Another stain rag question

[Corey]

I've read of the dangers of combustible/flammable (whichever) rags that you need to carefully dispose of. If I am using a water based stain and poly, what kind of care do I need to take with the used rags? I don't have the metal tin of mineral spirits available. But I also don't want to risk setting the house on fire.

Thanks

[Searcher 1]

Personally, after use I put them in a bucket of water mixed with Greased Lightning and let them soak. The ones I use for linseed oil I take outside and let dry.

Searcher1

[Patriarch]

"Corey" wrote in news:%LxRd.11832$uc.9255@trnddc01:

For all your rags, whether old t-shirts, used cloth diapers, or Bounty paper towels, just spread them out to air dry.

The problem is primarily spontaneous combustion, caused by slow oxidation and heat buildup. Just because I've never heard of there being a problem with water-borne finishes, doesn't mean there couldn't be one.

I hang mine over the edge of the garbage can till really dry, then pitch them in.

Patriarch

[Mike Marlow]

Since they're not solvent laden, the risk of spontaneous combustion is about nil, but that does not negate Patriarch's suggestion to hang them to dry. If for no other reason, it's a good practice to develop that will ensure that you won't just ball up rags used for some other stain out of habit, and risk spontaneous combustion. I hang all of my rags over whatever is handy.

[RonB]

While I am working a project I often store oil or stain rags outside, but not directly exposed to the weather. This is especially true when I have a rag nicely soaked with oil or poly. I slip them into a ziplock sandwich bag and squeeze out the air before sealing. Then put the sandwich bag inside of an old tupperware container that sits on a threshold slab outside of the shop. This keeps them air-starved but 'ripe' for a day or so.

[GerryG]

Just leave them open to dry. You didn't say if the poly is water based or not. If not, you could spread them outside, weighted down to dry to avoid the smell.

It's only if they're bunched up that the heat will built up.

GerryG

Corey wrote:

[Silvan]

If it's a rag I don't want to re-use, and it's got something spontaneously combustible on it, I spontaneously combustible it with my aim-n-flame to avoid future surprises.

Grown up version of playing with matches, I guess. :)