I recently stained some wood in my apartment and was going to let the oily rags dry on my balcony, but now it's raining and that's not possible. Instead, I've placed the rags on metal surfaces near a window to dry. Is this a safe method for drying? I plan to dispose of them properly once they're dry, but I'm really worried about the risk of combustion. I also don't have a metal container to use. I've heard about putting the rags in a ziplock bag, but I'm unsure if that's safe. What should I do?
1 Answer
You can definitely let the rags dry out as long as they're spread out and not bunched up. It's best if you can do this outside, but if you have to keep them indoors, just spread them on a concrete surface where they can get some airflow. It might take a few days for them to fully harden, but once they’re stiff and dry, it’s usually safe to throw them away. Just make sure they're completely dry before discarding them to minimize the risk of combustion.
But what if it’s rainy and they won’t dry? Should I just keep them inside and hope they dry out? They smell really bad, too! Thanks for the advice—let's hope they don't catch on fire!