# Cleaning drop cloths-How often for you?



## Masterpiece (Feb 26, 2008)

Does anyone here have a routine for cleaning their drops? After a paint dust mushroom cloud rises when dropping them on the floor or something?

If so, do you wash them at home or use a local facility? I have a number of drops (butyl backed) with specific ones for when spraying and they're just starting to get a little dusty. I usually shake them out/sweep down away from the site but in view of the increased amount of spraying (vs faux/interior brush/roll repaints,etc) I'm going to start taking mine to the local laundry.

Anyone else do the same?

Jeremy


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm a shaker.


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

Hang them on the fence and blast them with a hose. :thumbup:

I try not to use my drops on jobs that will get them too dirty/dusty. I rather use some plastic and just toss it when I'm done.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

I have inside and outside drops, I just shake them out because I don't think it's fair to people coming after me at the cleaners. Plus one of those big fat ladies might beat my azz if they saw me doing it, and I don't know how I would explain that to my wife.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

wash drops ???


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> wash drops ???


Yea I have a friend that does all the time, he has the softest drops.


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## Wolfgang (Nov 16, 2008)

Yep, wash mine a couple times a year. If we end up doing someones interior who has bad allergies to animals, I'll use new drops. Just the cost of doing business.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

johnpaint said:


> I have inside and outside drops, I just shake them out because I don't think it's fair to people coming after me at the cleaners. Plus one of those big fat ladies might beat my azz if they saw me doing it, and I don't know how I would explain that to my wife.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

Yep, wash mine a couple times a year.

I do too, but only while the wife is at work :whistling2:


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

yeah I try and do my inside drops once a yr usually go up to the laundry mate and jam in the big machines... they are too hard on my machine here at home. when my inside drops are too bad they become outside drops...


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## 1977corey (Feb 27, 2009)

wash drops? I like to throw them away if they are that bad.I like to look at everything on the idea of "whats paid for itself?"


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## Rick the painter (Mar 30, 2009)

dont we have enough to do?


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

I knew a guy from San Fran. He washed his drops once a month. He would brag how he use fabric softner. Little crazy if you ask me. I have int and ext drops, i just make them ext drops when the get bad.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

Inside/outside designated drops for me, I shake both to get them ready for the next job.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

Personally, I'd have to set up a new washer in the garage if I did that. Having a family of 8 (soon to be nine in Sept).... We already do a minimum of 4 loads per day, I just don't see my drops having the patience of waiting in line that long.... :no:


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## jordanski (Feb 5, 2009)

I keep my int. drops clean, ext. drops get cleaned if they get soil on them or at the end of summer..

I drop them off at the local korean laundromat, the next day they are clean, folded and bagged... something like $15 for two packed contractor trash bags worth... would never wash at home... pvc drops get the hose and a stiff brush... butyl coated drops go in a machine then hang dry...

J


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

1977corey said:


> wash drops? I like to throw them away if they are that bad.I like to look at everything on the idea of "whats paid for itself?"


its not about getting the paint off more as making them clean and not musty from being in the truck all the time. Dust etc it really makes a difference.

I usually only do it for my runners which I am laying on peoples carpet day after day


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

I tried washing a couple of my butyl-backed drops in the washer and the backs got all torn up. I switched to cold water and the same crap happened. I've been thinking about doing what jordanski mentioned- using a stiff brush extenion to scrub them down with some detergent and lightly powerwash them to rinse. When summer comes around, I guess I'll give it a shot and turn the street white from all the suds. I think once a year should suffice as a decent interval.

I mainly want them clean to have them smell decent and get rid of all the drywall dust that you can never seem to shake all the way out.


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## GMack (Jan 18, 2008)

Drops get washed whenever the need arises. Usually at the laundrymat. I always make it a point to tell the homeowner that the drops have been freshly laundered. They tell me I'm nuts but they love it.


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## Slingah (Sep 24, 2007)

I have never washed a drop...when they get bad..I'll used 'em outside till destroyed...


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

GMack said:


> Drops get washed whenever the need arises. Usually at the laundrymat. I always make it a point to tell the homeowner that the drops have been freshly laundered. They tell me I'm nuts but they love it.


We buy new fleece bottomed canvas drops for every job. AND we leave chocolate truffles on the customers pillows. :thumbup:


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

Slingah said:


> I have never washed a drop...when they get bad..I'll used 'em outside till destroyed...


that's jut like an older friend of mine who's been painting for like 30 years. He breaks out those old ass drops for big ext. spray jobs...they look and feel like elephant skin :thumbdown:, (because I'm an avid elephant skin toucher). Folding them is like trying to fold a frozen tarp. No offense though, most customers truly don't care.

jt


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## MDRocket (Feb 3, 2009)

We buy rolls of canvasback industrial curtins and when they get to old we toss. We do wash from time to time when needed.

http://www.us-canvas.com/HTML/canvas.html


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

I used to drop them in a 5 gallon bucket of TSP for a week, then rinse with a hose an line dry. EPA may not like that though these days


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## Masterpiece (Feb 26, 2008)

I was curious about the effects of a wash/dry in a machine on a butyl backed drop so that answered my question. I may just PW/clean on a sunny day or just buy some more new for interior work as some of you do and rotate the others for outside duty.

Jeremy


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## asthma76 (Apr 18, 2009)

Rick the painter said:


> dont we have enough to do?


:clap::clap::clap::clap:


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## playedout6 (Apr 27, 2009)

Has anybody had a good dose of cat pee on their blankets ? It is not nose friendly especially if you leave them in the van on a long hot holiday weekend . It's only happened once...which is more than we ever want to experience again .


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## zico (Apr 13, 2008)

Drop cloths are a big expense for us. We always use canvas as it absorbs spills and reduces the dreaded paint footprints. Plastic gives back what it takes and so as soon as the plastic is moved paint flecks fly everywhere, not a good result. We use plastic to only cover furniture, it is cleaner than drop cloths. 

There is a thread about what makes a painter a professional painter on this forum. Well, using canvas drop cloths is one of those things contributing to a professional service level.


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

playedout6 said:


> Has anybody had a good dose of cat pee on their blankets ? It is not nose friendly especially if you leave them in the van on a long hot holiday weekend . It's only happened once...which is more than we ever want to experience again .


yup. worked in house w/ a cat that had kidney failure, and the HO just wouldn't keep the cat out of my zone, (at first anyway). I just had to throw that one away, screw it.


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## TooledUp (May 17, 2008)

kakasan said:


> Plus one of those big fat new york escort ladies might beat my azz if they saw me doing it, and I don't know how I would explain that to my wife.


LOL Classic! Howzat for a randomly inserted spam link :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

:lmmfao: :laughing: :laughing:


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## Dreamingmuscle (Apr 29, 2009)

ParagonVA said:


> yup. worked in house w/ a cat that had kidney failure, and the HO just wouldn't keep the cat out of my zone, (at first anyway). I just had to throw that one away, screw it.



That's why I have a animal waste clause in my contracts. It's $100 dollars a day if I have to deal with animal waste. Be it dog crap in the yard or cat crap under the beds.

Glen


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Paragon said:


> (because I'm an avid elephant skin toucher).


LMAO!

You too huh:whistling2:


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

:thumbup::thumbup:...I should start a new club man. TEST, (The Elephant Skin Touchers). We could picket against the use of old drops for a multiplicity of reasons. We could also pick up new members outside of BM stores, "Hey man, you know they got runners on sale in here. You're not still using that old Elephant skin are you?". TEST, TEST, TEST!!!!! 

Anyway... :whistling2::whistling2:


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