Spontaneous combustion

[paulchapman]

This link was posted on UK Workshop in response to a question about the spontaneous combustion of oily rags. I thought it was worth posting on here for general information wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/fire/spontaneouscombustion/rbjul05/index.html

Cheers

Paul

[dom]

Thank you Paul.
I'll stop putting them in my wife's handbag

[afterglow]

Paul,

That's a scary but interesting thread. Since I've currently got a couple of rags hanging in the workshop after finishing my table, it's made me a lot more aware of the reality of rags turning into bonfires. Always believed it, but also a bit sceptical too.

Cheers,

Lee

[staffie]

Paul,

I have always been sceptical about this and tend to leave the rags on the floor after use, will be a bit more careful in future. Thanks for posting this.

Jock

[argus]

.


It can happen, yet the risk is very remote.

Here’s a Norwegian site that deals objectively with the issue:

www.sintef.no/content/page1____7975.aspx

Most tins of coating oils carry a warning and I tend to dunk used rags in water then lay them out on a wall to dry. They are safe to dispose of when dried out.

In theory any oil saturated material can oxidise. Combustion relies on the rate of oxidisation producing sufficient heat concentrated in a small spot, to the extent is will catch fire.

.

[misterfish]

Yes - it really can happen.

At our previous house we had been using boiled linseed oil on the terracotta tiles in the kitchenand had not noticed the warning which was printed in very small text. We had wiped off some excess oil with wads of kitchen towel and left left them on the floor while we nipped out to the shops. When we got back SWMBO opened the door and within a couple of seconds we heard the smoke alarm going off. Being a bit foolhardy I looked in and could see clouds of white choking smoke coming from the kitchen. While holding my breath I used a coulple of bits of harboard offcuts to scoop up the smoking tissues and throw them out on to the patio where they proceded to burst into flame. A salutory lesson with the constant reminder of scorch marks on two of the terracotta tiles.

Following this I experimented with oiled tissues in the wood burning stove and only once managed to get ignition when the paper was loosly screwed up.

I now always put oiled tissues and rags in the garden incinerator.

Misterfish