Spontaneous Combustion Experiment.. Successful!
It may seem obvious that oily rags can be flammable, but what you might not realize is that they don’t need a flame to ignite. As certain types of oils begin to dry, they oxidize. This is a chemical reaction that can result in heat, and the hotter the rags get, the more easily they oxidize. This means that a pile of oily rags can start to smolder and can eventually catch into a blazing fire, as shown in the video above.
The National Fire Protection Association recommends spreading oily rags out until they are fully dry, never piling them up or just tossing them into a bucket. This applies to rags that you’ve used with varnish, oil-based paints and stains, gasoline, lacquers, and paint thinners.
