Consider a filthy office with grease smeared on the surface and chairs. Fingerprints cover the glass, and there’s a mysterious spill in one of the room’s corners. In this case, you’ll probably need a lot of cleaning cloths, wipers, and shop towels to help you clean these surfaces.The terms “cleaning rags,” “wipers,” and “shop towels” are often used interchangeably, however they are not interchangeable. A brief description of each of the three kinds of cleaning cloths follows:
What are cleaning rags, hand towels, and wiping cloths?
Cleaning Rags are often made from discarded clothes or mill ends (the ends of yarn or fabric rolls). Rags are usually the most affordable alternative.Wipers are meant for one-time usage, and you often choose the sort of wipers to buy depending on the job you want to do.
A rental supply provider will often deliver shop towels on a recurrent basis, cleaning and returning them for reuse.Using the wrong cloth, wiper, or towel may result in waste, as well as harm to the cleaning surface and other problems. We’ve put up a helpful guide to assist you figure out which product is right for you and your team:
Determine the Working Environment
If you operate in a big manufacturing plant, a large box of rags or towels may be the best option since they are cost-effective, simple to locate for the cleaning staff, and have enough supply to last the whole workweek.Choose wipers that come in rolls or pop-up boxes to save room for cleaning personnel operating in tight places or out of trucks.
Regardless of the solution you select, placing the product in a location where your staff can quickly reach it will help them work more efficiently.
Recognize which tasks your team is in charge of.
The tasks you want to utilize the items for should strongly affect the sorts of things you acquire. For example, at a vehicle repair shop, the products used to clean off oil should be significantly different from those used to wash down the windows.
We’ve developed a list of frequent jobs along with our product recommendations:
- Cleaning spills, oil, and grease from non-rough surfaces: Look for cellulose-based rags or wipers with excellent absorbency.
- Wiping down glass windows: As long as the wipers or rags are absorbent, you can’t go wrong. Shop towels should be avoided since they might chip the glass and produce ugly stains.
- Cleaning non-porous surfaces of stains, debris, and adhesives: Choose rags, wipers, or towels made of tough, durable fabric that won’t readily shred. Hand towels and paper towels that are cheap are likely to be ineffective and inconvenient to use.
- Sanitizing surfaces (for example, at a hospital or restaurant): To get rid of hazardous germs, search for rags and wipers with exceptional wet strength, since you’ll be using them to apply cleaning chemicals to the surfaces that need to be sanitized. We don’t advocate using freshly washed towels for sanitizing since they may contain minor quantities of pollutants.
You may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of your cleaning staff by matching the work to the appropriate cloth, wiper, or towel. Cleaning cloths are essential for a well-kept and hygienic facility, from wiping away grease and debris to eliminating fingerprints and smears on glass.
Identify the purpose and then proceed with purchasing the right product
The first step in selecting the finest wipers, towels, or rags for different duties within a facility is to understand how they will be utilized. Tiddox told us that mechanics who fix engines and custodians who clean windows have quite different requirements. Mechanics need a wiper, shop towel, or rag that can remove dirt and grime, is not prone to tearing, and can withstand chemicals and degreasers. Custodians want a product that is both absorbent and streak-free.
Thousands of various jobs are performed using wipers, shop towels, and rags, however these duties may be divided into four categories:
Wipers
Getting rid of spills, oil, grease, and fingerprints from smooth surfaces. Look for absorbent wipers or rags that are low in cost and include cellulose. If you’re going to use washed shop towels for glass cleaning or absorbing water-based substances, be sure they’re free of metal shavings or other pollutants that might scratch.
Cleaning
Cleaning surfaces by scrubbing or removing dirt, stains, or adhesives. It may be used dry or in conjunction with cleaning agents. Look for wipers, shop towels, or rags made of a tough, gritty cloth that will not readily rip or shred. Low-quality paper towels and hand towels should be avoided.
Preparing surfaces
Cleaning a surface that will be painted of lint or other pollutants; also used to clean print plates and in cleanroom applications. Microfibers or other synthetic fibers and wipers with a low lint content and no binders (glues) that might transfer onto the surface are ideal. Shop towels, rags, and wipers with a high cellulose content should be avoided.
Sanitizing
Using sanitizing chemicals to remove hazardous bacteria from surfaces. Look for wipers or rags that can withstand being wet. Avoid using shop towels that have been washed since they may contain trace levels of pollutants from previous operations.
By matching the wiper, towel, or rag to the job, you may avoid buying costly or ineffective goods. This often necessitates the use of many wipers, towels, or rags for different places or duties around the facility, but having the proper kind saves time and money.
Final words
Now you have a clear idea on how to proceed with purchasing cleaning rags, hand towels, and wiping cloths. You are spending a considerable amount of money out of your pocket for the purchase. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you are sticking to the right product at all times. If you can focus on these facts, you can end up with buying the ideal product for cleaning without any issue.
