A non-slip bath tub mat that actually doesn't slip?

September 12, 2014 6:18 AM

You know those mats you put on the floor of the bath tub so you don't slip? Bought one and it's slipped once or twice. So is there a particular brand of these mats that you've bought and it has never, ever once slipped, say for years? The wife needs one that we can pretty much guarantee will never, ever slip. I'm not looking for "Oh just go buy one," but "We bought this specific mat x years ago and it's worked like a champ, through all sorts of soapy water, buy this one." Alternative suggestions for preventing slippage in the bathtub while showering are fine.
posted by Brandon Blatcher to Home & Garden (15 answers total)

We have this one in our daughter's bathroom and it's pretty solid. The suction cups on the bottom are strong; I have to pry the thing off (loudly, I might add!) to wash under it weekly. She gets in the tub, I get in the tub, we both get in the tub together and I've never had it shift. Not very sophisticated looking, but it works.
posted by danielle the bee at 6:34 AM on September 12, 2014

The only thing I've see really not move are those textured stickers, with adhesive on one side and rubbery sandpaper on the other.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:34 AM on September 12, 2014 [5 favorites]

I like stick-on bath treads a lot better than mats - they're far less bulky and really stay put. The drawbacks are that they're cheesy-looking and not as easy to take out and put back in.
posted by Metroid Baby at 6:35 AM on September 12, 2014 [2 favorites]

I've used the textured stickers. They work but make it difficult to scrub the tub surface.

If she has balance or other physical problems that make slipping likely, you might consider installing grab bars.

On the more drastic end of the scale of solutions, a shower with a floor of small tiles works well.
posted by jon1270 at 6:37 AM on September 12, 2014

Huh. I think that a long, full non-slip bath mat is the way to go. More suction cups = more surface to grab. The thing is, you have to make sure that your suction cups are engaged before the surface is wet otherwise it can slide. With my full length, rectangular mat, when I put it back down in the tub, I step on it gently a few times to engage the suction cups.
posted by amanda at 6:44 AM on September 12, 2014

I second Dip Flash - at our last house, we got a solid mat that had adhesive the entire length. That thing lasted 6 years.

Currently we have smaller adhesive "fish" (about 3 inches). They're a problem as the odd shapes allow part of it to start peeling. We've lost 2+ in about 1-2 years and I'm delaying putting on new ones hopping that I come across a giant mat again.

I've never liked the suction cup'ed mats.
posted by nobeagle at 7:51 AM on September 12, 2014

Been using this one for 8 or 10 years and have no complaints; I got it at Walmart for 10 bucks, I think.
posted by worldswalker at 8:00 AM on September 12, 2014

I started hanging it on the side of the tub to dry between showers, and it has never ever slipped once after that. It's just a rubbermaid mat I bought at Target.
posted by desjardins at 8:43 AM on September 12, 2014

Vermont Country Store - this one has been excellent.
posted by anya32 at 8:51 AM on September 12, 2014

Yeah, I've found that the stickers are much better. My new tub was apparently manufactured with textured treads already on the floor so I don't need anything anymore, but it's a bit annoying to clean.
posted by poffin boffin at 9:18 AM on September 12, 2014

We use the rubbermaid suction cup ones. Once the suction cups are properly attached they do not slip. The trick is to get one made of natural rubber -- not vinyl, PVC or whatever -- we have used other brands, and as long as they are natural rubber they work great. The only downside to natural rubber is that they only last a year or two before they need to be replaced.
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:04 PM on September 12, 2014

Another bonus to natural rubber is that it doesn't smell, unlike vinyl and PVC.
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:07 PM on September 12, 2014

I have balance issues and have like this mat as it is 100% natural rubber and does not slip.

Mine has tended to curl at the edges over time, not letting water drain off it completely, so I've had to replace it about once a year, which I find acceptable for the security it provides.
posted by whoiam at 1:46 PM on September 12, 2014

It's a whole 'nother level of expense (and I don't know if you rent or own), but with serious mobility-agility-balance issues a walk-in or step-in tub might be worth considering. Some of them are built with seats so you aren't actually showering while standing.
posted by dhartung at 3:35 PM on September 12, 2014

Ours is very much like this one (http://www.slipxsolutions.com/sea-of-circles-bath-mat), the kind with a whole bunch of little suction cups on the bottom. It feels absolutely stable after a couple of years of multiple daily use. I had fallen in the tub and was feeling very phobic about slipping again. I feel completely secure with this mat. Not even a hint of slippage on the part of the mat or me. We peel it up after each use and hang it to let it air dry, to avoid mildew.
posted by primate moon at 3:39 PM on September 12, 2014