Paper Towels or Cloth Shop Rags?

[garageman402]

I read somewhere that it's better to use paper towels for cleaning parts, especially in automatic transmissions, because the lint from a cloth rag will not break down and clog passages, whereas paper towel lint is harmless and will dissolve.

We were cleaning an engine oil pan, and I was using paper towels, and it left a LOT of lint behind. A cloth shop rag cleaned better with no lint.

Any opinions on this?

 

[SZR48207]

I think in either case, as long as you can't really see the lint then it should be fine. You could use microfiber towels which have "micro lint".

Or you could also use compressed air to blow the lint away before install.

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

I mostly use rags and wash them with some bleach when they get real dirty.
Works for me.

 

[eljefino]

Linen is "lint free" and the best choice. Maybe rip up some old fine white table napkins?

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Best shop cloths are used (and no longer fit for) baby diapers, buy them from your diaper service locally. 100% cotton, washed about a hundred times by the time they will sell them to you, so most loose lint is washed out and they are *super soft*, will never scratch paint or metals.

Your best defence against lint (and everything you might use will leave lint ... paper, cloth, cotton/silk/wool, synthetics, microfibre) is to keep the towel wet with a solvent or water (as appropriate).

 

[Carbuff]

You can have the best of both worlds.

For lint free cleaning coupled with paper towel 'disposability', I use KimTech blue towels.

You can buy them (in the USA) at Home Depot.

 

[mx5miata]

blast it with brake clean to rinse and let air dry

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted By: garageman402
I read somewhere that it's better to use paper towels for cleaning parts, especially in automatic transmissions, because the lint from a cloth rag will not break down and clog passages, whereas paper towel lint is harmless and will dissolve.

We were cleaning an engine oil pan, and I was using paper towels, and it left a LOT of lint behind. A cloth shop rag cleaned better with no lint.

Any opinions on this?


Professional automatic transmission builders don't use rags or paper towels to clean parts, We either put parts in a hot water wash cabinet Or use solvent through a blow gun.

Engine builders use similar methods.

With all the sharp edges on cast parts....Not a good idea to use rags/towels.

 

[NYEngineer]

Any shop I ever worked in as a kid bought boxes of torn up t shirts and other assorted clothing. Sweat shirts were the worst. When I started working for myself, I used the blue rolls of shop paper towels. I like them the best. Easiest to take with you and they're very absorbent. I was doing diesels though. Not transmissions.

 

[mx5miata]

is the hot water, filtered or distilled?

I would think the sediments in hot would be foreign material causing more harm than good.


I am a custodian and always teach the new comers that hot water doesn't clean better than cold and mixing chemicals is always recommended in cold. Hot water sediments clog the filter screens on the floor scrubbers.

 

[hi-miler]

In the Navy we had lint free hydraulic rags, essentially they were synthetic fiber rags made from cut up clothing, I suppose some engineer figured that out. My belief is if you see it then either wipe, rinse, or blow it off, the filter in a tranny should catch and hold whatever you don't get.

 

[clinebarger]

Originally Posted By: mx5miata
is the hot water, filtered or distilled?

I would think the sediments in hot would be foreign material causing more harm than good.


I am a custodian and always teach the new comers that hot water doesn't clean better than cold and mixing chemicals is always recommended in cold. Hot water sediments clog the filter screens on the floor scrubbers.


It's filtered & has a "Skimmer" to collect the ATF, The cabinets I've used require hot water to effectively clean the cast aluminum cases. We're talking 250+ degrees from a massive heating element.

 

[garageman402]

Thanks for all the input, seems like those blue rolls of shop towels Costco sells might be my best bet.

 

[nthach]

I would use Kimtech or Wypall wipes for sensitive things.

https://www.amazon.com/Kimwipes-Delicate...5C6XN2K4E9ATDZE

I've bought a box of the smaller ones when I tore down a PS pump. They also work great on glasses too.