Set Up A Rag System - PEP BB Nest.Straw.Rags

Jul 26, 2019 11:40:14

This is a badge bit (BB) that is part of the PEP curriculum. Completing this BB is part of getting the straw badge in Nest.

In this Badge Bit, you will set up a Rag System.

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are you must set up the following rag system, where there was none before:
- Dirty rag basket (with labels)
- Must be a breathable basket so rags don’t rot
- Clean rag storage

To document this BB, post pictures or a 2-minute video depicting the following:
- Before: Whatever you used to do with rags that wasn't this system
- Breathable Dirty Rag Basket with Labels
- Clean Rag Storage - complete with clean rags

Mike Barkley · Aug 22, 2019 16:13:52

We have a bag of left-over PUL (diaper cloth fabric). It's where we put our rags, towels, napkin and other very dirty things. It gets washed every 2 or 3 days. Before this, dirty rags just went with the rest of our laundry. We also didn't have nearly as many filthy rags, etc, before I made this bag (I made the bag when I had our baby, as babies generate a need for lots of rags and lots of cleaning)

We store our clean rags in an old laundry detergent box under our kitchen sink. The cleaning towels go to the right of it (most of those are in the wash right now)

Nicole Alderman · Aug 04, 2020 04:46:44

About using rags ...
I use rags made out of old towels for many years. Most of all for cleaning kitchen and fridge (see photos in threads for those BBs). Now I made new rags from a T-shirt. They go with those other rags.

The pile on the right, those are the rags made out of an old towel and those made out of a T-shirt

This another way I use rags:

This is the system of 'pee rags'. To use after peeing, to wipe off droplets. Clean pee-rags are in the seagreen plastic hanging container, used ones are in the basket on the floor

After washing (in the washing machine) they dry like this

Aug 04, 2020 08:38:44

This is a great idea and I love it. In the spirit of learning I have a question about the purpose of breathable containers.

Must be a breathable basket so rags don’t rot

Just to get right to the point, this squicks me out.:) Kitchen rags have grease and tiny bits of food on them. They are gross and unsanitary. Keeping them in an open-ish container is an invitation to ants, fruit flies, maybe even roaches. If you happen to live in a yurt its another scent that might attract raccoons or bears. Also, a breathable basket would be both harder to clean and need to be cleaned more often. I opted for stainless steel in my rag system because it keeps out pests, is easy to sanitize, and the amino acid sulfoxides from allums, fish, etc bind to the stainless steel to prevent odor. Also, mold cannot grow on stainless steel.

So, that's my take. What's yours? Have I overlooked something that makes the breathable basket superior?

Aug 04, 2020 10:06:02

Rob, I can tell you you are right about the smell. With that basket of used 'pee-rags' my toilet never is without smell, even when it is clean.
Mold doesn't grow on the stainless steel, but what about the cotton rags themselves?

Aug 04, 2020 11:23:30

Rob Lineberger wrote:This is a great idea and I love it. In the spirit of learning I have a question about the purpose of breathable containers.

Must be a breathable basket so rags don’t rot

Just to get right to the point, this squicks me out.:) Kitchen rags have grease and tiny bits of food on them. They are gross and unsanitary. Keeping them in an open-ish container is an invitation to ants, fruit flies, maybe even roaches. If you happen to live in a yurt its another scent that might attract raccoons or bears. Also, a breathable basket would be both harder to clean and need to be cleaned more often. I opted for stainless steel in my rag system because it keeps out pests, is easy to sanitize, and the amino acid sulfoxides from allums, fish, etc bind to the stainless steel to prevent odor. Also, mold cannot grow on stainless steel.

So, that's my take. What's yours? Have I overlooked something that makes the breathable basket superior?

I have my rags in a washable, semi-breathable bag made from diaper-cover cloth (PUL) that I already had lying around. I wash rags/towels/napkins every 3 or 4 days (sometimes more frequently--I have messy kids!). So far, I haven't noticed any stink, and I can always just throw the bag in the wash if I need to.

I also use a bag made from the PUL fabric for my washable pads. That one gets thrown in the wash when I wash the pads.

