What do y'all use for rags in your shop?

Downeaster

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I've been using old tee shirts and other cotton waste since roughly forever, but there is a finite supply of such things around here.

I've been filling in with paper towels which work well, but that they're pretty much good for one wipe and get tossed. That gets spendy pretty quick.

I bought a bundle of the red hanky-sized rags and they work well too, but again, spendy and washing them in Momma's machine is a non-starter.

Thinking maybe a roll of the blue paper towel-type stuff? Seems like you could get a bit more use out of them and/or they may be cheaper in bulk than Bounty's Finest.

What say you?
 
Old socks and Ts. Thrift shops sell bags of rags cheap. A custodian friend dumps end rolls of paper towels from bathroom dispensers on me. That brown paper towel works nice even if I only get end of the roll..
 
Like you, I use mostly paper towels for cleaning. Rags get used for polishing mostly. Yes, the Bounty brand is expensive. I buy the Sparkle brand. They go on sale a lot and also have $1 to $2 off coupons many times. I download the coupons right from their website usually .....

https://www.sparkletowels.com/save/paper-towel-coupons
 
Cotton "rags" from my Mom's throw-away pile has kept me supplied since forever. She saves them for her "motorcycle nut" son. :bike:
 
The metal fabricating shops that I work with literally buy bundle bags of old cut up t shirts for $50 a bag. These are heavy bags loaded with old t shirts that have been quartered into pieces.... so ... you are right on with the t shirts. I use them too... but... I actually prefer blue paper shop towels in a roll.
 
Yeah, paper towel, blue shop paper towel for special occasions. Worn out bath towels. Rag bag from Vinny's, "too dirty to wash" micro fiber polishing towels gradually head down range; windshield, tank, side covers, chrome, wheels, engine cases, at the end they're wiping grease off the chain. Greasy paper towels go in the wood burner in winter.​
 
I use what I call "Church socks". Cuz they are holely in the toes and heels. (drum rinshot with cymbol). The odd T-shirt and a roll of blue paper shop towels.
 
Asked Mrs to put all discarded cloths in a basket in the garage. Make a start with scissors and rip 'em up. Sheets and duvet covers are great for general cotton rags, denim for heavyweight rags, T-shirts are great for wiping painted parts, corduroy sometimes shows up and I use that for polishing paintwork. Wool gets passed back in the house, I think it ends up stuffing cushions.

A clean cotton rag usually starts with wiping parts I'm working on, then as it gets greasy it gets used for wiping oily areas or wiping up messes and ends up cleaning the chain with paraffin, uhm, kerosene to Americans before going in the bin.

Bought a couple large rolls of blue tear-off paper towels in Halfords and sometimes use one to wipe me hands.

A large bed sheet must make about forty rags? The basket is quite full so not expecting to run out any time soon.
 
Usually paper towels but they last about 2 seconds. Prefer the blue paper towel like shop rags. Don't use cotton rags as I have no means to wash them. I keep the used paper towel rags and such as fire starters so they get double use.
 
Rolling the clock back a few years, the US Navy bought bundles of torn up clothing and we used these scraps for rags.
Today, I use the blue paper stuff like these here which cost around $19 at Costco:
0003600054406_A

I also buy these at about the same price:
R.25ded907070a2023bd4ebd6bb745e8e2

I use the cloth for cleaning and they bleach out white afterwards nicely.
 
I use old clothing too. Favourite is a torn up flannel sheet. I have industrial paper towels like the blue ones on a roll but like actual fabric better. My local industrial supplier sells bags of recycled clothing. Iirc they are about 25 lb bags and cost about $35, but such a bag would last me way more than a year working on bikes, car, boat motors, lawnmowers etc. Best to buy cotton fabric only and not sweatshirt fleece material, which sometimes is less absorbent.
 
Rolling the clock back a few years, the US Navy bought bundles of torn up clothing and we used these scraps for rags.
Today, I use the blue paper stuff like these here which cost around $19 at Costco:
0003600054406_A

I also buy these at about the same price:
R.25ded907070a2023bd4ebd6bb745e8e2

I use the cloth for cleaning and they bleach out white afterwards nicely.
I need to add a disclaimer: I use these in the basement patio and in front of the house as I have no shop which clearly the title of the thread was asking about. I apologize if I have misled anyone as to my use of these products. Please return to your daily chores in peace...
 
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