Using shop rags in an automotive garage setting is an age-old tradition. Red cotton shop rags are used for a variety of reasons, but chiefly because they work. Walk into nearly any local garage in the country, and the mechanics will have a shop towel or rag - probably red or perhaps gray or white - stuffed into a pocket.
Color
Red stands out. Even when coated with black grease and vehicle fluids of various and sundry colors, the red rag is visible. It is easy to spot resting on top of the engine before the crank is turned over and the rag is caught in the one of the engine's many moving parts. White or gray are also visible, but less traditional. They are all easy to come by and play an important role in mechanical environments.
Red stands out. Even when coated with black grease and vehicle fluids of various and sundry colors, the red rag is visible. It is easy to spot resting on top of the engine before the crank is turned over and the rag is caught in the one of the engine's many moving parts. White or gray are also visible, but less traditional. They are all easy to come by and play an important role in mechanical environments.
Uses
Where there are vehicles that need attention, there are spills and drips that need to be cleaned up. Using a rag made of just any type of material is not always efficient. Some soak up grease and oil better than others. Cotton, for example, is more absorbent of engine grease than nylon. Shop towels are well-known for wiping off the dipstick of the oil or transmission fluid reservoirs. Filling up fluids like oil, brake, windshield wiper or transmission almost always guarantees a spill or dribble of some sort even with the most steady hand and reliable funnel. The shop rag cleans it up so that it will not burn off and create a horrible smell and possibly a nasty stain on the engine compartment. Most importantly, however, shop rags are used to wipe off the mechanics' hands as they work. It keeps fingerprints from appearing all over the vehicle's interior and exterior. It also helps to ground in dirt from adhering to workers' hands throughout the day.
Where there are vehicles that need attention, there are spills and drips that need to be cleaned up. Using a rag made of just any type of material is not always efficient. Some soak up grease and oil better than others. Cotton, for example, is more absorbent of engine grease than nylon. Shop towels are well-known for wiping off the dipstick of the oil or transmission fluid reservoirs. Filling up fluids like oil, brake, windshield wiper or transmission almost always guarantees a spill or dribble of some sort even with the most steady hand and reliable funnel. The shop rag cleans it up so that it will not burn off and create a horrible smell and possibly a nasty stain on the engine compartment. Most importantly, however, shop rags are used to wipe off the mechanics' hands as they work. It keeps fingerprints from appearing all over the vehicle's interior and exterior. It also helps to ground in dirt from adhering to workers' hands throughout the day.
Location
While being tucked into the pocket of the auto shop's mechanic is perhaps the most obvious place to keep the red shop rag, they do have to come from somewhere at the beginning of the day. A rag dispenser may be used for the more formal locations, but a bag of rags is a much more likely source. They are usually tossed in to a canvas or burlap bag after being laundered and are kept in a storage room or corner of the garage. They are durable in material, so they can be washed over and over again before showing signs of wear. New packages of rags can be opened by employees, as well. They usually come in plastic pouches with a set number of specific quality rags in each one. They can be purchased online for efficiency and saving money.
While being tucked into the pocket of the auto shop's mechanic is perhaps the most obvious place to keep the red shop rag, they do have to come from somewhere at the beginning of the day. A rag dispenser may be used for the more formal locations, but a bag of rags is a much more likely source. They are usually tossed in to a canvas or burlap bag after being laundered and are kept in a storage room or corner of the garage. They are durable in material, so they can be washed over and over again before showing signs of wear. New packages of rags can be opened by employees, as well. They usually come in plastic pouches with a set number of specific quality rags in each one. They can be purchased online for efficiency and saving money.
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