To dispose of rags used for water-based stain, allow them to fully dry on a non-combustible surface in a well-ventilated area. They may take up to several days to fully dry, depending on humidity and airflow.
You can wash the rags with dawn dish soap and hang them on a line. Once they are dry you can throw them in the regular trash. Or reuse them if they came clean enough.
Any cloths or rags left in a pile, bin, or bag have the propensity to self-heat and pose a fire risk. The fire investigator should consider it plausible that rags left wetted with drying oil- anywhere from 1 hour to even 2 or 3 days– could be a potential ignition source.
The 12 - 24 hrs is the minimum waiting time before applying anything over it. In fact the longer you wait before applying a finish over it the more time the stain has to completely dry out and stabilize.
You should put rags in a fire-proof container (a metal bucket, ceramic pot, etc.) somewhere outside. After the initial drying period (again, this is actually chemically curing, not drying) they're safe. Keeping the drying rags ventilated and not in a big pile is generally enough to prevent ignition.
They may take up to several days to fully dry, depending on humidity and airflow. Once dry, store the rags in a sealable plastic bag away from heat sources or combustible materials until you can dispose of them. Rags used for water-based stains can be disposed of with regular waste collection in many areas.
There are two ways to tell if it is an oil-based product is dry. If it is no longer tacky and it doesn't smell, it is dry. You can tell if a water-based product is dry by touching it. If its cool to the touch, it's not dry.
For consistent color, use careful timing. Never allow any stain to dry on the wood surface—it will prevent the clear finish from adhering and cause other issues. Remove the last of any unabsorbed stain with a dry cloth, wiping in the direction of the wood grain.
Most oil-based stains must dry for at least 12 hours before they are exposed to any moisture/rain; however, Ready Seal, if properly applied to prepped and dried wood, can get wet within a couple of hours, and it won't wash away. Oil-based stains will generally take 24-72 hours to fully cure.
Cover the rags completely with a solution of water and an oil breakdown detergent. Do not add any other combustible material. Dispose of the container during a hazardous waste collection event.
It is common to use rags to wipe up spills or clean brushes. But wet rags can ignite on their own. They can start a fire if not handled carefully. The same is true of the liquids themselves.
Spontaneous combustion of oily rags occurs when rag or cloth is slowly heated to its ignition point through oxidation. A substance will begin to release heat as it oxidizes. If this heat has no way to escape, like in a pile, the temperature will rise to a level high enough to ignite the oil and ignite the rag or cloth.
Since mineral spirits are highly flammable, be sure to put all of your dirty paper towels in a fire safe can and dispose of them properly.
Therefore, it's best to save your oil-based paints and stains for a household hazardous waste collection program or to contact your local/state government environmental protection agency for guidance. States with PaintCare will collect and dispose of leftover oil-based products.
Wipe the stain off immediately if you'd like a lighter tone. But for a deeper tone, leave the stain on the wood for 5 to 10 minutes before wiping it off. Be sure to wipe off all the excess stain going in the direction of the grain of the wood.
If you have oil-based stains (which dries slower), brushing or spraying large areas could work, but lacquer and water-based stains simply dry too fast. This could result in imprints of the bristles on your wood surface. You won't have that problem when you apply and finish staining with lint-free cloth wipers.
There are stain removers that you can apply directly and let stay on clothes before washing. Others will require you to rinse or wash immediately after laundry pretreatment. Not all clothing stain removers are made equal! Some laundry pretreatment products use borax or hydrogen peroxide.
If you spray the dye and leave it without wiping, you won't get good grain definition. To improve the grain definition, apply an oil stain after the dye has dried — or over the sealer coat — and wipe off the excess.
Yep, direct sunlight is the magic way to get your stain to cure and be dry to the touch faster! Just a couple of hours of direct exposure and your projects will be faster drying in the ideal conditions.
3. Let stains sit overnight. Letting the stain sit in the dirty clothes basket until it's time to wash a full load will help the stain “set” in to the fabric. It will be difficult to lift the stain entirely out of the fibers when you finally get around to laundering the item.
To do this safely, hang the rags to dry in a well ventilated area away from any sparks or flame. Outside hanging on the side of a trash can is usually a good area to do this. Once the rags are dry, dispose of material in compliance with your local city or county waste management agency.
INVESTIGATING IGNITION DUE TO SELF-HEATING
The fire investigator should consider it plausible that rags left wetted with drying oil- from anywhere from 1 hour up to even 2 or 3 days could be a potential source of ignition.
Diluting oily rags in a bucket of water should effectively eliminate possibility of spontaneous combustion, making sure that all of parts the rags are fully submerged. After they've soaked in water overnight, they should be spread out open to dry.