Do You Have These 7 Absorbents in Your Warehouse?

Check out Seven Essential Absorbents to Help Keep Your Workplace Safe, Clean, and Dry

Stocking your warehouse with absorbents can be a daunting task if you’re not sure where to start.

But, having the right kinds of absorbents on hand is important to ensure clean and safe operations. And aids Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation compliance.

So, here’s your guide to choosing which absorbents fit your facility’s needs!

1. Pad and Roll Absorbents

Absorbent pads and rolls are all-purpose cleanup tools designed to absorb liquids quickly. Pads are convenient, pre-cut sheets of absorbent that fit specific places or functions. Absorbent rolls allow for more flexibility so you can use precisely the amount you need.

These come in six main types, and the type that works best for you depends entirely on the types of materials in your facility. Here is a basic rundown of each type and its ideal purpose:

Universal Maintenance

A general-purpose type of absorbent, gray universal pads are great for day-to-day maintenance. These pads can absorb a wide variety of fluids, from water-based fluids to oils and more. After being wrung out, you can even reuse them. The grey color also disguises dirt, extending the absorbents’ lives.

Oil Cleanup

These white oil absorbing pads and rolls repel and float on water. They only absorb hydrocarbons such as oil, gasoline, and lubricating oils. Because they’re perforated, you can use only what you need. And you can can also wring out and re-use them again.

Economy Oil

Similar to the oil absorbents, economy pads and rolls float and repel water, only absorbing hydrocarbons. These cost-effective oil absorbent pads have only one layer, so they’re able to cover larger surface areas for low prices.

Hazmat

Yellow-color absorbents are for chemical spill cleanup, and soaking up hazardous or unknown liquids. They absorb all liquids, including water as well as aggressive fluids like acids.

Poly-backed

These gray absorbents have an impenetrable poly backing, protecting the floor or users’ hands from liquids. These absorbents are all-purpose and will absorb all liquids, including water.

Anti-Static

These water-repelling absorbents for use in cold or dry applications. Their anti-static absorbent properties reduce risk of sparking. Which makes them safer to use around combustible or flammable equipment and chemicals. They absorb oils and hydrocarbons, and come in a unique blue bag for quick identification and use.

2. Absorbent Socks

Absorbent socks are ideal to surround spills and prevent them from spreading further. They are fast and easy to use, so you can catch spills before they get worse. With an absorbent hand wringer you can also recover and re-use liquid spills as well as the socks themselves!

Universal/General Purpose Socks

You can wring out and re-use these super absorbent grey polypropylene socks. They’re ideal for everyday maintenance, come in two sizes. Because they can absorb water-based fluids, oil, coolants, and more they’re great for multi-purpose uses.

Oil-Absorbing Socks

Available in two sizes, these white socks absorb oil and hydrocarbons. They repel and float on water, making for an easy cleanup process.

Hazmat Socks

These yellow-color socks come in two sizes and are for use on hazardous or unknown spills. They absorb all liquids, from water and water-based fluids to aggressive fluids.

Corn Cob Universal Socks

Universal absorbent grey socks contain ground corn cob filler. Meaning they’re renewable, so an ideal way to make your business greener.

3. Pillow Absorbents

When you need a quick absorbent tool with higher capacity than pads or rolls, absorbent pillows are the perfect solution. These are great for persistent leaks or for catching running liquid.

Universal Pillows

All-purpose absorbent pillows are grey in color and suitable for all kinds of spills. They come in two sizes, and are ideal for general, day-to-day maintenance. You can wring out and re-use them, too.

Oil Pillows

White-colored, oil-only pillows are perfect for absorbing hydrocarbons. They come in two sizes and you can use them on land and water, because they repel and float on water.

Hazmat Pillows

When you have a hazardous or unknown spill, these yellow absorbent pillows are just the thing. They can absorb all liquids, including water, and are available in two sizes.

4. Industrial Wipes

For quick responses to spills and accidents, it’s important to not only prepare with large, high-capacity absorbents. But also small, easy-to-access rags and towels. Including absorbents that are suitable for use on workers’ faces and hands. And that’s when industrial wipes and rags are great choices.