Aug 04, 2020 12:36:25

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:Rob, I can tell you you are right about the smell. With that basket of used 'pee-rags' my toilet never is without smell, even when it is clean.
Mold doesn't grow on the stainless steel, but what about the cotton rags themselves?

Never heard of pee rags but I love the idea! Your rags probably are giving off ammonia fumes. I suggest that you attach a filter to the lid of the container. Activated Carbon would be almost useless for ammonia odor but zeolite (a volcanic rock) is perfect for adsorbing ammonia gasses into its own pores. I get mine from aquarium supply stores but I think they are also sold in pet stores for controlling litter box odors. The nice thing about zeolite is you can put it in the sun for a couple days and it will recharge itself. I bet a pouch of zeolite would do wonders for you.

My stainless cannister (actually an ice bucket from an out-of-business hotel) has almost no detectable smell. I say "almost" because I also use one for compost and if I have banana peels in there a scent will come out as the banana off-gasses. But generally speaking, no odor.

The cotton rags will mold if left too long. So I don't leave them too long. :)

Nicole Alderman wrote:
I have my rags in a washable, semi-breathable bag made from diaper-cover cloth (PUL) that I already had lying around. I wash rags/towels/napkins every 3 or 4 days (sometimes more frequently--I have messy kids!). So far, I haven't noticed any stink, and I can always just throw the bag in the wash if I need to.

I also use a bag made from the PUL fabric for my washable pads. That one gets thrown in the wash when I wash the pads.

Ahh I remember the cloth diaper days. They were so expensive so we made our own. I still have flashbacks of hammering those little pastel snaps into the snap anvil through three layers of cotton fleece. The thrill of anxiety: will it take? Or will it slide off all crooked and I have to start over? *shudder* I'll see if I can rig up a permeable liner that will keep the rags away from the floor and sides of the cannister. Thanks!

Mike Haasl · Aug 19, 2020 11:23:35

I don't generate very many dirty rags, and used to just toss them in the empty washer to be washed with whatever else made a full load.

I'll try this new system on for size:

Ash Jackson · Sep 02, 2020 14:57:52

Hello, I have ragged on the system. Or something to that effect.

Nicole Alderman · Sep 28, 2020 21:04:26

So I did a thing.
My old not a system for my rags was just shoving the clean rags into a cabinet above my kitchen and throwing the old ones under the broken washer machine.
So I took some small mesh laundry bags and hung them up with a label. one for clean, one for dirty. I did this a couple weeks ago...other than having to fix the clip a couple times it works. I may improve upon it in the future.

Nicole Alderman · Oct 23, 2020 19:54:31

Before setting this up all the cloths were thrown in one basket and the dirty one went straight into the washing machine.

gir bot · Nov 01, 2020 09:17:09

Here is the clean rag basket and the dirty hamper which also gets towels.

Rags are not put into the hamper wet. Rags used for cleaning are rinsed and hung in bathtub or basement sink to dry before going in the hamper. If only damp, they may be draped on edge of hamper to dry instead.

gir bot · Nov 25, 2020 07:15:04

Looking through the ideas in this thread got me to thinking about how I use rags and what would be the best way for me to organize them. Prior to this, all rags went into a cloth tote, but I really need two separate containers for rags: one for cleaning, and one for milking. I need super clean rags for udder washing and drying. This BB got me to thinking about a better way to keep them separate.

Here's my old system.

Notice that I left the cleaning rags in the spot where we're used to grabbing them, but moved the rags I want kept cleanest to a new location.

The other thing I've changed is my dirty rag handling. My problem isn't so much rot, but that the heat and humidity here will turn any pile of damp cloth into a sour-smelling mildewy mess. I always hang my wet or damp rags (everywhere) to dry them before putting them in the dirty clothes hamper. This basket works much better!

I feel obligated to make a note that I am ordinarily a very anti-plastic person. But a Christmas gift came in this little basket and it's really perfect to meet this need. So there it is, given a purpose and kept out of the landfill.

gir bot · Sep 28, 2021 09:35:40

I thought I already had a rag system . . . i was so wrong!

The bin wasn’t breathable so unless it was emptied daily, which it wasn’t, it would get stinky and rags would grow black stuff.

