Do you have a bath mat in your bath?

[whomoon]

My DP moved in with me 18 months ago and insisted we use a bath mat in our bath for when we have a shower (I have a shower over bath) as he says it’s too slippy without.

I didn’t particularly mind as my bathroom is quite tired and the sight of seeing a white plastic mat in the bath didn’t really bothered me. Even though I do find them very unattractive and unhygienic (I do clean it often)! I let it go as it’s something he prefers to have.

However, I have a bathroom refurb coming up - high quality goods, all lovely designed etc, and the thought of putting a white plastic bath mat back in my beautiful bathroom I think will just look awful.

I’ve never had one before, maybe in the 80’s, and have only ever seen them in older peoples bathrooms as a safety item. Looks quite old fashioned to me and don’t think it will go with my new shiny bathroom!

It made me wonder, how common are they and do people still use them?

YABU - they’re perfectly fine and safe thing to have
YABNU - I’d never have something so unsightly and unhygienic in my bathroom!

We do.
Although we have a large walk in shower, the shower tray can be slippy and I’ve slipped and head butted the wall before.
I’d rather a bath mat than another black eye!

yabu
there are pretty mats out there - go shopping.

ours is not unhygienic, it is hung to dry over the side after use and it goes in the washer once a week together with the shower curtain.

I prefer to not slip when getting in/out of the bath and not getting my arse sandpapered in a bathtub with a non slip surface.

Yes but it's only for the children when having a bath. They slide all over the place otherwise.

We have a clear bath mat with lovely sticky up bits that feel really nice underfoot. It gets cleaned often and I couldn't care if it does look grubby eventually. It feels nice and I don't feel unsafe.

Yes because of young child.

They do have a habit of attracting mould underneath. I didn't realise you could machine wash them! Thanks @purplesequins I'm going to try it now.

Yes after a relative slipped and broke their leg in an over bath shower.

Although we have got rid of the bath in favour of a proper shower now.

I'm a bath person so they'd be no chance! Bloody awful things. Can you ask him to move out ? :)

I know someone who slipped, hit their head and had a brain bleed, so yes to bath mats

Yes but only to make it easier for DD to have a bath without slipping. She’s only a toddler so it’s just easier to have it.

It looks better than losing your front teeth on the sink when you slip over!

Not a bad idea for an older baby actually, might have to buy one. I hate those bath seats and never would have considered an in-bath mat as they’re just not on my radar; I don’t think I’ve come across one since my elderly Grandma died. Glad I clicked on this thread now! But back to OP’s point, I do think it’s very strange for an able bodied adult to use one and whilst they’re obviously not gross if cleaned properly, they would somewhat ruin the aesthetic of a shiny new bathroom.

Hate the things but my mum uses one when she visits. She hangs it over the bath after and because it dries it doesn’t get manky hairy mouldy.

There are nice bath mats out there mind,

@userxx

I'm a bath person so they'd be no chance! Bloody awful things. Can you ask him to move out ? :)

I only got one when we had DC but turns out it's great for me too. Stops me sliding down the bath when in it.

We have separate showers though and I wouldn't have one in there

I don't like them either! Can you tell him he can have one but he'll need to take it out the bath, dry it and put it away after every shower?

I have one for all the above reasons and also hate them.

My solution is to lift it after use - it has suckers underneath, so I sucker it to the inside vertical of the bathtub where it can’t be seen unless you peer into the bath and look. I can try and take a photo if I don’t articulate that very well!

Buy a clear one, rather than coloured or patterned, it's much less noticeable?

Just get an anti-slip bath and then it won't need a mat.

Like this…

Can’t see the bath mat but it’s suckered on safely to dry and doesn’t use up cupboard space

@ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn

Just get an anti-slip bath and then it won't need a mat.

the anti slips baths I have seen either have a sandpaper like surface or they have a rippling surface. both not very comfortable for sitting on.

Our bath has anti slip bits on the half you’d stand on when showering so I don’t bother. They’re just little white dots built in to the surface of the bath. Doesn’t affect me when I have a bath as my arse isn’t on that bit.

You know you don't have to leave the bath mat in the bath all the time if you don't want to look at it? You need to take it up after showering to clean anyway. We hang
ours over the bath tray or side of bath under the fluffy bath mat . We leave the shower curtain across so it dries fully and you can't see into bath anyway, but you could always dry it and put in a drawer if you prefer . And yes you can wash in the washing machine .

I have a shower over bath and I wouldn’t risk taking a shower without one. Your feet can skid from under you in a second. And personally I don't fancy knocking myself out, breaking a limb or losing a tooth. Not worth the risk for me. Tell him to take it up each time if it bothers you that much.

I would be wary of anti slip surfaces on your bath although if it's acrylic bath it's probably OK. Ours is enamel and we have had resurfaced. Last time we had it done with anti slip coating and it peeled off. Also was very difficult to clean . I thought more unhygienic than a non-slip mat which can go in washing machine and is £5 to replace .

I had a bath mat in my old house, it was the first time I'd had a shower over bath for years and heard all the same things about slipping.

A few months in the bath mat came loose from the bath and I nearly knocked myself out on the side of the bath. Binned it and haven't had one since.

You can buy the anti slip circles and stick them on yourself.