Bathroom Mats - Aarrgghh!!

Eager_Elephant

Hi

Not sure if this is the right board but think it should be.

I have a dilemma with my bathroom mats, they always smell so bad.

A few months ago I had blue bathroom mats with a rubber back, they started to smell after a day or two of use so I seemed to be washing them constantly.

I got fed up with this and decided to buy white mats with no backing, the problem with these are they get wet so quickly and don't seem to dry enough and they get so dirty.

So then I bought some expensive (for me) bathroom mats with rubber backing. These have been ok for a while but now that familiar smell is back after a few days.

I have tried hanging them over the edge of the bath to dry off but although they get dry that night the smell will be there again.

I am at the end of my tether again - what do other people use on their bathroom floor? Any ideas how I can prevent that smell coming after less than 2 days - should I be washing them every day?

EE

Gingham_Ribbon

I am sick and tired of the same thing. We have 3 sets and they need to be washed every couple of days. With 4 wet people stepping onto them at least once a day I suppose that makes sense but it's a total pain. Often, even with 3 sets, there just isn't a mat on the floor and we stand on a towel. It's hard enough to keep on top of the laundry as it is.

I think I'll get one of those wooden slatted ones next.

morganb

I hang mine over the banisters from time to time; more air gets to them than on the side of the bath. I have bought the chenille type bath mats, though, and they have been superb. I bought a white one from Cargo about 17 months ago and only have to wash it once a month; that's even with 4 of us traipsing over it every day. They are v. good quality. The one I bought the other day for the downstairs loo was from Sainburys. Both around £9 each but worth it from the point of view that they always look good. Thought the white one was goign to be a hilarious gamble with DS1 (5) and DS2 (3) but it is still pure, brilliant white.

littleredhen

i can recommend ikea's bath mats - i also put down an old towel on top of it when kids are getting out of the shower and wash that weekly - wash bath mats about once every three weeks

floyd

Another vote for Ikeas bath mats, I buy the super cheap 99p white oval ones and they are fabulous. Wash really well and are virtually dry when they come out of the machine.
There are 2 of us and we both shower twice a day and they are always dry and we don't have any problems with them sticking to the floor (we have aqualock laminate)

thriftmonster

I have 2 bathmats without the backing - the other ones drove me mad - one M&s (£16 - a present) and BHS (£8) and they're good - wash once a week - dry out the rest of the time. I have come to the conclusion on these that you get what you pay for

spinks

I too can highly reccommend the cheapest of the cheap Ikea bath mats.

I bought mine in Germany for 1Euro (about 70p) and they are brilliant because you can just sling them in the washing machine.

I have two so I always have one for when the other is in the wash.

Whatever you do don't get the wooden slatted ones, far too sore on the feet and the water just drips through onto the floor anyway.

Go for the Ikea ones, cant go wrong.

grannybroon

If weather good I peg out on line to air every other day for about an hour. Wash about fortnightly.

GB xx

Becles

I make everyone stand for a minute in the bath/shower before they get out, so most of the water runs off their bodies, and the mats don't get as wet

Olliebeak

I've got the cheap ASDA ones (not the Smartprice ones though cos they're white!!!). Have four sets and wash them weekly (there's only two of us in the house and my son visits twice a week for a shower - only got a bath where he lives). I also use the bath mat sets in the downstairs loo - which gets used occasionally by work colleagues as my job is 'home-based' - so I do have to be quite 'particular' about that loo.

I do encourage OH and son to stand in the bath for a while to towel dry BEFORE stepping out onto square piece of towelling on top of bath mat. I also like to shake the piece of towelling AND the bath mat over the bath before cleaning the bath out. That way it gets rid of any loose hairs and the mat looks fresh again. I haven't noticed any smell coming from the mat - but as I said it's washed weekly, fabric conditioner used and then line dried if possible (or on the airer). I've not had rubber-backed ones for years - always found that the rubber rotted after a while.