Which mat is better to choose for a bath, rules and recommendations, famous manufacturers

04/02/2018 Anastasia Prozheva

A room such as a bathroom, in addition to high-quality repairs, needs increased comfort with the help of all kinds of modern accessories. With their help, not only a special atmosphere is achieved in this room, but also the surrounding life is greatly facilitated. The most necessary accessory for use in the bathroom is a rug.

This cute accessory, which is an original addition to the space, is created for human safety. Rugs are made from a variety of high quality materials. They are practical and can easily withstand frequent temperature changes and high humidity levels in this room.

Basic functions and requirements

Rugs used in the bathroom perform several important functions:

• Ensure safe movement of a person on a wet floor;
• Provide comfortable movement barefoot;
• They support and highlight certain tones in the interior.

The main requirement for this accessory is its high moisture resistance, so it is made of high-quality polypropylene or acrylic, as well as microfiber.

Another requirement is the absence of a sliding effect on a wet floor covering . This property is achieved by a latex backing, which provides excellent adhesion of the mat to a wet floor. Another option is suction cups located over the entire area of ​​such a rug.

Purpose of the rug

A bathroom rug is purchased to achieve a number of goals, which include:

• room decoration;
• collecting splashed water from the floor surface;
• preventing slipping on smooth and wet surfaces;
• increasing the comfort of staying in the bathroom, where you often have to walk barefoot;
• improving the hygienic condition of the bathroom.

Taking into account the listed functions, a carpet for the shower and bathtub is purchased if the product has high water-repellent properties, is suitable in size, and fits into the interior in color.

Materials

Rugs made from a wide variety of modern materials have certain advantages.

Currently, there are the following types of rugs:

• Fabric rugs. Produced in a wide range of colors. Very soft and pleasant for feet. The disadvantage of such rugs is their strong absorption of moisture, which causes an unpleasant odor. In this case, only constant ventilation of the rug will help.

Material of manufacture

The most important parameter by which a bath mat is selected is the material of manufacture. You can choose very soft coverings that will provide tangible pleasure when touched by your bare feet.

But it is important not to forget about practical characteristics. The materials you choose should dry quickly, and maintaining shower mats should not take a lot of time and effort. It is worth considering which options are preferred by the majority of consumers today.

Acrylic

The acrylic version is popular. Acrylic is a synthetic material from which many products are made. Its important properties are moisture-repellent.

The level of moisture in the shower room is constantly increased, so this characteristic of acrylic is very important. In addition, the fibers of this synthetic material are soft and pleasant to the touch.

Assessing all the advantages of carpets of this type, it is necessary to highlight the following points:

1. Water repellent properties . The product does not absorb excess moisture, and drying occurs relatively quickly.
2. Resistance to temperature changes . This parameter is important if the owners like to steam or take a hot bath.
3. Resistant to household chemicals and cleaning products . Products made from high-quality acrylic do not lose their bright colors for a long time.
4. Beautiful appearance . The synthetic material can be painted in a variety of colors, thanks to which all kinds of design solutions can be implemented in the manufacture of such rugs.

When choosing carpets for a bathroom, it is important to pay attention to the following quality parameters:

• acrylic must make up at least 85% of the composition of the product;
• a high-quality mat is impregnated with an antibacterial composition, which is very important for rooms with high levels of humidity;
• The base of the product should be rubber or silicone to prevent slipping on a smooth floor.

Rubber

They are moisture resistant, but not very pleasant to the touch. Therefore, materials to create such rugs are constantly combined. The lower part of such a mat can be rubber, and the upper part can be fabric . Such mats are often specially impregnated with antifungal agents. Sometimes the manufacturer adds a fragrance to them to fight off the unpleasant rubber smell.

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Variety of shapes and colors

Manufacturers of accessories for bathrooms and shower rooms offer consumers a large selection of design solutions. Today it will not be difficult to find a mat or rug to beautifully decorate a bathroom.

Special sets are sold for standard and small bathrooms. The rugs in them have specific cutouts for laying near the toilet, under the washbasin. And rubber or PVC products can be easily cut to the required shape yourself.

