Spill Pads

Spill pads are a flat piece of material capable of absorbing liquid spillages. They can be used in three main ways. Either to help mop up a spillage that has occurred or to be used as a wipe to clear down a piece of apparatus or machinery. Alternatively a spill pad can be placed onto a work surface prior to dealing with a messy situation to catch any leaks and spills from a disassembly job. To find out more about the 'Quick Spec' icons shown with each pad click read more.

Spill Pad Sizes and Types

Almost all spill pads are manufactured from melt-blown polypropylene, and measure 40cm x 50cm, apart from one in the oil spill pads section at 90cm x 100cm. The EVO pad is manufactured from recycled cotton fibres and as such boasts one of the lowest carbon footprints for an absorbent pad. Furthermore, they are manufactured into three basic types to be able to deal with any liquid spillage.

Spill Type

There are three types of spill pads available, chemical spill pads, oil & fuel spill pads and general purpose & EVO spill pads. Each has different abilities to absorb different liquid types and are broken down as follows:-
General Purpose & EVO spill pads are suitable for solvents, oil & fuels, non-corrosive liquids, common fluids and water based fluids.
Oil & Fuel spill pads are suitable for solvents, oil & fuels and some common fluids (will repel water based fluids).
Chemical spill pads are suitable for chemicals, hazardous liquids, solvents, oil & fuels, common fluids and water based fluids.
A more comprehensive list can be seen by viewing our Selection Guide.

Thickness/Absorbency

The absorbent capability of each spill pad is dictated by its thickness. The most absorbent pad in the Spillshop range is the Quad thickness pad, comprising of many many layers of melt-blown polypropylene woven together for maximum absorbency. The Premium thickness range pad, like the Quad are ideal for dealing with situations where a reasonably large volume of liquid will need to be absorbed. The mid-range Double thickness pads are an all-rounder, still capable of dealing with a reasonably large spill and flexible enough to be used as a wipe. The Single thickness pads can still be used in exactly the same way as its thicker counterparts but also have the ideal ability to be used as wipes to clean up messy and oily machinery or components.

Description

Oil spill pads are available in two formats, bonded or plain. Bonded pads have the layers of the pad spot-welded together making them incredibly durable and fit for heavy duty usage. Furthermore, these pads are perforated allowing them to be torn in half resulting in less wastage if used properly. Plain pads are not spot-welded together, leaving a slightly rougher feel which allows this type of pad to start absorbing at a quicker rate than the bonded ones. In some thicknesses the plain pads are slightly more absorbent than the bonded options. The plain pads are as strong and durable as the bonded ones, but the surface of the plain pads may start to deteriorate quicker than the bonded ones when used in a vigorous environment.

Packaging

When bought in small quantities the pads usually come packed in a dispenser box, ideal for putting in vans or mobile operations or placed conveniently near workstations where regular use is needed. The most popular way of packaging the pads is 'poly wrapped', simply wrapped in transparent plastic packaging, cutting down on the cost of purchase and the end cost of disposal of the packaging. Packaged this way keeps the pads dry and free from contamination.