As people get older, they can lose some of the control they have over their body, as well as some of their balance and support. This is why elderly people can often have problems in their bathrooms, particularly because of all the water that’s going around and making them slippery.
However, it’s especially dangerous in the bathroom because of its contents. If you think about it, there’s a lot of very hard china surfaces: the sink, the toilet, perhaps even the bath. On top of that, the floor can be tiled.
This unfortunately means that there’s a lot of surfaces that an elderly person can fall against if they slip in the bathroom, and that can be very dangerous – or potentially fatal – for their health. To add some security, non slip bath mats were invented. But what are the best ones that you can buy?
Well, we’ve got the answers for you! In our guide below, you’ll find a detailed description of bath mats and why they’re necessary for people that are elderly. On top of that, we have a list of some of the best non slip bath mats available on the market for you to buy, along with descriptions of their qualities and flaws. Read on!
What Is A Non Slip Bath Mat?
You can probably guess, but for those who don’t know, let’s start with bath mats. These are rubber mats that people put down in their bathrooms.
Many people put them next to the bath or shower, outside it, so that they can step out and only get the mat wet – as well as give them support from slipping when they step out.
However, a lot of people put bath mats inside their bath or shower too. This is especially essential for any elderly people, because it gives them greater support when they’re standing up showering.
Non slip bath mats are mats that are designed to not slip. They are the best and safest form of mat, and we highly recommend that you buy them instead of regular bath mats. A non slip bath mat should keep a person upright and safe, not sliding over the place and slipping on all the wet surfaces.
Why Use A Non Slip Bath Mat?
A non slip bath mat’s an essential thing to have in the bottom of your bath or shower, especially if you’re elderly – or have elderly people in your house. When you’re standing in the shower, you’ll have noticed how wet its base gets.
When you move around to reach different areas of your body with the shower spray, or move to get out of the shower, it can be easy for your feet to slip on the wet bottom.
With a non slip mat in place, you can stand on it and be able to turn (and move to get out and in) without slipping on a wet surface.
Best Non Slip Bath Mats For Elderly
The list below consists of our picks for some of the best non slip bath mats that you can get, which will provide great support for anyone in the bath – especially the elderly, who are more vulnerable.
The mats are made to cover most of the length of a bathtub. You can get non slip mats that are shorter and will fit your shower, but this list is only focusing on ones that will fit a bath.
Gorilla Grip Original Patented Bath Tub And Shower Mat
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Admittedly, this bathtub mat will also fit long showers!
This non slip mat from Gorilla Grip will do exactly that – grip. The underside of the mat has an astonishing 324 small suction cups attached to it.
This means that when the mat is placed down at the bottom of your bathtub, or long shower, it secures onto the surface and grips on through the power of the suction cups. The suction is what stops the mat from sliding around when you move around, instead keeping it firmly in place.
You may worry that the strength and sheer amount of suction cups will mean that the mat is very hard to pick up and remove from the bath, but that isn’t the case.
The mat is easy to install, though take note that it will only attach to a clean and smooth surface – not a tiled or textured one. On top of that, it’s also easy to remove, unpeeling with ease, allowing you to take it away for machine washing.
Speaking of which, the mat is machine washable. It is recommended that you wash it when you buy it, cleaning it before you use it for the first time. On top of that, it is also recommended that you rinse and dry it after every time you use it.
It’s very important that you keep regularly cleaning it, because it can build up an oily and slippery texture over time due to all the soap that’s washing off you while you shower.
That being said, it does have drainage holes built into it, with hundreds of holes designed to help air circulate. This should reduce moisture, as well as stop things from building up – but it can only stop so much, and you should still rinse and wash it regularly. Built up water can make you slip.
A word of caution, though, you shouldn’t use bath oils around the mat. The reason for this is that they can cause slipping, which would put the elderly at risk once again.
It’s a very comfortable mat, too, which will be a benefit to elderly users. Its top surface has a soft texture to it, which is achieved through a series of hexagonal shapes on it. The comfort will make it perfect for long showers especially, while still offering plenty of non slip safety.
The specifications of the mat declare that its size is 35 inches by 16 inches. This should fit most bathtubs, but be sure to measure your bath beforehand and make sure that it will properly fit. If you have a shower that’s large enough to hold it, you can use it there too.
Pros
- Strong non slip grip, with 324 suction cups
- Drainage holes prevent some buildup
- Machine washable
- Very comfortable
Cons
- Do not use bath oils around it
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Tike Smart Large Non-Slip Bathtub & Shower Mat
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This long bathtub mat can also be used for showers, but not all! It will fit any shower stall that is 31 inches long, because the mat itself measures 31 inches by 16 inches. Measure your shower stall beforehand to check that this will fit in it, if you want to use this in a shower rather than a bath.
Made out of high quality vinyl, the mat has suction cups on its underside in order for it to grip to the surface of your bathtub (or long shower) without slipping while you move. There are 167 suction cups on the bottom, which grip themselves to the surface and hold on, meaning that the mat won’t slide around.
However, it will only attach to non-textured bath or shower surfaces. If you have a tiled or textured, or is just non-smooth in general, then the mat won’t stick to it – meaning that it will still slide around, putting the user at risk of slipping.
The mat itself, though, has a wonderfully smooth texture. This makes it a very comfortable surface to stand on when you’re showering, and will be great for any long showers where you’re standing on it for prolonged periods of time.
