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Forum -> Household Management -> Cleaning & Laundry

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smile4

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 1:02 pm

I had a cleaning lady come for the first time today. I now have a pile of dirty rags covered in all sorts of cleaning solutions and dirt. (Never had this before, as I wasn't very good about cleaning - only used paper towels, and the occasional rag got thrown out.) Should I wash them? Seems wasteful to do a load just for that, but also wasteful to throw them out. And I wouldn't want to wash with my clothes as I feel like they could get ruined. WDYD?

iamamother

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 1:04 pm

I make a separate load for them

Sherri

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 1:10 pm

Make a small wash for the rags, on the sanitize cycle or very hot.

1workingmom

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 2:03 pm

I make a separate load for them. Why toss them? You should really use it weekly.

boro parker

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 2:13 pm

separate load for them on hot water with bleach.

greenfire

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 2:26 pm

I would rinse them in the sink & throw them into a towel load ...

[once upon a time I would have washed them separately]

chanee

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 2:28 pm

Around how many do you have dirty? I wash them weakly in separate load. It fills up my machine.

mommy9

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 2:30 pm

I wash them in a white load with bleach. Not with shirts.

Kugglegirl

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 3:23 pm

I wash them in a separate load. Hot & occasionally w. bleach.

If they had cleaning soap on them they don't need so much detergent.

asd3

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 3:25 pm

I wash together with my whites which I put bleach in

oliveoil

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 3:27 pm

do them in a separate load. Throw your mop-head in at the same time.

black and white

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 3:42 pm

Another vote for washing it in a sparate load with hot water especially if there are soaked with chemical cleaning products.

Happy18

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 4:45 pm

Wash in a separate load. The cost of running an extra load will be less than the paper towels you would use.

smile4

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 5:49 pm

Thanks for all the replies!
I should have mentioned that I live in an apartment building where it costs $3 a load to do laundry. (I guess I don't have to dry them, so $1.50 then.)
And we're talking about a tiny bag of rags - at most, 3 or 4 burp cloths cut into small pieces.
And I don't have a mop head to throw in with it, because my mop has this sponge thing on the end, which I replace periodically - nothing to wash.
So in this case, WWYD?

mommy3b2c

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:05 pm

I wash them with my towels.

Happy18

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:11 pm

Depends on what cleaning products you use. You could wash them with towels. If anything with bleach I wouldn't wash with towels unless you are bleaching them.

smile4

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:21 pm

There's bleach in them. So I guess the question really boils down to, what's a better use for my money?
Option A: Spend (either $1.50 or $3) to wash them, also wastes water.
Option B: Throw them out and spend $$ on more cloths/paper towels.

EmesOrNT

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 6:46 pm

I wash them with my towels.

granolamom

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 7:29 pm

I wash rags, usually its own load because we also use cloth napkins so its a full load. I also clean mostly with products that I would feel comfortable using on my dishes (ie baking soda, vinegar and my homemade all-purpose spray) so I have no problem washing with dishtowels or even clothing.
much less wasteful than paper towels.
I think you can wash them with towels on hot. throw in some bleach if you want or vinegar and if you can do an extra rinse or a prewash cycle to get all the chemicals out.

greenfire

Wed, Mar 26 2014, 7:52 pm

smile4 wrote:

I would rinse them in the sink & hang them to dry ... save under the sink for next use

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