Rag Wholesaler

[Mirage Cleaners]

I've been going through rags like crazy lately and they're kind of expensive at Home Depot. I need some white, lint free, absorbent rags. Anyone have any contacts with a rag wholesaler?

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[Mobile]

Just out of curosity, why the excessive use of rags?
For wiping hands and sweat I use those blue shop towels
out of the local walmart. They are great on windows and very absorbent.

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[David Saulque]

Two years ago I ended the bi weekly service where I would gather up all my grease rags and take they to a local laundry. After spending two hours time, plus the price of the machines, soap and so fourth. After that was completed I would throw the unserviceable out and then buy new one. Oh did I hate this job. Now my uniform company cleans and replaces the damaged ones.

I think when it all adds up the service is about less, because we are very hard on terry towels, and considering my time and all I am way ahead. If you still wish to clean your own go to a local janitor supply house can't remeber the price, but it should be half of the clubs - plus a better product.

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[Mirage Cleaners]

Well to answer your question about the excessive use of rags . . . . I use them to wipe away excess sealer left on windows, etc, while sealing decks and cedar siding. I also use them to wipe the sealer off my hands. They smell so bad I won't even consider washing them.

I also used them to buff up a stainless storefront.

I rather get some cheap throw away rags . . . still looking for advice on where to buy them???????

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[This message has been edited by Mirage Cleaners (edited September 10, 2000).]

 

[Mike Hughes]

As a footnote to his post about throwing away rags with deck sealer on them, you have to be careful where you put them, because most deck sealers are flammable. I know of someone who's house burnt down because of this, so be careful where you put them!

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Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

 

[Jon]

David was right on when he said his uniform company does them.

Contact the local uniform and linen supply companies in your area and talk to the "service manager" Not a route person or district manager.

Explain your needs and ask if they would be willing to sell to you wholesale.

Also have you considered companies that make bed linen, they might sell their seconds to you cheaply.

Or do as David does, wash and discard old ones.

Jon

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Beep beep, the OPC Roadrunner coming through.

Jon Fleischer
Oasis Pressure Cleaning
(909) 792-2247
Fax (909) 792-5633

 

[Dave Olson]

No one has said how much they are spending for their rags!

I purchase the "Rags in a Box" made by Scott (10" x 14" single ply towels). We use them only once and throw them away. Currently spending about $.03 to .035 each. Work great around the shop and on jobs.

Dave Olson

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Tidy Powerwash Service, Inc. P.O. Box 781, Catlin, Illinois 61817 Phone 217-427-5557, Fax 217-427-2632 We are a commercial cleaning contractor serving East-Central Illinois and West Central Indiana since 1984. http://www.tps-inc.com/preswash.htm

 

[bgbrew01]

I do not know if this is exactly what you are looking for but whenever I need rags to clean misc stuff. I go to the Salvation Army and ask if they have any rags for sale. They take all of the T-shirts that are donated to them which are not fit for use and cut them into rags. The last time I went there I got a 3' by 3' box which was absolutely stuffed with these types of rags (had to be at least 3-400 maybe more) and it only cost me $20.

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[Bigreds]

Salvation Army or Goodwill was my thoughts too. Or I would guess if you asked friends or family to collect all their old T's you would probably get enough to last a long time.

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[Douglas Hicks]

Jon also had a post on March 23 concering uniforms which had some info on rags. For cleaning exhaust hoods, we use a combination of rags and paper towels.
Paper towels on the worst, rags to polish the stainless steel and to wipe my sweaty brow.

Dispose of oily rags properly. The parts house and hardware stores have safety cans that you should be using for oily rags. One of the largest fires I fought as a fireman was a Hi School Gym. The floors in the gym had been refinished, the rags were thrown in a corner, the doors were locked, & everyone went home. The smoke could be seen 30 miles away. We called in 5 departments to help on that fire. We got a new school out of that fire.

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[David Saulque]

The nice thing about the towel service is that you use their towels-once a week they pick up my uniforms, towels and leave clean towels/uniforms. The cost for towel/uniforms for 7 employees is around $200 per month.

David


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[Bryan]

EVER HEAR OF GLOVES? LOL

Might save a bit on the rags..

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Bryan

 

[David Saulque]

Please help me to LOL, why do I need gloves? If you clean hood systems you would understand why a towel service is used.

David

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[Jim Bilyeu]

In restoring log homes, we too go through a lot of rags. These rags are use to mop up water when the house starts to leak. I havn't found a log home yet that didn't leak. We also use rags o wipe off excess sealer and to wipe down windows. We buy all of our rags from Good Will Industries. Good Will Ind. is the largest supplier of rags in the US. Buttons and sippers are removed and everything is cut to size. We buy only the terry rags, a little more expensive than the cotton rags but they work much better. I have tried other sources but they either didn't work or to expensive for what we were using them for. We pay $30.00 for a 50 pound box of terry rags. ( That's a lot of rags.) We'll have these rags washed and dried untell we use them to wipe down the sealer and at that time we despose of them. As said before, when using rags to wipe down oil base sealers, be very carefull. Always have a bucket of water handy to put your soiled rags in. At the end of the job, do a quick walk around and make sure no rags are laying around with sealer on them. Fire is our worst fear. Have a great day.

Jim Bilyeu
Exterior Woodcare

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[David Saulque]

Do you wash terry rags or do you have a local service clean them? That's a good tip, I was paying good money for terry towels and that is why a towel service made sense.

David

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[Jim Bilyeu]

Hello David,

We have an indstrial size washer and dryer set up in our shop. Everyone knows how to use them. When we have dirty rags we just throw them in and turn it on, only takes 5 minutes to load a washer, no big deal. This way we always have clean dry rags when we need them and don't have to wait for a delivery truck. Less paper work less expense. Hope this helps.

Jim Bilyeu
Exterior Woodcare

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[David Saulque]

Good idea, wish I was set up to clean towels that way.

Thanks

David

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[Jon]

To all,

Back to the Uniform Companies, they have what is called a number two towel, could be terry, shop towel, dish towel etc.

Most rent them for half price, some do sell them but you have to ask that question.

Another way is to go talk to the Service Manager or General Manager and offer to buy all his rags or worn out towels, don't mention number two towels or they will know you understand their business.

Tell him you would take all he has for a flat fee, offer some amount, not sure how much, depends on what they have to sale you.

Just an idea

Jon

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Beep beep, the OPC Roadrunner coming through.

Jon Fleischer
Oasis Pressure Cleaning
(909) 792-2247
Fax (909) 792-5633