What Cleaning Rags Work Best in an Auto Repair Shop?

Auto garages face several choices when they shop for cleaning rags:

• Paper, disposable rags
• New cloth rags
• Recycled cloth rags

Each category has its pros and cons, and a garage’s choice often boils down to what the owner or lead mechanics prefer. 

As cleaning the rag providers for a variety of auto garages, we’ve noticed some trends that we’d like to share.

The Case for Disposable Rags

The biggest advantage to disposable rags is obvious: You can throw them away. 

Once they’ve soaked up oil or brake fluid, they can go directly into the trash bin. Avoiding the tasks of washing, drying, and reshelving rags creates a lot of convenience for busy garage owners, especially those who run the whole show.

Because of this convenience, disposable paper shop towels work well at sinks where employees wash up. These rags help get hands and forearms clean and dry, and then they disappear. 

The disadvantage is, of course, the cost. Keeping paper shop towels in stock creates an ongoing expense. This can be a big expense for some of the busiest garages.

Still, some paper shop towels are more cost effective than others. Normally, the most durable paper cloths save money because a single towel does more work. With this product, for example, your staff won’t need to unspool half a roll to get the job done. This creates big savings compared to using consumer paper towels.   

The Case for New Cloth Rags

A new bundle of cloth rags can last for years in a mechanic’s shop, especially when the shop maintains the rags properly. Auto care professionals who don’t mind doing the work required to keep a supply of rags clean and stocked for use can save a lot by buying new cloth rags instead of disposable rags.

We recommend this product to mechanics who want to buy new cloth shop rags. These rags’ medium absorbency helps prevent caustic materials from undermining the weave, adding to their already impressive lifespan.

Plus, new rags arrive in uniform colors and sizes, making them ideal for shop managers who like to keep supply shelves well organized.

The Case for Recycled Cloth Rags

Many of our auto repair customers love our recycled cloth rags. Recycled rags save money because they’re made from reclaimed textiles such as bathrobes and T-shirts. But just like rags made from new material, recycled cleaning rags should be washed and reused repeatedly.

In any business, reusing the most affordable supply creates significant and ongoing savings. 

But affordability doesn’t tell the whole story of recycled rags in the repair shop: Since the material has already been washed dozens, or maybe hundreds, of times before it becomes a rag, these rags arrive on the job site already broken in. This means they’re softer — and they can be more absorbent — than rags made from brand new textiles.

Many mechanics prefer a softer cloth when working with the sensitive auto components of a modern vehicle.     

Which Cleaning Rag is Best for Auto Mechanics?

Paper or cloth? Which rags should an auto repair shop stock? We offer all types of industrial cleaning rags so our customers can decide which product works best for them.

Truth be told, many of our auto repair customers use both paper and cloth. They use disposable paper cloths as a first line of defense, to contain spills. Then, once the bulk of the spill has been tossed into the trash along with the disposable rag, they use cloth rags for the detail work.

Whatever choice they make, All Rags can help auto mechanics save money on the quality products they need. We specialize in cleaning rags for all types of businesses. We also specialize in making our customers happy by providing the best customer service and the fastest turnaround times in the business.

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