Best Industrial Detergent for the Shop?

**MosportGreen66** · #1 10-17-2016, 07:42 PM

Hi Gents,

What kind of detergent are you using for your shop towels, rags, micro fiber towels etc? My household product does a moderate/fair job. I'm sure something else out there cuts the grease with great ease.

Thanks,
Dan

Pat_Dilling · #2 10-20-2016, 12:19 AM

For my microfiber towels I use Woolite and pre-treat bad spots with Shout or something like it. No fabric softener. Wash warm, gentle cycle with a long soak. If they get real bad I replace them. Shop towels or rags I generally toss and replace, if I put greasy rags in our washing machine I would have to live out in the shop! I get the big bag-o-rags at the swap meet or buy the jumbo package of the traditional red rags when they go on sale. Doing it that way ensures domestic tranquility.

**m22mike** · #3 10-20-2016, 01:02 AM

I washed rags in the washing machine, got bitched at. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/blush.gif[/img]

**Lynn** · #4 10-20-2016, 01:09 AM

Red rags are a loser in a home washing machine. Just too much grease. I don't know what they wash the rags and uniforms in, but once I left a dollar bill in the pocket of my work pants and when i get them back and found the dollar, one side was almost blank!!!!!

Best bet is to find a local shop that will let you "use" their industrial service. Buy your own rags, trade out at the shop and pay the owner what it costs (plus a little premium for being a good guy!) to have them cleaned. I am lucky. I used to own the shop that my brother has now, so we call it "founder's privileges".

**earntaz** · #5 10-20-2016, 02:53 AM

Bleach, lye and a Laundromat -- will ensure peace and tranquilty on the home front ... TAZ

bluel78 · #6 10-20-2016, 11:38 AM

Think twice before using the laundromat, the next person might use it for their kids pajamas. I wish they would have one marked for shop rags only.

cook_dw · #7 10-20-2016, 11:45 AM

I setup an account with Cintas back years ago and would meet the driver at one of his stops in town a couple days out of the month and swap out with him. Monthly charge was like $20 or so IIRC.. Only problem is you have to send in a letter for cancellation and a little red tape to discontinue the service. Much easier to start plus that was several years ago and they may have changed the way they operate now idk.

As for microfiber towels that I use for waxing and detailing I use a basic household detergent with no softener. The liquid softener can sometimes leave a waxy film in the towels and it transfers to the paint and it can look like a smear but will clean off.

As for greasy rags definitely do not wash them with your home washer. You will be left with a ring of grease inside the tub.. Ask me how I know.. It took 3 cycles and wiping down in between those cycles to get all the grease out.. Just glad I didnt wash clothes right after.. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

**m22mike** · #8 10-20-2016, 12:47 PM

We have kind of hijacked Dan's original question here, but I have bought these new towells and they are cheap and new. This mill "georgiatowels" on ebay has many differant quantity bundles avialable. This one of 1000 rags is marked down and is $ .074 cents ea. Not bad.

New white shop towells

**MosportGreen66** · #9 10-22-2016, 01:53 PM

Mike, gents, thanks so much! No hijacking at all...

Great info as always. Some good ideas to check out. My process is always to toss the over saturated rags. The more expensive micro fiber will get a Shout treatment before the wash. Thanks as always guys!

Dan