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!

I have one, because the very expensive new metal shower bath I installed in my bathroom rebuild is more slippery than the plastic one it replaced. I have it in a contrasting colour, grey mat on a white bath.

Ironically, the only time I've actually hurt myself by slipping is after I started using the mat, when the suckers on the mat hadn't been pressed down to grip the bath, and the whole mat acted like a giant bar of soap when I stepped onto it with my leading foot.

The mat I bought does not ruin the ambience of my expensive bathroom refurbishment. My shower area is circular, so I have this circular mat.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B088CTBMTY/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

@FrangipaniBlue

I do for showers and like other posters it comes out once it's dry.

I have slipped in the bath before, hit my head on the side cut it open and knocked myself out - had there been a lock on the door I don't know what would have happened because DH ran upstairs when he heard the clatter and had to fish me out of the water that I was lying in face down unconscious!

Eeek. That could have ended so differently. Glad you're okay!

@CustardySergeant you beat me to it
I have one but it lives on the floor outside the bath ( I don't have a shower) as my lino floor is very slippy when it's wet.
Its a very old rubber one , I went to replace it last year because it's going yellowish but the if the two replacements I bought one was almost as sloppy as the lino , the other one's suckers were hoples so my trusty yellowish one went back down.

I should mention that the metal shower bath could have had an optional anti-slip coating at the factory, for only a few hundred pounds extra, but the German retailer I ordered from didn't allow me to specify that option, so I didn't really consider it.

@Nanny2many

You can get little textured patches that stick onto the floor or shower or batch which look a lot more discreet. They do t last forever but they’re quite cheap to replace!

I have them in my shower as I've slipped several times.

I also have a bath mat in the bath. Don't care how it looks - I care about not falling and doing myself a damage. When it's not in use it hangs over the side of the bath with a fabric mat over it. I occasionally pop it into the washing machine.

My experience with my mat is that although they boast it's machine washable, it doesn't get dirty, and whenever I've lifted it, both the underside and the bath surface under it haven't been dirty.

I only move mine when I clean the bath. I agree the risk of not sticking the suckers down properly is a reason not to move it every day.

You can’t really see it in the bath can you? Like will it be that noticeable that it will take away from the look of the bathroom? I have one as was petrified of slipping over in the shower when pregnant and then I still use it now when bathing baby so I don’t slip when getting in and out of the bath to bath her.

any way that you can fit in a separate shower when you refit the bathroom?

Yes. We have small children and a very very slippery metal/enamel bath. It’s lethal and I’ve slipped both times I’ve tried not using a mat. If it was just adults and a plastic bath I wouldn’t bother though.

Ours isn’t white, it’s usually got ducks/fish/world maps on and it’s taken up after the bath/shower and hung to dry. Cleaned when I clean the bathroom. Nothing remotely unhygienic about it and better than a broken neck.

At the moment yes. But only because I’m recovering from a broken arm and worried about falling and making it worse

For my 1yr old yes but as soon as she's a bit more Sensible it will be gone. We def had rid of it before eldest was 3 last time. They are horrible can't stand them.

Certainly not! I'm quite capable of standing on my own feet and if you clean the bath with cream cleaner or flash stuff it will remove any slippery bits from shower or bath products. No bath mats and no slippers in my house!!!

'We def had rid of it before eldest was 3 last time.''

It isn't a competition

Never had one, never needed one, even for the kids

@ExConstance i take it you have all carpets? We have hard tiled floors and wood with area rugs. It actually wrecks your feet and has made all gripper socks thread bare so sudder i may have no choice but to get slippers (more modern younger style ones)! Sometimes needs must and my comfort more important!

We don't have a bath mat, but we do have these anti slip stickers in our shower. They've been stuck in place for 2 years and still in perfect condition.

I hate bath mats. I’ve actually tripped over the edge of a bath mat before and it’s put me off having one. Our bath isn’t very slippery anyway, I think maybe some baths are worse than others…?!

I do now after slipping two years ago and banging my coccyx. Was in agony for days

I have a bad back so have always used shower mats. I also have grab rails to hold onto and a plastic seat to sit on. Id rather be safe than injured in an immaculate, shiny bathroom.

@MuchTooTired

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

My DP said he’d tried these before himself and he said they weren’t very good. I’d imagine difficult to clean too?

@NotMyCat

These aren't too offensive

Thanks for searching for these. I guess I need to find one I don’t mind looking at. The latest one we have is from Aldi, but has a strange blue tinge to it

@Mindymomo

I’ve got a clear one and it gets put in washing machine to keep it looking clear. I hurt my shoulder and have gotten used to using it. My DH is a plumber and only fits anti slip baths and showers.

I think I’m veering towards a clear one, especially with keeping it clean in the washing machine

@MiddlesexGirl

Can't you get a proper non-slip showering end to the bath itself?

Good idea! I just checked the bath I have on order and it’s an acrylic non slip one. But it doesn’t have the shower sectioned at the top, so don’t think it has the treatment applied. I’ll check with the supplier.

Yes I have one. I slipped stepping out of bath in previous house, fell backwards hitting my back on the bath taps with force which was sore for ages. I have a clear plastic one which I clean regularly.

@Proudboomer

I don’t see the big deal even if they are on the ugly side. It is not like you hang around in your bathroom staring at your shower.

I will be once it’s refurbished! 😍😍😍