On top of this, it has 144 drainage holes cut into it. These allow water and soap to drain out of it, instead of allowing it to build up and create an uneven texture on the mat. Additionally, excess water can make you slip.
With that being said, you can still clean the bath mat. It’s fully machine washable, meaning that you can remove it and put it in the washing machine, where it’ll become as good as new – or close to that!
It’s easy to install, though, and easy to remove again. Just lay it down on a smooth and flat bath surface, and it will suction onto it. On top of that, it’s made from a variety of healthy and safe materials. It includes no BPA in it, nor latex or phthalates.
This makes it all non-toxic and more than safe to use. Additionally, the mat can even be recycled when you’re finished with it, so it isn’t even bad for the environment.
You can also get the mat in a huge variety of different colors. It may not seem the most important feature, but it can make all the difference to the person using it, because they can pick their favorite color and be continually uplifted by it while they’re showering. The colors include: blue, gray, black, pink, purple, yellow, and brown. On top of that, there are different shades of many of them.
Pros
- Strong non slip abilities, with 167 suction cups
- Made from non-toxic materials
- Comfortable
- 144 drainage holes
- Machine washable
- Range of colors
- Recyclable
Cons
- Will only fit long showers measuring 31 inches in length
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Rubbermaid Commercial Products Safti-Grip Bath Mut
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This may not come in as many colors as the previous mat, being only available in white, but it does come in a handful of different sizes so that you can get one that’s going to be the perfect pit for your bath. It is available in medium, large, or x-large.
Medium measures 24 inches by 14 inches, while large measures 28 inches by 16 inches. The jump to x-large is even bigger, though, measuring a huge 36 inches by 18 inches. If you’ve got a very long bath, this size will be perfect for it.
Like the others, this has an underside that’s covered in over a hundred suction cups. These attach themselves to the bath’s bottom surface, gripping on and preventing the mat from sliding around while you’re showering.
It’s important to remember that you cannot put a non slip bath mat on a textured, non-smooth surface, because it cannot properly grip onto it. If you do, it will slide around, which isn’t safe for users – especially the elderly.
The mat is perforated, with lots of little holes. This is all to give it great drainage, allowing water and soap to drain out from it and go down your plug hole instead.
This improved air circulation prevents the surface of your mat from getting covered in too much buildup, as well as preventing you from slipping on excess water. On top of that, the textured top surface helps further stop people from slipping.
Pros
- Handful of sizes to choose from
- Strong non slip from suction cups
- Perforated for drainage
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Yimobra Original Extra Long Bathtub Mat Non Slip
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This extra long mat is perfect for long baths, measuring a huge 40 inches by 16 inches. This will make sure that no area of your tub is left unexposed, giving you non slip safety for every inch of it.
However, remember that you can only attach it to clean and smooth surfaces. It won’t attach to non-smooth, textured surfaces, because they don’t provide enough for it to properly grip onto.
Speaking of grip, the underside of the mat is covered in loads of suction cups to provide suction onto the bath, and stop the mat from slipping around.
This boasts 200 suction cups! Not only does it have a lot, though, but they are also big. Other mats often have small cups, but this has big suction cups instead.
This may work for some people, but we MUST WARN you: large suction cups can actually make a mat uneven, and could even lead to elderly people falling over.
On top of that, it has excellent drainage. There are 176 drain holes cut into the mat, which allow water and soap to drain out of them, meaning that they aren’t left on the mat surface itself – where they can build up and make it less secure to your feet.
However, it is also machine washable. Simply easily remove the mat from your bath, and put it in your washing machine. When it comes out, it’ll be clean and ready to use again. It is recommended that you rinse it after every use, to keep it fresh and in its prime.
The materials from which the mat is made are also very fine, because it has no harmful or toxic ingredients. Free of BPA and latex, the mat also has no phthalate in it.
Pros
- Very long, leaving every inch covered
- 299 big suction cups
- 176 holes for drainage
- Free of harmful ingredients
Cons
- Large suction cups can make mat uneven and cause you to fall
- May be too big for your bath, so measure in advance
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Buying Guide
Now we’ve looked at some of the best non slip bath mats available for the elderly, it’s worth having a think about what you might want a mat to offer. You may have noticed that a lot of the products we mentioned had similar features, which you will likely want in the one that you end up buying as well.
Below is a buying guide, detailing the things you should look for in a non slip bath mat.
Measure Beforehand
This is essential if you don’t want to end up with an ill-fitting bath mat. It’s a good idea to buy a mat that will cover every inch of the surface of your bath (or shower), so that you can’t slip on any part of it.
On the other hand, you don’t want the mat to be too big, because that won’t stick to your surfaces properly. Therefore, you need to measure your bath floor in advance. Measure its length and width, then find a bath mat that matches the measurements the closest.
Small Suction Cups Not Big
It’s best that you get a mat with small suction cups on its underside. This is because large cups can make your mat uneven, which could make the elderly user trip over and fall.
Good Drainage
The more drainage holes that are cut into your bath mat, the better it will drain out water and soap. If water builds up, it could cause you to slip, and excess soap could give the mat an uneven texture. You should still rinse the mat after every use, though.
Texture
Whichever texture you go for, just make sure that the top of the mat isn’t totally smooth. A smooth surface is difficult to grip your feet onto, and dangerous.
Final Thoughts
A non slip bath mat remains absolutely essential for bathroom safety, especially for the elderly. Make sure to buy one that meets all the above qualities and features.