3 Absorbent Products Every Auto Shop Should Have On-Hand

Owners of auto body shops, dealerships and repair shops ensure cars, trucks and SUVs look and run great. But fixing and maintaining vehicles is only half the battle when it comes to operating a safe, productive, successful business. In the age of social media and smart phones, you never know when a customer may snap a photo and post a review that can influence hundreds to thousands of other potential customers. And the way a customer perceives the cleanliness of a shop is correlated to the quality of the work they expect to receive from that shop.

Vehicle care is messy—from general dirt and grime to oil, coolant and fluids. A good ol’ pocket rag is great, but investing in high-quality absorbent products can make clean-up faster so shops can get back to the job at hand. Here are 3 products all auto shops should always have in reach to keep spaces clean and to make great first impressions with customers and increase loyalty.

Shop Towels for Tools & Clean-Up

From cleaning off greasy tools to wiping down the workbench or waiting room, every shop needs a high-quality, general-purpose wiper for more common wiping tasks. TOOLBOX® Z400 Blue Shop Towels are made using innovative double re-creped (DRC) technology making them soft on the hands and face, with superior wet and dry strength all while utilizing 60% recycled fibers. Z400 Blue Shop Towels are available in multiple put-up options, including our proprietary Big Grip® Dispenser, which can be easily moved from task to task or safely mounted to the wall.

Sorbents for Spills

An effective sorbent product is crucial to cleaning up spills of more hazardous liquids like oil, coolant, and some acids. When a spill occurs, it’s critical to quickly contain it to prevent its spread and avoid dangerous slip and fall risks. Sorbents can also be placed in areas where spills and drips are common to soak them up as they occur. Products like DuraSoak® come in three strengths for various sizes of spills. For each area of the shop, choose from different put-ups including pads, rolls and split rolls. So put away the messy cat litter alternative and choose a general purpose sorbent like DuraSoak that is more effective and easier to use and discard.

Strong Wipers for Car Parts

Not every operation has the space or funds for a part washer. Many mechanics use what they have on hand (or in their pocket)—a rag. That rag may be used on a tool, a car part and then a mechanics face spreading harmful fluids onto the skin. Rental rags can also contain dangerous heavy metals like lead, iron and zinc and can also leave behind fibers or lint, which can affect engine function. Shops should instead invest in a high-quality, low-linting disposable wiper like TOOLBOX® WaterWeave® T700. Also available in a variety of put ups, T700 wipers can be placed wherever you need them—like a pop-up package on a work bench or on a fixed wall mount using a jumbo roll. WaterWeave® wipers are hydroentangled, which makes them durable on rough and jagged surfaces and solvent compatible.

Absorbent products from Sellars® can keep auto shops clean and safe by absorbing all kinds of spills, drips, leaks and messes. Looking for the right products for your specific needs, contact the Sellars team.