Everything to Know About Bath Mats
Have you ever stepped out of a warm shower or bath onto a shockingly cold and slippery tile floor? When guests step out of the shower, they want to feel comfort and luxury. While wrapping up in a soft, high-quality bath towel is one way to do that, a plush and absorbent bath mat adds to guests’ comfort. Whether you have showers and tubs at your gym, spa, hotel or resort, you should give customers the chance to step out onto a bath mat.
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Below, we’ll explain everything to know about bath mats, from their benefits to how to wash them. Read on to learn more about this bath linen that is sure to enhance any bathroom.
Are Bath Mats Necessary?
When it comes to bathroom linens, bath mats are a necessity. They come with too many benefits to leave them out of your bathroom or shower area. If you’ve ever stepped out of the shower without a bath mat in place, you know how essential they are. Bath mats add many qualities to a space, including the following.
- Safety: A wet floor could spell danger. When you or guests step onto a tile floor after a shower, you risk slipping. Cotton bath mats provide an anti-slip surface that allows anyone to safely step out of the shower, especially with wet feet. You don’t want to take the risk of guests falling during a visit to your spa, gym, hotel or resort, so be sure to offer a bath mat for their safety.
- Protection: Bath mats give you and guests a safe surface to stand on, but they also protect your surfaces. Whether you have tile, hardwood or another variety of flooring in your bathroom, you want to protect it from water. Bath mats absorb excess water and prevent it from soaking into the floor or areas between the shower and the floor where water can seep in and cause damage. You could save on costly repairs and replacements if you protect your bathrooms with a bath mat.
- Comfort: Tile floors get cold, so stepping out onto a bath mat saves your feet from a shock. Cotton mats are also soft and absorbent, offering a comfortable surface to stand on as you or guests towel off from a shower or bath. With comfort comes luxury, so guests at your gym, spa, hotel or resort will feel like you are treating them with extra care and attention.
- Style: Think of bath mats as mini, yet functional, rugs. When you place a rug in a room, it breaks up the space and adds something extra. In a bathroom, a bath mat can tie in the color from other linens or work to provide the above benefits.
Along with those advantages, bath mats may also give guests a homey feel in a bathroom. Many people use bath mats, so having one while they’re away gives them one of the comforts of home, along with the benefits above. You only have to decide where you’ll put the bath mat for the most comfort and efficiency.
Where Do You Put a Bath Mat in a Bathroom?
The most common place to put a bath mat is next to a shower or tub. Put one along the length of the tub, and make sure the mat is right next to it so it can work the best. The mat will absorb water when a guest gets out of the shower, along with any water that may splash over the side if a guest takes a bath. If your hotel or resort provides a bath mat without setting it on the floor for new guests, you can drape it on the side of the tub so guests know to use it.
You can also get the benefits of a bath mat in another area of the bathroom. Put a small bath mat in front of the sink in a bathroom for more luxury. A bath mat in that location will give guests something comfortable to stand on as they wash their hands, brush their teeth or get ready in front of the mirror. As a bonus, a bath mat in front of a sink will absorb any water that splashes over the counter, which protects floors and the bottom of cabinets. Bath mats by the sink also prevent slipping if a lot of water gets onto the floor.
Depending on the size and layout of your bathroom, you could use one mat to cover the area by the sink and the shower or tub. While this means you will only need one mat per bathroom, it may be more convenient to have two smaller mats, one for the sink and one for the tub. A larger bath mat could be more difficult to hand or machine wash and dry, while a smaller one will be easy to launder and bring to and from guest spaces.
No matter where you put a bath mat in a bathroom or shower area, the linen will absorb water. Set them in smart places to maintain a luxurious bathroom. Whether you have a bath mat in your home or out at your business for guests, you may wonder if they are sanitary after getting stepped on and absorbing so much water.
Are Bath Mats Sanitary?
Like any linen, bath mats are sanitary if you put in the effort to maintain them. Some have concerns about the cleanliness of bath mats, since they absorb moisture and sit in an often humid room, possibly not fully drying out between uses.
You can make your bath mats more sanitary with regular cleanings and replacements. You can also prevent too much humidity and moisture in bathrooms with proper ventilation, which could help bath mats air out between uses.
When washing and drying bath mats, higher temperatures will help eliminate germs, but keep the material of your bath mat in mind. As long as you wash bath mats with quality detergent after each guest’s use, you’ll help keep them sanitary and long-lasting.
When to Replace Bath Mats
Bath mats absorb plenty of water throughout their lifespan, all while sitting in the humid environment of a bathroom, which will affect the quality of the mat over time. While durable varieties will hold up to frequent use, you should replace bath mats every two years. You may have to replace bath mats sooner if they experience wear and other damage. To know when to replace bath mats, look out for the following warning signs.
- Peeling: If your bath mat has a backing, check that it is not peeling, tearing or coming off in any way. When the backing comes off, it could make the mat less safe and slip-proof.