Whichever option is preferable - an oval or round bath mat, a standard rectangular model or a product with corner cutouts for furniture - there will always be a suitable product. Some restrictions on shapes and sizes exist only when it comes to mats made from materials such as rattan and bamboo.

The same applies to the variety of colors. If you buy a rubber or PVC mat, an acrylic or microfiber product, then there are practically no restrictions on the color range for the consumer. You can easily choose an option that will fit well into a particular interior space of the room.

Other materials

• Silicone mats. They are moisture resistant and do not accumulate water underneath. Currently, they are produced in various colors and sizes, which is very convenient for the buyer.
• Acrylic mats are similar to silicone mats. They differ only in the material of manufacture. Quite similar in their performance characteristics.

• Wooden rugs. Most often they are made in the form of thin slats made of bamboo or balsa wood. Bamboo mats have a massage effect on the feet, preventing the appearance of flat feet.

Recently, moss has become a new material used in the production of rugs, which perfectly absorbs moisture and is quite pleasant to the touch. The material also easily absorbs various unpleasant odors. But its disadvantage is the need for mandatory drying after each use.

What types of rugs are there?

Today you can find accessories in the form of a bath mat for every taste. The material used in production varies, from synthetic to natural cotton, wood, stone and even moss. Manufacturers often combine fabrics for practicality and durability. Microfiber rugs are popular; the acrylic base is presented in combination with a natural top.

Everyone chooses the size and colors at their own discretion.

Materials and properties for every taste

When choosing a rug, you should first of all decide on the material of manufacture, which is responsible for service life, quality of moisture absorption, comfort and appearance, safety, and determines the cost.

The aesthetic function is very important, but the rug also fulfills another duty - providing safety.

The most common representatives of carpets for toilets and bathrooms are the following.

• Rubber and PVC products ( latex mats with or without suction cups at the bottom, colored patterns, textured finishes at the top).
• Rugs made from natural materials.
• Acrylic and microfiber mats (available in a wide range, different colors and shapes).

A rug is a very important thing in the bathroom.

Rugs made from natural materials

This category includes models made of cotton, wood, and pebbles. The natural material used to make rugs adds nobility to the interior and is an exclusive accent. There are models in the hand-made style, made by weaving cotton rags into a bright rug and attaching balsa wood accessories to an acrylic base.

Another feature of this product is that it allows you to clean the bathroom less often.

Sanded round pebbles placed in a wooden pallet will fit perfectly into the bathroom space; the blue color will give a lively mood to the marine theme. You can also do this with moss, which grows well in warm and humid microclimates.

When you step on the rug, it will collect excess moisture and you will not have to wash the floor to remove stains.

PVC and rubber models

If you prefer rubber mats, you should opt for safe, non-toxic PVC.

A rug near the toilet or bathtub makes placing your feet on the floor more pleasant.

Important! When trying to save money by purchasing a suction pad for your bathroom, you need to make sure there is no strong rubber smell. The product must be soft and have good flexibility. Cracks and creases are excluded, a ribbed surface is welcome.

High return on investment popularizes PVC mats among consumers. Foam specimens can be trimmed if necessary; their wear resistance leaves much to be desired, however, the low price allows for frequent replacement of unusable blades.

Also, several rugs are often placed in bathrooms, which create a single interesting ensemble.

Microfiber and acrylic

The soft microfiber top is pleasant to the touch, the visually warm rug will add coziness to the bathroom and toilet. The feeling of a natural carpet underfoot, absorbing moisture and having anti-slip properties, persuades buyers to side with this model.

If you have a shared bathroom, then such products can be placed near all the plumbing fixtures.

Externally, microfiber is often made in the form of pasta (terry cloth); acrylic has different shapes and colors corresponding to standard carpeting. The absorbent qualities of the mats are not inferior to the natural composition and PVC foam models.

In a separate bathroom, identical rugs are also used, although they are located in different rooms.

Note! Microfiber rugs have a certain service life, after which the fabric loses its softness and absorbent properties. Microfiber is also sensitive to high temperatures.

For dry zone

The dry area in the bathroom is located near the sink and immediately before the exit from this room. The rugs used in this area are soft and warm. This accessory does not roll up and does not slide on a wet floor when stepped on.

