Shop Towels Cancel The title field is required!

1. David Brandenburg

   

   3 posts
   
   1/25/2012 7:01 AM

   For $44.20 a month for shop towels has anyone else considered just buying some from Menard's and throwing them away? It seems as though it would be cheaper.
   
   We used to get floor mats and shop towels for this price then we got rid of the mats to save money and just vacuum the ones we have. But each year the price goes up 2 to 5 dollars and before long we were back to $44 dollars again so we went down to one pickup a month and by magic the price goes up to $44 again.
   
   Granted in the big picture it is not a lot of money but why have them washed when it is cheaper and neater to just throw them away?

   
   
   
   
2. Michael Kriz

   

   0 posts
   
   1/25/2012 8:01 AM

   I've used industrial strength paper towels from a local paper supplier or the blue towels one can find at ace, sams, menards etc. They hold up well, no washing, just throw away. You may need to consider any government environmental restrictions in your area.
   
   As far as purchasing and washing one must consider dry and wet storage, proper containers and who manages the washing machine.

   
   
   
   
3. Bradley Frunchak

   

   24 posts
   
   1/25/2012 8:01 AM

   Kirkland brand paper towels at Costco. They are bigger sheets and strong. $17 a package easily lasts a month.

   
   
   
   
4. Mark Van Lienden

   

   14 posts
   
   1/25/2012 10:01 AM

   We buy used ones from the uniform peoople and rotate our tee towels more often .We do wash the used ones if not too bad but feel comfortable throwing them out if soaked with oil or covered in grease.

   
   
   
   
5. Dinger Greg

   
   1/25/2012 10:01 AM

   We buy recycled/repurposed bar rags from the coverall guy, they're not nice enough for the front of the house but not bad enough to toss yet. I think we pay $6-7 for 12lbs. They work great and the price seems good to me. Plus they get one more good use before hitting the trash can.
   
   I figured it out one time to .10cents per towel.

   
   
   
   
6. James Smith

   

   112 posts
   
   1/25/2012 12:01 PM

   We buy the blue ones from home depot. when we use them for minor stuff they are placed in a small basket and reused for the greasy stuff. If I find one one the course I jump my guys since I know where it came from.

   
   
   
   
7. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   1/25/2012 3:01 PM

   We pay $12.24/week from our uniform service and that includes replacement and repair for 400+towels. We do this because we have to. Once the rags get soiled with oil and fluids, they then become a hazardous material, similar to your oil dry, and hence has to be treated as such. We are mandated to keep manifests of all hazardous materials we produce - fluorescent light bulbs, filters, waste oil, oil dry, batteries, tires, rags, etc....- and are regularly inspected for proper disposal and paper trail by the Florida DEP. Paying the uniform company keeps the liability to nothing and keeps us out of hot water. FYI - throwing away an oil soaked rag is illegal. You guys doing so might want to rethink your ways.

   
   
   
   
8. Bourne Ryan

   
   1/26/2012 8:01 AM

   We get cut rags from a Goodwill store, its used shirts they can not resell and it provides a few of the needy a steady job. We get 2 really big bags for $32 and will last us at least half the year. Its much easier throwing them away after a glue job on irrigation or cleaning up grease, works great for us and have saved a lot of money.