Slippity doo-dah

December 22, 2023 4:39 PM

I'm trying to find a decent bathtub mat so I can avoid slipping in the tub. This seems to be harder than it should be.

I got diagnosed with a rare cancer earlier this year, and I was already getting kind of shaky in the shower and having trouble maintaining my footing at times due to old age before I started taking chemo drugs that make me even wobblier. I have an ancient bathtub that has been painted (Miracle Method), and in the past when I tried putting little sticky things on to add some traction, they just peeled right off within a short time.

So I thought about those ugly rubber mats I remember from my childhood, but when I started looking at them, it was hard to find something that would work for me. A lot of them seem to be textured with bumps or some kind of tread/slats/holes, and the chemo has given me really painful neuropathy in my feet, so I truly don't want to feel like I'm stepping on rocks or broken glass just to avoid slipping. Or they're super long, which I also don't want; it doesn't have to be big enough to cover the whole tub floor, just a center section of it. I'm very weak these days so wrestling something large is not fun. I also worry that if the suction cups are too strong, it might peel the paint from the tub, which would be not great.

I'm sure most of them are cheap-ass things made in some evil factory somewhere and off-gas severely toxic chemicals, but maybe you've discovered a semi-decent tub mat you like and would recommend? Please don't tell me to get rid of the tub and create a walk-in shower; that is far beyond my financial capabilities right now. I just don't want to slip in the tub I do have.

posted by kitten kaboodle to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Best answer: Yeah, IKEA makes a great tub mat -- DOPPA -- it's just rubber, no texture other than the feel of the suction cups through it. It'll last about two years before the mildew eats it, but just get another.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:42 PM on December 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

With the caveat that I think Sean's got you here already, and that I always kind of look askance at people who offer left-field answers that aren't what the questioner said they're looking for:

Please also consider a shower bench if you haven't already! They're so good for the exact issues that are affecting you. You probably still want a bath mat to prevent slipping, though.

Best wishes!
posted by verbminx at 4:47 PM on December 22, 2023 [9 favorites]

Seconding a shower seat or bench, the seat was a godsend while I was caring for my mother.

If you don't have grab bars, you really should. I've seen some that attach with big suction cups, but you REALLY want one strong enough to lean on with all your weight. Metal, screwed into wall studs.
posted by Marky at 5:34 PM on December 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I've always preferred bathtubs with grippy stickers (like these) over the suction cup mats. I had one of those slip sideways once and almost fell.
posted by Dip Flash at 5:42 PM on December 22, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I've used this one for years and have never felt close to slipping. I pick it up from the tub and hang it to dry after my shower. This prevents mold and mildew which I believe can contribute to a mat not sticking well to the tub floor.
posted by Dolley at 6:22 PM on December 22, 2023 [2 favorites]

Seconding grippy adhesive things. They add texture without adding "bumps" that might cause pain.

To me, those suction-cup bathmats are just X kinds of trouble.
posted by intermod at 6:46 PM on December 22, 2023

Best answer: I have an ancient bathtub that has been painted (Miracle Method), and in the past when I tried putting little sticky things on to add some traction, they just peeled right off within a short time.

If the kind of stickers Dip Flash links to don't work for you (they're pretty good in my experience of them), I wonder if you could get in touch with some people who do this Miracle Method work and ask them for specific recommendations.
posted by trig at 8:20 PM on December 22, 2023

Also, if you find a good mat but it's too big, you could probably cut it down to the size you want (or get somebody with tools to do it for you).
posted by trig at 8:23 PM on December 22, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Issuing some anecdotal evidence about one part of your question -

I've just had to replace the no-slip mat my roommate got because the suction cups DID start peeling up the paint. The replacement I got doesn't have the suction, and it does have textured raised bumps - but I actually feel like the rubber is a little softer than the old one. The bumps are meant to be flexible (they're slight suction cups in and of themselves, and your weight on them is meant to depress the bumps just enough to create just enough suction to hold the mat in place while you're in there), so it's actually kind of pleasant to stand on. Granted, though, that I don't have neuropathy in my feet at the moment.

But if nothing else, confirming that suction cups on bathmats can indeed peel up the paint.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:33 AM on December 23, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I used a non-slip treatment like this one on a porcelain bathtub and it worked very well. It is not visibly different but the surface is far more non-slip. I am not sure if it will work after the Miracle Method treatment however.

It looks like Miracle Method offers installation of a permanent non-slip treatment and that looks like a pretty good option to me.
posted by flug at 9:11 PM on December 23, 2023

I can also recommend the Ikea IKEA DOPPA.

I've had one for many years. Actually I bought two, so I can replace it if it degrades over the years (it hasn't). You can use its hole to hang it from the showerhead with a swivel S-hook (something like this) so it will drip-dry between uses.
posted by eye of newt at 11:16 AM on December 24, 2023