The $3 steel wool pad I bought at Dollar General in Ohio caught fire while I was cleaning my grandpa's old axe head. (I left it in the sink, still wet)

I tossed it in the sink after scrubbing rust off a hatchet I found in his barn. Figured I'd rinse it later. Came back 20 minutes later and the whole pad was smoking, little orange embers falling into the basin. Had to douse it under the faucet. Guess the combo of moisture and the metal shavings from the rust started something. Anyone else accidentally create a tiny fire hazard with damp steel wool?

2 comments

2 Comments

jenny_jackson9d ago

Dang, I've done that exact thing! It's wild how something as innocent as a wet scrubby can turn into a fire hazard. Makes you realize how many little risks we just don't think about - like leaving a wet cloth in a pile or charging a phone on a bed. Honestly it's kind of a wakeup call for how we treat everyday stuff like cleaners and tools. Glad you caught it before it got worse, this is the kind of lesson that sticks with you.

christopherj639d ago

Never thought about how the plastic in scrubby pads might melt and drip too.