What to use for staining pads and to wipe excess?

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys!

All I had access to was terry cloth shop towels for wiping my excess stain off. I was not pleased with the process. Surprisingly there's no fuzzies left over, but it was crazy along the way.

So what do you use to wipe the excess stain off while staining? Also, do you reuse? Or discard?

While I'm here... Is there any way to wash these terry cloth towels after using a gel stain? Would washing in the washing machine even do anything to clean it? Oil based stain, so I'm guessing no. Also, if I were to wash them in the washing machine, would it harm or ruin it?

[Kent A Bathurst]

100% white cotton rags - tee-shirt material. 8# - 10# box from Lowe's [used to use HD, but they changed to a supplier that uses teensy rags. No thanks].

Empty the box into the clothes washer. Wash with soap on scorching hot. Dry on scorching hot. Empty the lint trap - you will be amazed. I repeat this cycle 2 more times.

The point: strip as much lint and free threads as possible, and break down any sizing that may have been used in the manufacture of the fabric.

Discard. It would be as much as my life is worth to take those used rags - regardless of the chemistry - and put them into the clothes washer. Wouldn't be prudent. Remember safe handling requirements of rags with oil-based stuff on them, of course.

Unasked question: When I am applying a wipe-on consistency of varnish [W'lox, et. al] I use a folded-up Scott brand blue towel that comes on a roll. Works perfectly. Got that tip from the finishing braintrust here at the Creek.

[Michael Dunn]

Unasked question: When I am applying a wipe-on consistency of varnish [W'lox, et. al] I use a folded-up Scott brand blue towel that comes on a roll. Works perfectly. Got that tip from the finishing braintrust here at the Creek.

So you're saying you use the Scott blue towel rolls only to apply the wipe on stain or varnish? Then you'll use the 100% cotton T-Shirt material washed and dried a few times to wipe the excess?

[Prashun Patel]

Blue shop towels or foam brushes to put it on, blue shop towels to remove. I dont reuse.

Cleaning an oilstain soaked rag is very hard. You have to soak it in mineral spirits or turpentine several times and you still probably wont get it all out. The rag will get crusty from the binder and it will stop being absorbent.

[Kent A Bathurst]

So you're saying you use the Scott blue towel rolls only to apply the wipe on stain or varnish? Then you'll use the 100% cotton T-Shirt material washed and dried a few times to wipe the excess?

Nope. I was unclear.

I use the Famous BLue Towels to apply wipe-on varnish, like Waterlox. No "wipe excess off" is involved with this product. Quickly laying down thin coat with sweeping movement end-to-end. Can't tell you about wipe-on poly - no experience there.

For stain, I use a chip brush to apply, and cotton rags to remove excess.

For dye, I use a cotton rag to apply, and a a clean cotton rag to remove excess. Usually application rag in one hand, wipe-off rag in the other, moving like heck across the piece.

For gel stain [I use this as filler for white oak] or Pore-O-Pac, I use a chip brush or chunk of scrap wood to drop a glob on the wood, and a plastic spreader to move it around, and cotton rags cross-grain to wipe up excess.