Shop Towels

Extremely versatile shop towels are soft enough for use on the hands and face but don’t fall apart when wet. They come in blue, white and red colors, with a variety of absorbency levels. So you can choose between all-purpose, high-absorbency, and everything in between. Towels are great for painting, staining, wallpapering, cleaning, and mopping up spills. 

Shop Rags

Fabric shop rags come in easy-to-use dispensers and feature 100% reclaimed materials. Which makes them a green option for your business. They’re great for use on paint, grease, oil, and solvents, and hundreds of other practical uses.

Industrial Wet Wipes, Soaps, and Degreasers

Whether you need to clean your hands or your equipment, we have the perfect cleaner for the task. Our citrus-scent degreaser wipes are harsh on industrial grime cutting through paint, ink, oil, grease, tar, and more. They’re up for the task of commercial degreasing without being full of harsh solvents.

5. Absorbent Safety Mats

Floor safety mats are an excellent way to keep your floors clean and dry. They’re so durable you can use them underneath vehicles and machinery. Or, on walkways to catch drips and leaks. Importantly protecting your employees from slip-and-fall accidents.

Abzorb Mats

Abzorb floor mats are the toughest of the bunch, featuring a non-penetrable backing. They’re non-skid and you can cut them to any desirable length. As well, you can use them either indoors or outdoors. Their dark charcoal grey color masks the appearance of dirt and stains.

Forklift Mats

These Abzorb Mats are cut at six feet by eight feet specifically to fit forklifts. They’re perfect to protect your floors from oil and battery leaks. Not to mention provide a non-slip surface for employees getting in or out of forklifts.

Rag Rug Industrial Floor Mats

Featuring recycled polypropylene and acrylic fibers, Rag Rag industrial floor mats will stand up to traffic. Because they can absorb all kind of fluids, they’re perfect for use on walkways around your warehouse.

Railroad Containment Track Mats

Protect railroad beds from chemical or hydrocarbon leaks with these absorbent track mats. They have poly-backing to resist chemicals, as well as an UV-resistant material cover. These mats come in two different-size rolls, to fit the inside and outside of rails.

Survivor Camouflage Absorbent Mats

The pattern on these camo absorbent mats hides drips and leaks for extended use. The bottom layer features a densely woven, fine fiber. Which provides grip and supports safer walking. The top layer of fabric wicks away liquid trapped in the center core, making these mats ideal for use around machinery or on walkways.

6. Drip Pans

Drip pans are perfect in applications with higher volume leakages than absorbent pads or pillows can handle. Pans will safely contain liquid until ready for disposal.

Universal DPU-16 absorbent pans have a cover that keeps absorbed liquid safely inside. For easy maintenance, replace the entire tray after it is full.

Industrial Pillow Pans are reusable, so you replace the absorbent pillows as necessary. Use them with universal absorbent pillows or hydrocarbon-only pillows that repel water.

7. Booms

Booms help contain or route large spills to prevent or control them from spreading further. They are suitable for applications on both land and water.

Oil Absorbent booms

These white marine booms soak up hydrocarbons and repel water (as well as water-based fluids). Meaning they float on water — even when saturated with oil. You can easily link them together with carbon steel connector hardware to create the ideal size.

Chemical Hazmat

Use chemical absorbing booms on land to soak up hazmat fluids, from water-base. to oil and acetone. They connect together to create a perimeter around larger spill areas.

Non-Absorbent Booms

In situations where you need to route or contain — but not absorb — spills on water, use a non-absorbent boom. Choose from five different models to match the specific water conditions. For example, rough coastal and marine environments, or calm waters like swamps.

No matter what kind of facility you have, there are solutions for every spill and every site! This guide aims to help you determine which absorbents best suit your needs — but if you still aren’t sure, you can always get in touch with us. For questions, contact Travis Zdrazil at travis@absorbentsonline.com or (800) 869-9633.

This is a revision to a blog post with an original publication date of May 24, 2016