Disposing of rags or paper towels that have corrosive or flammable materials on them is something that most people overlook and knowing what to do and what NOT TO DO are both equally important.
How Do I Dispose Of Rags That Have Oil, Gas, Stain, Etc. On Them?
To dispose of rags "properly" that have flammable material on them really comes down to two options.
You can either let them dry out (flattened out, not balled up) or you can throw them in a designated container (usually filled with water) that is designed for these types of materials. They should then be taken to a local waste management facility (county, city, etc.) to be disposed of.
How Do Oil/Gas/Stain Soaked Rags Ignite, Anyways?
When rags start to dry out heat is inevitably produced through the process (oxidation) and if the rags are not stored properly they could ignite.
The combustible material of the rag or paper towel can ignite when heat and oxygen are present and is what causes spontaneous combustion.
Letting The Rags/Towels Dry Out: If you have a small number of contaminated rags or paper towels that need to be disposed of then drying them out is probably the best option.
You can either hang them up to dry on a clothes line of some sort or you can lay them out flat somewhere to dry out instead. They will be dry when the rags/towels get hard and brittle which can be dependent upon humidity, temperature, etc.
No matter which approach you take, be sure that there is no flammable materials around the rags while they are drying. If you plan on laying them out to dry, be sure that they will not blow away by putting a weight of some sort on top of them.
After the rags/towels have dried out you will want to store them in a small metal container that is relatively airtight that is partially filled with water.
A one gallon paint can works well for this and a metal coffee can can work okay too but the lid is usually made of plastic and is flammable, so keep this in mind.
Putting The Rags/Towels In A Designated Container: If you happen to go through a lot of rags or towels that are soaked in flammable materials (like a shop setting) then you will need to have a designated bin or container that is specifically designed for these types of materials.
They make a couple of different sizes to choose from and these should be disposed of properly at regular intervals. A good practice would be to empty these containers out every night to prevent build up of fumes and minimize possible combustion.
Note that it is recommended to have these containers filled with water in order to reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion.
There are a few products that could pose a fire hazard if not properly stored and disposed of and knowing what these are is critical. Here is a short list of some of these materials:
- Gasoline
- Oil
- Stain
- Oil- based paints and stains
- Varnishes
- Polyurethane
- Paint thinners
- Teak/Linseed oils
Special Storage Containers Can Be Purchased:
There are metal containers that can be purchased that can safely store rags, towels, etc. that have been used for flammable materials.
These come in many different sizes and typically cost between $60 and $250. Sizes can range from smaller 2 gallon sizes to 21 gallons or larger but the functionality is really the same no matter what size can you have.
Metal is non-combustible and is really a great material to store these types of materials and if a fire was ever to break out inside the can, it would not burn the container itself, which could create a larger problem.
westernsafety.com
You can actually see a few different cans being sold on Amazon's website to get an idea of prices and sizes that are available.
Commercial Bins: There are also commercial sized bins that are available and some will come with service plans that will come and pick up the bins, empty them, etc.
They have a bunch of different sizes available and the picture below shows some examples of the various sizes available.
tradebeusa.com
Can Soiled Rags/Towels Catch Fire?
There is a good chance that if you don't dispose of your rags or paper towels in the correct way or fail to take basic precautionary measures that they can ignite through the process of oxidation.
There are some good examples online of this occurring and it would be worth checking out so you can see how it happens and familiarize yourself with the process, if it were to ever happen.
I posted a Youtube video below that demonstrates a good experiment conducted by a fire fighter showing how Linseed oil can actually cause a fire from soaked rags that are sitting in a cardboard box all wadded up. There was no spark at all and the rags caught fire all by themselves in a matter of 3 hours.
An interesting video that depicts exactly what can happen if soaked rags are not properly taken care of.
Additional Tips You Might Be Interested In:
- The drying process can take days in some cases so be patient when waiting for the rags to dry out completely. Expect a 2 - 4 day time frame to be standard.
- If you choose to dry out the rags or paper towels on the ground, make sure it is on a non-combustible surface like concrete or dirt (native soil) to prevent anything from catching fire.
- If you want to reuse the rags, you can soak them a couple of times in water (after they have fully dried out) to get them a little bit cleaner. A soapy solution will also work well.
- Some counties/states will allow you to burn the rags/paper towels after they have completely dried out, just make sure that is a viable option where you reside first.
- Having a container that is storing a lot of oil/gas/stain soaked rags is a lot safer if it is full of water, which will almost completely eliminate the possibility of the rags spontaneously combusting.
- Metal containers are the best option but an airtight plastic container or Ziplock bag will also work if you have nothing else at your disposal.
- Keeping the area around the soaked rags is also key to preventing bigger problems from happening. Allow enough space around the area that is free from flammable materials.
- When soaking oily rags in water, you can also add a detergent that breaks down the oil, which will help on many different levels if you plan on reusing the rags.
- Remember products like gas, stains and varnishes are a lot more flammable than oil and fumes should be considered when working with these materials.
