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Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:38 pm

Shop towels/rags vs shop paper towels.

You guys prefer one over the other? why?

I have always had the towels/rags. I certainly don;t wash them, but I have a huge pile of soiled rags, that over time, have become pretty nasty. So I was thinking, why not use the shop paper towels...usem and toss'em. I understand it's cheaper in the long run to use rags over and over and over, but shop paper towels sure make the garage cleaner. no buckets/boxes of soiled rags that cause an eye sore.

Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:53 pm

Paper towels suck, they don’t absorb as much & they disintegrate if you need to scrub a bit. However, I have been using the gojo cleaner/towels & they do a great job of cleaning without additional soap or water. I will save the less soiled ones to reuse to wipe off tools or parts.

Fri Nov 08, 2019 7:58 pm

I saw those gojo's. Towels definitely are the cheaper route long term. Pick your poison I guess

Fri Nov 08, 2019 8:58 pm

I can get amazing life out of the blue heavy-duty scotts towels. But I always keep a variety of rags around for various purposes/polishes/cleaners/etc..

And when my giant blue Ikea bag is full- I take them to the local coin-op laundry to get another round out of them. A local Goodwill sells trash bags full of retired Cisco mechanics towels occasionally- 20lbs for $6.99. Point is for a cheap purchase I have enough to last me the rest of my wrenching life.

Fri Nov 08, 2019 10:33 pm

Nothing beats old T shirts, socks and other old washed clothes for me, I'm throwing it out anyways, why not get one more use out of it? As long as it has some Cotton in it, the full Poly stuff is useless in most cases. Although the real blue shop towels beat paper towels any day if I'm out of old laundry, I get hours instead of minutes out of one most of the time.

Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:36 am

hitest wrote: I can get amazing life out of the blue heavy-duty scotts towels. But I always keep a variety of rags around for various purposes/polishes/cleaners/etc..

And when my giant blue Ikea bag is full- I take them to the local coin-op laundry to get another round out of them. A local Goodwill sells trash bags full of retired Cisco mechanics towels occasionally- 20lbs for $6.99. Point is for a cheap purchase I have enough to last me the rest of my wrenching life.

I second washing them. Wash on hot with lots of detergent and most come clean. Run them a second time to clean out the washer and done. I use some store bought rags, some old wash cloths, paper towels, and even old bath towels all for different things. I usually pick up the cheap HF microfiber for cleaning the interior, taking wax off etc.

Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:29 am

crankbait09 wrote: Shop towels/rags vs shop paper towels.

You guys prefer one over the other? why?

I have always had the towels/rags. I certainly don;t wash them, but I have a huge pile of soiled rags, that over time, have become pretty nasty. So I was thinking, why not use the shop paper towels...usem and toss'em. I understand it's cheaper in the long run to use rags over and over and over, but shop paper towels sure make the garage cleaner. no buckets/boxes of soiled rags that cause an eye sore.

Beware keeping oily/greasy rags in a pile. The mild pressure from the weight of the rags will cause heat to generate until the combustion process takes over. If one has to store old oily/greasy rags, then they should be contained in a metal bucket that has a tight lid which inhibits oxygen needed for maintaining combustion.

Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:40 am

My go to "towels" are Bounty Paper towels for most tasks.

But I keep a pile of old bathroom and beach towels handy. Some tasks just overwhelm paper towels.
I will cut them to size as needed. Also if they get really disgusting, I throw them away or simply leave them outside for a few weeks and let Mother Nature pre-rinse and sanitize with the rain and the Sun. I then will launder them sometimes.

Running a children's Day Camp, the number of lost and forgotten towels from the pools is staggering!
I've got some really nice shop towels! Disney Princesses, Scooby Doo, all sorts or Super Heros, etc.

Dave

Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:52 am

Gary wrote: Beware keeping oily/greasy rags in a pile. The mild pressure from the weight of the rags will cause heat to generate until the combustion process takes over. If one has to store old oily/greasy rags, then they should be contained in a metal bucket that has a tight lid which inhibits oxygen needed for maintaining combustion.

X2! Google "spontaneous combustion."

Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:46 pm

I think they both have their place in the shop.

My hands usually get wiped off with paper towels (bare or gloved hands) because you grab a clean one to finish with and toss it and I wipe them a lot so I don't transfer grease and grime around. If you are dirty it will show on white paper towels.

Parts get cleaned with whatever cleaner is appropriate using rags, and often cheap natural bristle paint brushes, because they don't fall apart so easy and they hold a lot more gunk.

