outer cover 8 is a flexible sheet attached to the containment member 4 using suitable means of attachment preferably the cover 8 is attached to the containment member 4 by means of fitting so that the corners and perimeter of the mat are properly overlapped to envelop and secure the containment member 4 within the cover 8 additionally or alternatively hook and loop fasteners 10 as shown in fig1 and 2 may be used to secure or to further secure the cover 8 around the containment member 4 as necessary to maintain proper fit the positions of the hook and loop fasteners may vary and in some applications may not be employed to secure the cover 8 the fitted cover 8 holds the containment mat 2 together as a compact unit and protects the containment member 4 and the absorbent member 6 from dust and other contaminants when not in use when in use the outer cover 8 creates an easily removable and cleanable layer than can protect the absorbent member 6 from frequent staining and contamination that occurs in ordinary use the outer cover 8 may itself be absorbent but will also be sufficiently porous to permit a liquid spill to migrate through the cover sand into the absorbent member 6 thus permitting any substance spilled on the assembled containment mat 2 to be absorbed through the cover.