# How do you clean your canvas tarps and drop cloths?



## Stevarino (Sep 28, 2013)

I have several canvas runners and drop cloths that I use all the time on jobs but after a while they get pretty dusty and dirty. How do you clean yours? When they get past the "shake it out and use it" do you just throw them out? Hose them off? Take them to a laundry mat?


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

Laundromat here.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Robie said:


> Laundromat here.


Boat covers, tarps, anything dirty and big that I wouldn't want to run thru my own laundry machine.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

We have a new place here. The machines will hold up to 50 lbs dry.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

I toss mine in the washing machine at home. It's big enough to handle 'em.


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## avenge (Sep 25, 2008)

Laundry mat if you want. I just buy new ones but I've been accused of having the cleanest drops ever.


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## Robie (Feb 25, 2005)

avenge said:


> Laundry mat if you want. I just buy new ones but I've been accused of having the cleanest drops ever.


I do that also when I have a gig that requires clean drops and haven't gotten around to wash them yet. That's why i probably have 15-20 right now. 
They are always handy for something.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

I've hung the bigger ones up and hit them with a pressure washer.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

My Speed Queen washer is a laundromat machine, just no coin slots. Handles them with no problem.


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## DaemarConst (Aug 13, 2016)

Here in NYC, I picked up 2 canvas drop clothes. The hardware I went to, owner said that canvas is illegal in NYC. It had something to do with EPA. They might have banned them due to asbestos and or lead. Sort of makes sense. They want you to get the disposable ones. Wrap up and throw out at end of job. Has anyone heard of such regulation? I'm gonna see if I can locate anything about it.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

They are just made of cotton as far as I know. The vinyl tarps wouldn't be biodegradable, would surprise me if NYC banned them, along with big sodas. 

I was in the sign biz and had a city department call for a banner but they had to be biodegradable. I said I couldn't help them because my customers want their products to last and it's all I know how to do.


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## MarkJames (Nov 25, 2012)

DaemarConst said:


> Here in NYC, I picked up 2 canvas drop clothes. The hardware I went to, owner said that canvas is illegal in NYC. It had something to do with EPA. They might have banned them due to asbestos and or lead. Sort of makes sense. They want you to get the disposable ones. Wrap up and throw out at end of job. Has anyone heard of such regulation? I'm gonna see if I can locate anything about it.


It sounds like somebody got played. Could be him, and he's sharing the bad news. Maybe he's referring to asbestos clean-up or something.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

RangoWA said:


> They are just made of cotton as far as I know. The vinyl tarps wouldn't be biodegradable, would surprise me if NYC banned them, along with big sodas.
> 
> I was in the sign biz and had a city department call for a banner but they had to be biodegradable. I said I couldn't help them because my customers want their products to last and it's all I know how to do.




That's what mine are, cotton.
Buy them at any paint store.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

TimNJ said:


> That's what mine are, cotton.
> Buy them at any paint store.


Maybe cotton reminds them of slavery and slavery was racism in full bloom?


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## tipitop (Dec 3, 2013)

Just go to car wash, one that is manual. Did for many things so already. For example carpet in front of my door.


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## sunkist (Apr 27, 2012)

tipitop said:


> Just go to car wash, one that is manual. Did for many things so already. For example carpet in front of my door.


Thank heaven for the quarter car wash , well the ten $10 car wash in quarters these days, so much crap has been washed there


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

laundry mat here,,,


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

I'll never wash them in my home again.......


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## John1957 (Nov 20, 2016)

I hang my runner tarps and larger on the side of my 6' fence and power wash them with a mild soap. Laundromats do not like seeing tarps in their machines in my area.


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## SPG (Mar 9, 2017)

DaemarConst said:


> Here in NYC, I picked up 2 canvas drop clothes. The hardware I went to, owner said that canvas is illegal in NYC. It had something to do with EPA. They might have banned them due to asbestos and or lead. Sort of makes sense. They want you to get the disposable ones. Wrap up and throw out at end of job. Has anyone heard of such regulation? I'm gonna see if I can locate anything about it.


Huh, I guess it makes sense in a way if you're dealing with places that have a lot of lead paint. Any scraping or sanding will get lead all over the place and the canvas drop cloth will just bring that lead dust to the next job, or the laundromat, where it can get airborne and spread around there. 
There should be some way to be allowed canvas if there is no lead, but I guess the city won't trust contractors in NYC to figure out when that's the case.


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## Str8Ahead (Feb 25, 2017)

My washer if they are not too bad. I have had to clean the discharge tube once i the last 5 years or so.


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