Most often, single-layer and double-layer rugs are made of cotton. Due to the special structure of its fibers, they do not fade or undergo deformation. The cotton mat can be equipped with a silicone anti-slip backing.

Rattan or bamboo mats are also used in the dry area of ​​the bathroom. They instantly absorb moisture, which when dried is released into the surrounding space.

Moisture-resistant and anti-slip PVC products have an excellent appearance. But they should not be machine washed (!) , as they fall apart into small pieces.

Microfiber rugs are similar to cotton products. They quickly absorb moisture, do not break when folded, and are also antibacterial.

Read more in our article about bath and toilet mats.

Summarize

It doesn’t matter whether you choose one large carpet or a whole set of bath mats, the main thing is that the products are in harmony with each other and with the environment, are reliable and practical.

If desired, you can even make a rug yourself - scraps of fabric, bottle caps, shells and pebbles in skillful hands can become part of a real work of art - an original floor covering.

Modern rugs will perfectly complement the interior and become a stylish decoration for any bathroom.

For wet area

The wet area in such a room is located near the bathroom or at the exit from the shower room.

For a wet area, especially if there are small children, a rubber mat with suction cups located around its perimeter is perfect..

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During bathing, you need to cover it with a thin material, which then do not forget to wash.

Products that absorb excess moisture are unsuitable for use if there is a large amount of water on the floor. They take a long time to dry, so you won't be able to step on them. If there is poor ventilation in the room, then the appearance of mold on the walls of the bathroom is guaranteed.

Therefore, it is recommended to purchase two sets of rugs to minimize the volume of the “bare floor” area. This will protect the floor covering from damage and swelling.

Heated mats

This model of bath mat appeared recently, but is already loved by many. For its production, infrared film is used, since it heats up well in a short period of time, is moisture-resistant, durable and has a long service life.

The bottom of the mat is equipped with a heat-resistant rubber layer and contains a heat-reflecting screen inside. The mat plugs into a standard outlet. For the bathroom you should use only high-quality products designed for wet areas.

All materials are good in their own way, but which one you like best is a matter of taste and personal preference.

How to choose

When choosing, we advise you to consider the following criteria:

• Easy tolerance to high levels of humidity and temperature changes.
• Anti-slip effect.
• Easy to clean and dry.
• Quick drying while maintaining original shape.
• Resistant to various stubborn stains.
• Compatibility with the overall style of the room.

Wrong side

An equally important point when choosing non-slip bath mats is their reverse side. It comes in two types:

• Rubberized base prevents the product from sliding on a wet floor and does not allow moisture to penetrate into the top layer.
• Latex is a practical hypoallergenic material that increases the stability of the product, ideal for slippery surfaces and wet areas.

A significant drawback of the rubberized base is that it does not allow air to pass through well and is therefore often susceptible to mold, which must be cleaned regularly.

To equip bathrooms with a “warm floor” system, it is worth choosing latex-coated coatings, since a more durable rubber base can emit an unpleasant odor when heated.

When choosing a product, you should focus on your own taste preferences. Indeed, while for one buyer it is more important to choose a rug that mainly fulfills its practical purpose, another may be interested in additional characteristics, for example, a massage effect.

Color selection

When choosing a bathroom rug, first evaluate its attractive appearance. Nowadays, there are many shapes and different colors of such a rug, and its patterns are considered so realistic that it is very difficult to purchase just one accessory. The rug is the first of all the surrounding accessories to lift your mood and give it a kind of emotional content.

The color should be chosen depending on the sensations that will appear when looking at it. A yellow rug placed in a small room gives sunshine and a feeling of warmth. Beautiful flowers of an outlandish appearance will highlight the taste of the bathroom owners and will look great on the floor. The color varies from white and blue to beautiful coral and even black. It should fit perfectly into the surrounding interior of this room.

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Criteria for choosing a rug for the bathroom and toilet

You cannot put just any rug that catches your eye in the bathroom.

Primary requirements

There are a number of specific requirements for such a product. He must:

• quickly and completely absorb moisture;
• be soft, pleasant to the touch;
• have antifungal impregnation;
• have an anti-slip coating on the bottom side;
• have wear resistance;
• retain shape and color for a long time;
• easy to clean, easy to clean from any household stains;
• match the design to the overall style of the room.