- Loose threads: Watch out for fraying, holes and other damage in any fabric. If you notice loose threads or other wear, replace it to maintain a fresh and luxury look.
- Stains: If stains won’t come out, try bleach but don’t use too much as that could damage the fibers. If the bath mat still looks stained, it’s time for a new one.
Given the affordable value of bath mats, especially when you purchase wholesale options, you’ll get your money’s worth within a mat’s lifespan. Regular cleaning will help keep your bath mats fresh and looking like new throughout their lifespan and ensure your mats last as long as they can.
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How Do You Wash a Bath Mat?
For personal use, we recommend washing your bath mat once a week at least. In a hotel, resort or another setting that sees plenty of guests, you’ll want to launder bath mats between different guests or after each use for cleanliness and comfort.
When it’s time to clean your bath mats, always check the tags for care instructions. If you don’t have specific guidelines, stick with cool water and mild detergents until you know for sure how to care for the specific material in your bath mat. In general, though, these bath mat cleaning tips will guide you through the process so you get clean mats that will last:
- Shake rugs out before putting them in the washing machine to get rid of excess particles.
- Spot-treat stains, which should release easily if you’re using cotton.
- Don’t reach for the bleach right away, since stains should come out with spot treatment and bleach alternatives.
- Don’t use liquid fabric softener, since that impacts cotton’s absorbency.
- Wash white bath mats on a warm setting and colored bath mats on a cold setting, unless the tag specifies otherwise.
- Don’t wash new colored mats or towels with white linens, since the colors may bleed.
- Take bath mats out of the dryer while still warm to fold or put in guests’ rooms.
If your bath mat has an anti-slip rubber backing, be sure not to machine dry it. Hang it to air dry after machine washing so you don’t damage the backing, but be sure to shake the mats before and after air drying to fluff the fabric. While a rubber backing can keep a mat from sliding around, it may be inconvenient since you cannot machine dry it. You can easily dry all-cotton mats in the dryer with other towels, so be sure to keep maintenance in mind when choosing a bath mat. That’s not the only choice you have to make, though.
Should Your Bath Mat Match Your Towels?
When you pick out bath mats for your bathroom, you have a few things to consider. One of the most significant considerations is whether you will match the bath mats to your towels. There’s no hard-and-fast rule for this linen decision, so feel free to get a bit creative.
Whether your bath mats match your towels depends on your style and the aesthetic of your hotel, resort, spa or gym. Choose different combinations depending on the style you’d like:
- If you want a cohesive and clean look, go with all white. White bath mats and white towels will also be easy to launder together.
- For a coordinated, yet different, look, choose white bath mats and towels with a pop of color. White towels with a stripe of color or the inverse will provide a personalized touch to the room.
- For a homey feel, add solid color in one piece and balance it with white. A white bath mat helps tone down colorful towels, while a colorful bath mat enhances your all-white towel set.
- If you want something more stylized, choose a colorful bath mat that complements the colors of your towels. You could match these or select different colors that still go together.
The most straightforward choice for any space is white towels and white bath mats. You won’t have to worry about laundering the linens differently, and they’ll match any style of room, from modern to classic. White bath mats are also timeless, so during their two-year lifespan, they won’t go out of style.
What Is the Most Absorbent Bath Mat?
When you choose a bath mat for your guests, you want something soft that absorbs moisture and helps them dry off as they stand on it. When you’re looking for bath mats, you may also come across bath rugs. The differences between bath rugs and bath mats are function and style — bath rugs add style, while mats absorb more water. Because of that purpose, bath mats come in a range of materials, from fabrics to bamboo.
While you have a lot of options out there, one fabric provides benefits that make it rise above other materials. For repeated washings and use, choose a premium cotton bath mat. Cotton offers:
- Plenty of absorbency compared to other materials
- A thin construction that air-dries more quickly
- Durability to make long-lasting bath mats, which will see a lot of use
- Mats that hold their shape despite a lot of wear and use
- Options you can easily cut to fit smaller spaces
Of course, to get the most out of those benefits, you should maintain your bath mats and choose high-quality linens to begin with that will last a while. Your guests will appreciate the luxury of stepping onto a thick and absorbent cotton bath mat, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing they are safer from slipping.
Get Wholesale Bath Mats From Towel Super Center
Now that you know everything there is to know about bath mats, check out new ones for your business or home. At Towel Super Center, we offer cotton bath mats in bright white to match your towels and any bathroom decor. Shop our premium bath mats in a 20″ x 30″ size or premium plus in a 20″ x 34″ size. Our cotton bath mats offer the benefits we’ve mentioned above, all at a great value, perfect for any resort, hotel, spa, gym and more.
Order your premium cotton bath mats in bulk today. While you’re here, you can also take a look at the other quality linens we offer, from hand towels to bath towels, which will give your bathrooms a cohesive look. Offer your guests the safety, comfort and luxury that comes with a premium cotton bath mat from Towel Super Center.