What to do with bucket filled with water and danish oil rags

[Larry Whitlow]

I agree. I never could understand why the safety types give the bucket-of-water solution instead of just recommending that you spread them out until they dry. I don't think they were thinking ahead to the problem you experienced. I have a hunch some corporate attorneys were performing a CYA trick.

Because the loss control types are concerned that people will not be careful about where they dispose of (throw) the rags. Bucket of water or UL listed disposal can eliminates the fire exposure.

[Ole Anderson]

Because the loss control types are concerned that people will not be careful about where they dispose of (throw) the rags. Bucket of water or UL listed disposal can eliminates the fire exposure.

As does simply spreading them out to dry.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I know for a fact that the water dunk was done many years before the CYA's and corporate legal staffs had anything to do with anything - other than finding tax loopholes and ways around the labor laws.

When I started working in a paint store in the late 1960's, the practice had been around for a long time prior to that. Since a lot of the "old timers" that came into the store were in their 60's and they were third or fourth generation, I have no doubts at all that the water dunk method is over 100 years old...

There was also no concern at all about how to dispose of the water. It was simply dumped out where ever they felt like dumping it.
Usually some place in the back yard...

[Ole Anderson]

I can see why the water dunk was a standard/rule. If that was the only allowed method, all was safe. Otherwise people you had no control over would get sloppy, or forget and viola, a rag fire.

[Ryan Wood]

Thanks what i think I am going to do is spread the rags out in my fire pit so if they do catch on fire it wont matter. I have another question in the bucket i also put the news paper i used as drop clothes and about 8 plastic gloves that are coverd in the oil. Should i just spread these out in the fire pit after the rags dry?

[Peter Hawser]

If anyone ever doubts the risk of oily rags, look up One Meridian Plaza in Philly. A 38 story building with a 12 alarm fire, killed three fire fighters and destroyed the building - other than 911, one of the worst high rise fires ever. Cause? Linseed oil rags.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Meridian_Plaza
http://s3.amazonaws.com/nasathermali...iladelphia.jpg

[Larry Whitlow]

As does simply spreading them out to dry.

I do the same thing Ole. I'm not sure I would trust everyone to be as careful, especially if it were my property or I was insuring the place, hence the need for a disposal policy. Kind of like driving and using the cell phone. Everyone knows it is a bad thing to do, but lots still do it.

[Steven Hsieh]

Throw it over your neighbors fence.

[Steven Hsieh]

Hang the rags on any fence or brick wall or lay on concrete in the sun. For the water, how much do you have?

[Ryan Wood]

Theres about 2 gallons of water in the bucket. I ran out of time yesterday to lay the rags out to dry because I spent all day power washing and making a picture frame. Thanks for all the good advice on how to get rid of the rags.