To ensure that all criteria are met as closely as possible, many bath and shower mats are made with double-sided adhesive backing. The top side is made of soft hygroscopic material, and the bottom is made of rubber or latex.

Special requirements

An important requirement for such products is their breathability. If there is no ventilation, moisture that will seep through the top layer will be trapped inside by the waterproof bottom layer. Under these conditions, fungus very soon appears and the rug becomes unusable. The free passage of air through all layers of the product will eliminate such troubles.

The rubberized base plays a special role as protection against electric shock. Typically, you have to use many electrical appliances in the bathroom, and their combination with the humid environment of the room is quite unsafe. The rug serves as a protective layer between bare feet and the wet floor.

Design requirements

You will have to devote quite a lot of time to choosing the shape and color of the rug for the toilet and bathroom. The following tips will help in this matter.

1. It is better to choose products of small sizes, since they need to be cleaned and dried very often. If the room is large, you can buy a set of such rugs and place them in the most accessible places.
2. It is desirable that the shape of the rug follows the main lines that dominate the room. If you have an oval bathtub, sink or decor on the ceiling, you need to choose a rug with a rounded shape. If there are a lot of bedside tables, shelves and cabinets in the room, you can emphasize the smooth lines of their contours using a rectangular rug.
3. It is recommended to maintain a proportional ratio between the size of the rug and the room itself.
4. The material from which the rug is made must match the overall style of the room. It is selected based on which finishing elements (artificial or natural) predominate.
5. The color of the product depends on the main accents that will be made in the design of the bathroom. Often a rug is chosen in the same color scheme as the wall decoration.
6. If you need to highlight an unusual shape of the bathroom or a beautiful sink, then it is better to choose a coating in a pastel natural color. If you want to “add some zest” to the design of a monochrome room, you can buy a model in bright or multi-colored colors.
7. The most popular are rugs with printed patterns. Preference is given to marine or plant motifs.

Such advice is not mandatory. If you have imagination and good taste, you can try to create your own bathroom interior design options.

Price requirements

To ensure that shower and bath mats last a long time, you should not give preference to products that have a fairly low price. This is usually reflected in the quality of materials and finishes. Often in such models, the seams along the edges of the product are made with thin threads that will quickly tear. This will lead to delamination of the product and its deformation. Further use of such a rug will be impossible.

Typically, the most expensive models are those made from natural materials. Rugs made from artificial fibers are distinguished by the optimal combination of reasonable price and good quality.

Form

The shape of the purchased rug is influenced by the size of the bathroom. Sometimes such a rug covers a small space in front of the bathroom, but more often the entire floor. Often such an accessory is made in the shape of an animal, various footprints or paws, which gives the design originality and liveliness. Using the form, the visual size and shape of this room is corrected.

Criteria for choosing wisely

The size and number of floor mats depends on the size of the bathroom. When arranging spacious bathrooms, one rug is placed directly next to the washbasin, the second is closer to the bathroom, and the third is in front of the toilet.

For small rooms their number is kept to a minimum.

The shape of the rugs can be different, from traditional rectangular and oval to products in the form of polygons, flowers and animal figures.

Rectangular rugs are perfect for decorating rooms in both classic and modern styles. Round “islands” will help smooth out the sharp corners of furniture, adding softness and laconicism to the atmosphere.

The dimensions of square-shaped products can reach 50x50 cm and above, rectangular from 50x80 cm, round with a diameter of 45/60/80 cm.

Toilet mats, which in their purpose are close to their “bathroom counterparts”, but are complemented by a cutout for the pedestal part of the toilet, are even smaller. Their sizes rarely exceed 50 cm.

If, when choosing a soft rug, you focus on the height of the pile, then there are:

• lint-free - a win-win option for a home with pets;
• fine-haired - chosen by lovers of soft surfaces that give a feeling of comfort and warmth;
• with long pile, the height of which depends only on the capabilities of the manufacturer.

Depending on the length and silkiness of the pile, soft rugs feel completely different to the touch.

