The word inflammable means anything which will quickly go up in flames. Gasolines, paint thinner, paper or small pieces of wood, all are inflammable substances.
When rags are soaked in oil or petroleum derived products, such as various materials used with paint or adhesives, they are inflammable and special care should be taken with them. Oil soaked rags should always be dried outside and soaked with water, since they can spontaneously combust if left in a closed container.
Inflammable Versus Flammable
The word inflammable is the correct word for something which can go up in flames easily. Inflammable is often confused with flammable, since they sound alike, but inflammabile is the correct term. Inflammable, which comes from the Latin word ‘inflammāre,’ which means ‘set flame to,’ or something that is ‘in’ flames.
Inflammable means combustible; flammable is a word that is used mainly in fire fighting. Because of the confusion over the two terms, though, it has become a common practice that oil or gas trucks are marked with the word Flammable.
.
Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our
"