One day I will weave a basket from my home grown willow. Until that time, I needed a solution which didn’t involve a few clicks on Amazon.

I initially thought I’d drill holes in the container I already use, so took it out to the garage where I spotted a milk crate.

I live in the bit of NJ that received eight inches of rain in one hour when Ida passed through. Hundreds of homes and businesses were flooded. There was so much debris in the neighbourhood, all swept down the hill and dumped in the low lying places. Most was piled up and collected and probably now off to some landfill. I rescued a couple of milk crates as they’re always useful and I didn’t want to see it crushed in a hole somewhere. It was a much better solution than drilling holes.

I gave it a good scrub as it was covered in silt.

Next, I reorganised the cloths / rags on the basement shelves - these are the ones used everywhere except the kitchen. I tidied up a bit and added labels. I’ve included the under sink area in the kitchen. I haven’t added labels because it’s a system that’s been in place for decades and I’m not sure my dearly beloved would like the idea of labels. She’s ok with the basement as that’s my domain. Anyway, I think I’ve done enough for the BB but if I haven’t, then I guess I will have to balance pleasing Otis or my wife . . .

gir bot · Jan 01, 2022 08:57:45

I had no rag system before this, so there's no before photo. We suspect I'm reacting to our toilet paper, so I set up a system for toilet cloth for pee. Clean rags are in a basket in the bathroom, along with my peri bottle. Used rags are going in the hamper with dirty underwear, just outside the bathroom door.

gir bot · Jan 12, 2022 15:56:29

My husband and I have been using toilet, or what my husband affectionately calls 'butt rags'.

This was the previous system. A cloth bag full or rags made from t shirts and a wire basket for the used ones. A little close to our towels for my liking.

I made new rags from an old bed sheet

New Clean Rags

New Dirty rags

gir bot · Feb 09, 2022 08:40:20

I was inspired by the toilet paper alternatives and wanted to try it myself. (so far, so good) I did not have a system before so I just included a picture of my bathroom before, making the rags, and the labeled clean and dirty storage after. I'm so happy with this I'm going to organize kitchen rags the same way next.

gir bot · Mar 25, 2023 09:08:13

This is what we do now. Before we had one laundry basket with all the things in one place.

Edit: one photo added of labeled basket. Can this post be reevaluated or do I have to make a new one?

gir bot · Aug 20, 2023 19:37:15

I'd previously had rags in the bedroom in a drawer. I've moved them to a kitchen drawer which is much more convenient. The dirty rag and napkin laundry bag is attached to the washer.

gir bot · Sep 17, 2023 15:50:19

I tried to be resourceful with this badge bit and re-use some things. I used a ziploc box for clean rags and an old crate for the dirty rags. Previously the dirty rags were just thrown on a shelf in the garage.

gir bot · Mar 23, 2024 12:31:39

Created a new rags system today. Previously we just tossed the dirty rags in the wash machine because the first load of laundry we do every week is rags and towels, however this system doesn't let the rags breathe... added a labeled wicker basket in the laundry room next to the washer and labeled it to remind the household of the change in methods. Our clean rags are stired in a drawer in the kitchen. Thank goodness that didn't need changing. Hubs loves it when I move things LOL

gir bot · Apr 09, 2025 13:03:59

Here is my rag system! It's been in place for several years.

gir bot · Nov 06, 2025 09:53:45

This is the rag system I’ve set up.
The clean ones are in the hallway closet in a basket. The dirty ones will go in a mesh laundry basket in the kitchen along with the cloth napkins I made a while ago. (I have updated the label for the dirty things)

gir bot · Nov 26, 2025 17:42:20

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are you must set up the following rag system, where there was none before:
- Dirty rag basket (with labels)
- Must be a breathable basket so rags don’t rot
- Clean rag storage

To document this BB, post pictures or a 2-minute video depicting the following:
- Before: Whatever you used to do with rags that wasn't this system
- Breathable Dirty Rag Basket with Labels
- Clean Rag Storage - complete with clean rags

Before: we kept dirty rags in this laundry basket. It was not breathable enough and got moldy.

New rag bag:

Clean rag storage:

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