Fine-pile rugs create a feeling of lightness and weightlessness; on long-pile “islands” you seem to be drowning in the silky “green” of textiles

There are also products on sale with an unusual pile, called “shaggy.” The pile in them consists of twisted threads of large diameter.

But in any case, when choosing a rug, you should consider three parameters:

• Moisture resistance and the ability to dry quickly if wet.
• Resistance to deformation when wet during operation.
• Easy to maintain and the ability to clean the surface using detergents. Rugs in dark colors will help save time on cleaning.

When choosing a product, carefully examine its edges. They are stitched with thin threads of low quality, which quickly break after the first cleaning. Poor-quality firmware can cause the product to delaminate into several parts, as a result of which it will simply fall apart over time.

A high-quality rug should have a strong structure, dense and neat stitches, and well-finished edges. This guarantees the resistance of the fibers to moisture and mechanical damage during operation.

Care

With minor contamination, this accessory does not require extensive care. Depending on the degree of use, such a rug is cleaned approximately once a month. It simply rolls up and folds, easily fitting into a washing container.

Almost all types of rugs can easily withstand gentle machine washing. In this case, a more powerful spin mode is selected, because thick pile is very difficult to squeeze out by hand.

The drying time of the mat depends on the thickness of its anti-slip layer, as well as on the density of the pile.

But not all rugs can be machine washed due to the rubber base, which can damage the drum of the device. Therefore, mats made of silicone or rubber can be easily cleaned with a brush and a modern cleaning agent.

A warm floor in the bathroom will not have a detrimental thermal effect on the rug, because these modern accessories are made of the highest quality material. Therefore, they tolerate temperature fluctuations well.

Types of bath mats

All existing bathroom and toilet mats can be divided into two large groups.

1. Rugs designed directly for the bathtub or shower stall itself. They should provide an anti-slip effect during water procedures. This will protect you from accidental falls and injuries. In addition, the mat protects the body from contact with the cold bottom of the bathtub.

A shower or bath mat should be made of rubber, silicone or vinyl. It is very convenient if there are special suction cups on the back of the product. They enhance its “gluing” to the bottom of the bath.

1. Rugs that are placed on the floor in the bathroom. This group is much larger in its range. The main purpose of such models is to create comfort. They provide bare feet protection from cold and wet floors.

There are two conventional zones in the bathroom:

• dry;
• wet.

The “wettest” place is located directly next to the bathroom. Here you need to place a rug that will ensure the fastest absorption of water and prevent it from slipping. For dry areas, a deep-pile sink mat is best.

Separately, it is necessary to say about products that have a massage effect. Such models have a hard, uneven surface. Their upper side consists of villi, tubercles or suckers. Walking on such a mat will promote foot massage. You can also put it in the bath to get a full body massage.

There are also completely unique specimens - hydromassage bath mats with a Jacuzzi effect. They are equipped with many micro-holes through which pre-pumped air exits. Such models may have other additional functions:

• remote control;
• sleep timer;
• air heating.

Children's bath mats belong to a special category. Among them there are those that are placed at the bottom of the bath, and those that are placed on the floor of the room. They are distinguished by the brightness of their colors, originality of shapes and designs. These can be rugs in the form of fish, crocodiles, sheep or various sea creatures.

Another feature of such products is their information richness. Various colorful images are applied to the upper side. These can be numbers, letters, animals, sea objects. When visiting the bathroom, the child will be happy to look at the pictures, and after the parents unobtrusively explain the meaning of such pictures, the baby will quickly remember their meaning.

Rubber mat

If made from high-quality rubber, it should not have the unpleasant odor characteristic of cheap synthetic materials. In addition, the high-quality material has antibacterial impregnation, which allows long-term use to avoid problems with the appearance of fungus on its surface.

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Most rubber or acrylic mats have an interesting, specially designed surface: on the outside there are numerous hollow protrusions, tubercles, semi-spheres, and on the back side, the hollowness of the outer protrusions plays the role of a suction cup, preventing the rubber mat from sliding on a smooth surface tiles. This very useful feature allows you to use rubber mats not only for the floor, but also to lay them on an acrylic surface inside the bathroom.