Ever wonder what the difference is between absorbent pads, absorbent mats, absorbent pillows, absorbent rolls, absorbent socks, and all the other varieties of absorbents that exist? Sometimes a seemingly endless list of the types of absorbents can make it difficult to determine which one is best to use for your specific need.

To help provide an explanation on some of the common types of absorbents, below is a list of the major categories and their most common uses.

Absorbent pads or mats: pads and mats generally arrive in a heavy plastic bag or a cardboard box and contain 100 pads. Most pads or mats are 15 inches by 17 inches, but those dimensions will vary by manufacturer. Each pad will often be perforated down the middle of the pad so that smaller spills can be soaked up with half the pad, reducing the cost of using absorbents. In oil spill situations on water, it's very common for white oil absorbent pads to be laid on top of the water to begin soaking up the oil. Using individual pads on the water allows the spill responder to vary the placement of the pads and absorb the spill in a more adaptable manner. In manufacturing settings, pads can be placed on the floor temporarily and used to soak up a wide range of fluids. With any absorbents, proper disposal is critical! Absorbent pads may also be used to wipe down machinery.

Socks: it's common to use absorbent socks to contain a spill that may be spreading. The most common practice is to place the sock on the ground and surround the spill. This will temporarily halt the spill until pads or other materials can be used to properly clean it up.

Rolls: absorbent rolls are used in walkways or other traffic areas when a greater quantity of absorbents need to be laid down and using individual absorbent pads would be less efficient. Rolls still contain perforations at specific spots so that a pad can be torn off the roll when necessary.

Pillows: pillows are used when a greater quantity of fluid needs to be absorbed. The quantity of material in a pillow is much greater than that of a pad or mat and, therefore, a pillow is able to absorb a few gallons whereas absorbent pads will only absorb a fraction of that amount.

Some people are still under the belief that clay or other products are the most efficient product to clean up spills. Using these kinds of products will only create an even bigger mess and won't generate the level of protection or cost savings that you might expect. Using the appropriate type of absorbents will help your spill response be more cost effective and more efficient.