Safe Disposal of Oil-Soaked Paper Towels: Kitchen & Motor Oil

After wiping clean that oil-caked pot or pan or working on an engine, you will most likely have oil-soaked paper towels or rags to dispose of. Different oils have varying flammability and should be disposed of properly.

Cooking Oil-Soaked Paper Towels

• Paper towels that are soaked with cooking oils such as sunflower, olive and vegetable oil can be disposed of directly into your kitchen garbage can.

Motor Oil-Soaked Paper Towels

• Paper towels soaked in motor oil should be left out in the open, but out of the reach of children and away from fire, to dry. Once thoroughly dried, they can be disposed of in a trash can.

Warning

• Never pour oil into drains because this can clog drains and contaminate water. Large quantities of oil should be taken to an oil recycling facility.

  Do not place towels soaked with motor oil in an enclosed, unventilated container because they could spontaneously combust.

  Do not launder oil-soaked towels or rags because oily residues could catch fire in the dryer.