How much oil does a bale of absorbent pads hold?

A common question we always receive is “How much oil will your absorbent pads hold?” Although the question is simple, the answer is more complex. Oil spill pads vary in different sizes and thickness which all affect how much the bale of pads will absorb. Marketing experts may call their pads “heavyweight” but in fact they are equivalent to someone else’s medium weight or even light weight.

The way we explain oil absorbent pads is by using a loaf of bread as an analogy. If you have 1 loaf of bread, you can cut it down to 10 slices or 20 slices of bread, but you still have the same amount of bread. Meaning, the 10 slices will be thicker than the 20 slices are, but the size of the loaf is exactly the same. To relate this to absorbents we will use our A100WSMH and A200WSMS absorbent pads. Both packs absorb approximately 29 gallons of oil related liquids, however the A100WSMH absorbent pads have 100 pads per pack and the A200WSMS pads have 200 pads per pack.

A great way to compare different packs of pads is by weight. If the weight of the bale is heavier, the absorbent pads will absorb MORE than a bale that weighs less. Some absorbent bales only weigh 6 pounds, which means they won’t soak up much oil (but they sure are cheap). We take pride in our absorbents always make sure they are heavy and do the job right.

How do you use oil absorbent pads? 

That’s the best part! You simply place the pad underneath the leak or spill and watch the contents absorb the spill. Most oil pads are made up of either fine fibers that resemble tissue paper or a polypropylene product.

If a machine has a constant drip then a lighter pad folded over would be best suited for you. The full surface area of the pad would have more exposure to the drip. If you are working in an elevator shaft, heavier pads would be best as they can be placed at the base and absorb the oil liquid as it accumulates at the bottom.

The other way to know which pad will work best is to try them out! Call us and we can send you out samples in advance to try out our pads and see how they work for your application.