (to her) of an off-balance load and a romance novel, but
she has ridden horses her whole life and said there’s no truth to that one,
either.
I know