Final cleaning for painting is its own process done separately from base cleaning. Paper may be used there for some things, the white paper shows any residual grime coming up clearly but on some parts it will transfer fiber to them to mess up paint work.

Sat Nov 09, 2019 6:05 pm

One of the first things they taught us in school was never use cloth rags. Why?
Lint and threads come off and clog oil passages whereas paper mostly disintegrates. This would pertain mostly to building engines so general use shop rags are ok but be aware of what can happen. Micro fiber towels are popular now especially in detailing interior exterior. I use nothing but cheap paper towels for most everything auto related because I don’t like storing oil rags and the possibility of spontaneous combustion. :D

Sat Nov 09, 2019 9:46 pm

I have ample supply of both the thick blue paper towels AND the 1 ft square terry cloths, both from the FLAPS. Plus Bounty select-a-size. They each serve different purposes. Now, for car washing and detailing; that's a whole 'nother pantry of thick towels, terry cloths, cotton socks and lint-free cloths :roll:

-Kent

Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:34 am

When I run out of Kleenex I use Charmin.

Sun Nov 10, 2019 8:53 am

iowegian wrote: When I run out of Kleenex I use Charmin.
Enjoy "the go"

Sun Nov 10, 2019 9:08 am

I have a pile of old cotton towels and T-shirts. We go through a dozen beach towels a year and my business generates a few dozen worn out T-shirts, which all get consumed in my garage for car related ventures. I do not use any clothing based material rags, while rebuilding engines, transmissions or differentials, well except for mopping up residual oil, on the exterior side of the project. I was taught paper towels are to only be used, as their remnants are easily dissolved, where as linen is not.

Sun Nov 10, 2019 1:28 pm

I buy the Scott's "Rags in a Box" paper towels. They're heavier than most and do 98% of everything I ask for in general vehicle maintenance. The only thing I use cotton rags for is polishing/waxing.

Sun Nov 10, 2019 4:07 pm

A bit off topic but I’d suggest looking at micro fiber towels and I’d you want to shine painted surfaces the best now is ceramic coatings. These last 3 to 5 years and outperform any wax product hands down, you can also use it on glass. It blows rain X away. Sorry to veer off :( but wanting to share what’s best with you.

Sun Nov 10, 2019 4:26 pm

Zundfolge1432 wrote: A bit off topic but I’d suggest looking at micro fiber towels and I’d you want to shine painted surfaces the best now is ceramic coatings. These last 3 to 5 years and outperform any wax product hands down, you can also use it on glass. It blows rain X away. Sorry to veer off :( but wanting to share what’s best with you.

I can't touch microfiber towels, they stick to my hands and fingers like velcro!

When my kids were little they had PJ's of similar weave..... absolutely hated those outfits!

Dave

Sun Nov 10, 2019 4:45 pm

djkeev wrote: Zundfolge1432 wrote: A bit off topic but I’d suggest looking at micro fiber towels and I’d you want to shine painted surfaces the best now is ceramic coatings. These last 3 to 5 years and outperform any wax product hands down, you can also use it on glass. It blows rain X away. Sorry to veer off :( but wanting to share what’s best with you.

I can't touch microfiber towels, they stick to my hands and fingers like velcro!

When my kids were little they had PJ's of similar weave..... absolutely hated those outfits!

Dave

Never heard this but in auto detailing it’s all we use. Very soft no scratch the advantage was and is the way they are structured they grab dirt. Only downside is washing them it is imperative to not use fabric softer, it loads up the fibers rendering them no better than old school cotton towel. Hand wash line dry is best but if you machine wash don’t use pods they have softener built in.

Sun Nov 10, 2019 4:50 pm

djkeev wrote: Zundfolge1432 wrote: A bit off topic but I’d suggest looking at micro fiber towels and I’d you want to shine painted surfaces the best now is ceramic coatings. These last 3 to 5 years and outperform any wax product hands down, you can also use it on glass. It blows rain X away. Sorry to veer off :( but wanting to share what’s best with you.

I can't touch microfiber towels, they stick to my hands and fingers like velcro!

When my kids were little they had PJ's of similar weave..... absolutely hated those outfits!

Dave
Perhaps it's time to consider some serious hand moisturizer cream?, whatever you are doing now is making your skin protest. I use the Hooflex nightly, I also wear nitrile gloves for any mechanical work, no more velcro finger.

And the bonus is it's also made me much more welcome when I go in for a booby grope on my wife! :wink: