Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bath

Tell me about towels.

madajb — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:23:11 -0800

I'm looking for towels. Big, fluffy, soft towels that are suitable for the occasional trip to Magrathea or just a long bath. Years ago, I got one of these (sheet or towel, not sure the size).
However, I only got one, and it's lonely for friends.
Unfortunately, the only Restoration Hardware is a few hours away and, quite frankly, $75-$100 for a set is a bit much.

So, I'm looking for the secret source for towels.
Is there a secret Internet site where towel aficionados swap bargains? How about the "Hong Kong tailor" equivalent where towels are half the price as the U.S.?

Clearly, I'm looking for a bargain, but I will say that my current towel has held up remarkably well and I'm not adverse to paying if something is truly worth it.

I have most of the usual U.S. chain stores available as well as (obviously) online ordering capacity.

Not a Card-Carrying Member of the Lollipop Guild

DMan — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:34:03 -0800

Is there some sort of extension I can put on my shower head to make it sit higher on the wall? I recently moved into an apartment, and one complaint I have is that the showerhead is way too low--and I'm only 5' 8"! It makes showers annoying because I have to crane my neck to get my head under it.

Is there some kind of device I can screw into the showerhead pipe that will raise it a few inches? I'm aware of the existence of handheld showerheads, but I'd really like it to still be mounted, just a few inches higher than it is now. I'm picturing something like an S-shaped pipe that attaches to the showerhead on one end and the wall on the other.

Any ideas?

Tub Refinishing Cannot Be Worse Than Replacement. Can It?

Medieval Maven — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:15:50 -0800

So I've read the previous questions on bath tub refinishing, the most recent of which, according to what I found, was two years ago. We have a fiberglass tub/enclosure that was put in when the house was framed 24 years ago. It's showing its age. I do NOT want to refinish this thing myself, and removing the fiberglass tub/enclosure in the master bathroom, and replacing it, while worthwhile, was a nightmare. I just want to have this tub refinished to a bright white that will be a durable solution. My mother has suggested we look at Re-Bath, but I'm skeptical. So, questions here are two fold:

1) have you had your fiberglass tub refinished professionally, and were you happy with the results? What did it run you?

2) have you used this "Rebath" service? How were the results? Worth it?

BONUS: If you are in the Atlanta area, can you recommend someone to do this work? TYIA.

Will remodeling or reducing the price move a condo quicker

willnot — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:22:48 -0800

I'm thinking about selling (or renting) my condo. My kitchen and bathrooms are out of date with formica counter tops, old looking appliances and ugly flooring. I know that other condos in my complex that are on the market have been updated with more contemporary looks, but they also look like they've been on the market for a while. What would cause the place to sell faster? Spending the money to update it or reducing the asking price by whatever amount I'd put into a remodel?

Where else can I find pretty, girly, smelly bath things?

katillathehun — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 19:14:30 -0800

Totally girly but unique bath and body products. Who makes 'em? I mean besides Bath & Body Works, Sephora, The Body Shop, and Lush. I'm partial to bath stuff and lotions that smell like dessert rather than flowery scents (I'm also a sucker for good package design), but really, I'm just looking for a new place to indulge my rarely-acknowledged girly side. What shops do you recommend? Either online or local (Los Angeles) works for me.

More bathing, less sodomy

klangklangston — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:30:08 -0800

LA Baths? I went to the Kabuki in San Francisco and loved it. Now I'd like to find something similar in Los Angeles. Japanese, Korean, Roman, Russian baths, whatever, with the following caveats: I'm a dude, and I'm not looking to have sex there. All of the bath houses I've been able to track down in LA are either for ladies or for dudes pounding each other in the ass. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not my scene. I do prefer nude, I don't really care regarding ethnicity, but mostly I just want that hot and cold baths thing for a reasonable price without all the folderol of a high-maintenance spa.

Help me destinkify my dog!

howrobotsaremade — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:32:09 -0800

Is there a good way to freshen up a dog between baths without actually getting him wet? My dog is getting a bit elderly and arthritic. He's also slightly smelly right now. He can't make it into the bathtub anymore, and that's where I used to give him baths during the cold months.

What are some good deodorizers/dry shampoo type products that I could use to make him smell a little better (and not make his hair greasy or tangly) for the time being? Bonus points for something that doesn't come in a spray bottle since he is inexplicably terrified of the noise they make.

I know they make some waterless shampoos, but I googled around and looked on the major pet store websites and I can't really tell which one would be best to use on him.

He is a long-haired heinz-57 style mutt, if that helps. I would say his coat is most similar to a collie's in texture, except the hair on his legs is really short and coarse. He is also fairly big and has a lot of hair, which means it would be great if I could find a product that comes in a fairly generous sized container.

He'll get a proper bath outside when the weather warms up, I promise! I'm just trying to make this easy on the poor old guy while the weather is nasty around here.

the hot water, it goes fast.

striker — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:50:03 -0800

Plenty of hot water for a shower in the summer, not so much in the winter. Can I do anything about it? I'm guessing it's because the water coming in is colder, but I'd really like to do something, anything. The length of shower I can take is easily half the time I can when the weather is warmer. The water gets very hot, but just not a lot of it.

side note: I've been told I should be using a blanket/cover of some kind around the water heater for efficiency sake, will this help any with length of time? i can't imagine it would make much difference and I think the tank is too close to the wall to wrap around anyways.

Any suggestions!?

Bath once was hot but now is not.

ottereroticist — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:59:30 -0800

Why is my bath not hot anymore? My bathtub, which once filled so delightfully with steaming hot water, now fills only partway before the water gets cold. What hypotheses should I consider in diagnosing the problem?

The tub is located on the second story. The hot water knob behind the tub is open full-bore. The water heater, located in the basement, is electric and about 10 years old. The temperature and quantity of hot water elsewhere in the house seems unchanged.

Brief discoloration of bath water at turn-on

electric water kettle — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:50:20 -0800

I've been staying for about a week at a friend of a friend's apartment while he's on vacation and pretty much out of contact. Every time I turn on the bath there's a yellow discoloration of the water for the first half-second or so, and then it becomes completely clear. I haven't noticed any like discoloration when I turn on any of the faucets or the shower, but I'm nevertheless getting worried about drinking the water here. Any ideas what this could be? Thanks in advance.

Shower experiences

Freedomboy — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:52:33 -0800

Has anyone installed a shower panel made by Dreamline? Any issues or concerns? more inside Looking to spiff up a tired shower with a new tile look and replace the cobbled together shower head and hand held wand by using an all-in-one shower panel. The ones made by Dreamline seem to be without installation, or any other, problems on a basic net search but has anyone had one?

There's a freeze up comin' (maybe)

activitystory — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:29:45 -0800

Post-marathon advice: I'm running my second marathon this weekend; I was very sore after my first and am convinced that an ice bath is probably my best bet post-race to combat soreness. Problem is, I'm more scared about the bath than the race. Does any one have any practical insights into how to make the ice bath a positive experience? Advice on how not to make a big mess, when/how much ice, what it takes to get in and out of the bath would be appreciated. I'd also love to hear some "my first ice bath" stories, even if they end in heartbreak.

Bed, bath and lingerie shower giftHelp me find a cool gift for my cousin's bed, bath and lingerie themed bridal shower.

easy_being_green — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:11:46 -0800

Help me find a cool gift for my cousin's bed, bath and lingerie themed bridal shower. I've only been to one bridal shower before and I showed up with a cheap lingerie set from Ross because I thought the lingerie theme was a joke. Not so, as it turned out, and everyone else brought really nice stuff. Help me not embarrass myself this time, please. I saw this thread but the suggestions I liked (beach and picnic baskets) weren't in keeping with my cousin's theme.

Caveats:
- no more than $40 or so
- something unique and original
- nothing too sexy (I would feel weird giving her something super-sexy with my mom and sister there)
- I'm flying there and I would rather not check my luggage, which means no liquids or gels. I realize that this is really limiting and I may cave and check my bag anyway if I'm out of options.

More info:
- she's not registered anywhere
- I live in the SF Bay Area, she lives in Chapel Hill NC
- she's a librarian, he's a musician
- the wedding is in July
- I don't know her fiance at all or what their relationship is like, things they like to do or where the honeymoon is, etc.

That's about it - thanks for your help!

Normal sized bath towels around anymore?

chocolatetiara — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 05:14:44 -0800

Are there standard sizes for bath towels? I want some smaller sized bath towels. I have several of them from years ago, they measure about 43-44 inches in length, and they are a perfect size. I bought towels recently, and although they are lovely, large towels I still want some smaller ones.

I cannot find this size towel anywhere. I have looked at The Company Store; JC Penny; Bed, Bath and Beyond. It seems like this size towel is not made any longer. One time I had heard that there were only actually a couple of factories in the US that made towels, so that it often didn't matter the tag on them because they all came from the same place.

Most towels I find these days run from 54" to 58", and I have some of those too. But I want the smaller sized ones. Can some one help me or tell me to stop looking?

Looking for a wonderful short break near Bath, UK..

sann1657 — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:31:34 -0800

Can anyone help me find a wonderful short break near Bath, UK? Myself and my wonderful girlfriend thought we were going on a fabulous van adventure to the westcountry between the 9th - 17th February this year. That's fallen through, so we're looking for an exciting trip. Anybody have personal experience of any of the many narrowboat hire companies operating on the kennet and avon canal? Or, a particular favourite self catering property that offers peace and quiet, but within reach of bath? Thanks so much

Who makes personalized bath products?

campy — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:32:33 -0800

What web site provides a "Design Your Own" service for unique personalized bath abd body products? Several years ago I found a web site (via MeFi or some other similar method) that created personalized bath products for you or someone you know. The process involved a questionaire that I completed online with questions relating to the person's personality, likes and dislikes, and colors and other concepts.

Somehow, by using this information, they create customized products for you. I completed the questions then ordered body lotion, shampoo, conditioner and body wash. The packaging and product names were also personalized with messages that I chose... in small words on the back of the bottles there was a link to the web site with a code to reorder that specific type of product.

Fast forward to Christmas, 2007. Wife tells me that this was one of her favorite gifts of all time and that she would like me to order it for her... trouble is I have no idea what the site was, nor do I have the original bottles or email from the order.

Lots of googling and reading has left me with absolutely nothing... not even a similar service. Does anyone know of the company that I am looking for? Have they gone out of business? Is there a similar site where I can order this type of personalized product?

Thank you!

How do I get my toddler to stop freaking out at bath time?

echolalia67 — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:12:26 -0800

ToddlerFilter: Why did my 14 month old son go from absolutely loving to fearing and loathing bathtime? What can I do to get him to like taking baths again? My kid used to absolutely love taking baths - it was arguably one of the most enjoyable parts of the nighttime routine. However, sometime in mid-August he started getting a little upset and resistant. After a few days it seemed like we got over the hump and he was back to liking bathtime. Then he went with my husband to visit his grandparents for a week and ever since he got back, he's been absolutely dead-set against baths. He cries hysterically and tries to climb up my arms to get out of the tub. His previously much loved bath toys are now useless for amusing and distracting him.

I've tried taking a bath with him (somewhat less hysterical, cries and plays with toys simultaneously), bathing him in the kitchen sink (okay until he realizes that he's being BATHED and then freaks out), and bubble bath (not fooled in the least, total meltdown). Right now, we're down to bathing him every couple of days by having him stand ankle deep in a tub of warm water, gently wetting him down with a squirt bottle filled with warm, soapy water and using a small bowl to pour water over his body to rinse him off. Hair washing is completely out of the question as getting water on his face and head completely sends him off the deep end. Even this abbreviated routine is a torturous experience for all involved. Advice?

A British Bed Bath & Beyond?

awesomebrad — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:19:30 -0800

I'm moving to London, and need to find a home goods store. I'm going to be landing in London on Saturday morning, at which point I'll need to pick up some essential home goods that I'll be needing that night (pillow, towels, etc.). Whenever I've needed such things in the past, Bed Bath & Beyond here in the states has done me very well. Is there something similar in the UK? So many bonus points if it's within reasonable walking distance (I'm a walker) or easily accessible via public transit for this jet lagged and disoriented foreigner; my postcode is WC1V 7AA, pretty much directly between the Holborn and Tottenham Court Road tube stops.

And I'm on a budget.

Also, I know Oxford Street's right there, but for the life of me I can't find any info on any such shops around it. Thanks so much in advance for your help.

How to paint a bath tub?

ets960 — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 06:47:49 -0800

Does anybody have experience with painting a bath tub? I heard about using the plastic krylon spray paint that you can buy at wal-mart which is supposed to bond to acrylic, I'm wondering if anybody has tried this? How about using a refinishing kit?

Where to find kese?

cocoagirl — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 13:18:49 -0800

Does anyone know where I can purchase a kese (some examples here) in person in the Boston or NYC areas, or online? This place, which has a storefront in Brookline, doesn't sell them, nor did they know any place locally that does.

Most of the sites I find are accepting inquiries for (bulk?) purchases rather than selling single ones outright. I see a lone ebay seller in Turkey with some, but I'd prefer to drop my $8.00 at a more established online presence if that's the route I have to go. Teşekkürler!

Please help find this animation.

SamFrancisco — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 06:40:40 -0800

Can you please identify and/or link me to a black & white flash animation of black birds marching and flying in repeated ranks... Can you please identify and/or link me to a black & white flash animation of black birds marching and flying in repeated ranks to upbeat music, disturbing a man bathing, turning into British bobbies [policemen], turning into military figures, shot from guns endlessly and repeatedly. It was surprising, hypnotic, slightly psychedelic and frantic. I saw once on [I think] StumbleUpon. I am so craving to see it again, and my Google fu has failed me.

Heathrow to Bath for two faster than a speeding bullet (train)?

skyscraper — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:41:30 -0800

What's the best (fast, not necessarily cheap) way for two people to get from London/Heathrow to Bath mid-day on a Saturday? Our schedule + National Express train schedule = 7+ hours from touchdown to Bath arrival - too long after 9+ hours on a plane! There seem to be numerous "transfer service" outfits for around 120 pounds/carload, expensive enough to make us think more than twice. Is there any middle ground, something equivalent to Airport express (12 person vans w/reservations) in the US? If not, any recommendations for the above-mentioned transfer services?

Hotel or Hostel recommendations for London and Bath (both in England)

jb — Sun, 06 May 2007 04:50:07 -0800

Recommendation for a cheap self-catering hotels/hostels/b&bs/short-let apartments in London, UK and Bath? I have been looking for cheap but still kind of nice places for myself, my husband and my mother to stay in when she comes to visit us in July. We plan to spend about 4-7 nights in London and about 3 nights in Bath. (The rest of the trip will be in Cambridge, where we live).

Our price range is £45-75 a night for 3 people - so about £15 to £25/ person/ night. (Obviously, cheaper is fine, but I didn't think too likely.)

I have been looking at both hostels (private rooms) and cheap hotels and short-stay apartments. We really like the self-catering aspect of most hostels, but we also prefer smaller places and family run establishments which tend to be quieter and nicer. We would definitely prefer a quiet and clean hotel to a large one, and we don't care about tv or games or laundry - the only amenity we are looking for is access to a kitchen or at the very least coffee and tea making. My mother's taste definitely runs more to lacy doilies and old fashioned buildings than to glass and modernism.

We're not afraid of taking the tube into the centre of town in London (since we will be tubing everywhere anyways), though in Bath we would like to be central.

I have a short-list developed for London (I have to start on Bath), but I would really like to hear about places where other people have stayed and can give personal recommendations about. And if there is anywhere you have stayed that was truely awful, I wouldn't mind hearing about that either.

Help me decide which (UK) university to go to

Andy Harwood — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:43:16 -0800

I've recieved offers from The University of Plymouth, Winchester School of Art and Bath Spa University. At the moment I'm torn between Plymouth and Bath. Bath has a good reputation for art and design subjects (I'm studying graphics) and its a really beautiful city (this is the halls of residence) but its an expensive place to live and there's no internet access in the halls of residence which is a big drawback for me. Plymouth is a nice enough place but compared with Bath it's a complete dive and I don't think it has as good a reputation as Bath. It does have free broadband in the halls of residence though, and they've just built a brand new art and design campus with state of the art facilities. Also, in Bath I'd be living exclusively with art and design students whereas in Plymouth I'd be living with people studying different subjects which I find more appealing. Any thoughts on which is the better option? Solutions to the internet problem would also be welcome.

How can I read in the bath without getting my reading material all wet?

lsemel — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 21:41:50 -0800

I find it relaxing to read in the bath. But my hands usually get wet and soak whatever I'm reading. I remember seeing a demo on a science program where the host coated his hands with some substance and dipped them in a tank of water, and when he took them out, they were perfectly dry. The substance prevented the water's surface tension from breaking, keeping the hands from getting wet. Is this a common, safe, generally available substance--that I could use while reading in the bath? If not, anyone have a better idea?