How to Choose Shower And Bathtub Accessories

What is the Best Material for Shower and Bathtub Accessories?

When putting something near water, it's important to consider how the material reacts to getting wet. Not all materials will hold up when being exposed to that much moisture, but here are some of the best options.

Metal

Metal is a broad category. Shower and bathtub accessories come in all kinds of metal from zinc and bronze to brass and copper. These are some of the most attractiveoptions, but you have to consider how they rust.

Most of the time, metal materials rust at the joints rather than on smooth surfaces. Unless the finish wears off, you won't encounter much visible rust until it spreads out from the joints, which can take some time.

However, metal does rust when water creeps in and sits in the same spot. When choosing metal, consider how many joints and seems it has, and their placement. A wire basket with a grid pattern that has a lot of soldered joints may accumulate rust more quickly than something made of many more solid pieces.

Brass, bronze, and copper are typically a bit more expensive, but they are less prone to rust. Zinc is more affordable, but will rust more quickly and need to be replaced.

Plastic

Plastic is lightweight and affordable. A plastic shower caddy may be a great solution for you because it offers a rigid shape, but it's often not as durable as metal. Depending on construction, plastic shelves may not hold as much weight as metal and it also won't last as long.

However, plastic is a great cheap solution for a bathtub that doesn't get as much use as the shower or for a guest bathroom that is only occupied occasionally.

Plastic does stain, so keep in mind that proper cleaning is critical with this type of caddy.

Mesh

Mesh is a unique and versatile solution for a shower caddy because it doesn't hold water and it dries quickly. It won't rust, but the mesh material can rip, so it may not be as durable. While you likely can't put heavy items in it, it's a great storage solution for lightweight supplies.

Mesh is great for kid's bath toys, travel sized items, or lightweight accessories like loofahs. Mesh doesn't hold its shape so it won't sit on a shelf, but it's versatile enough to hang on a hook, the shower head, or the faucet handle.

Wood

Various woods, like bamboo or teak, are also very durable options for areas with a lot of moisture. They're warm and relaxing, so they're the perfect solution for soaking in the tub with your favorite book or TV show. You just can't go wrong with a traditional wooden bathtub tray, especially if it comes with a book holder, a place for a scented candle and a wine glass slot.

What Bathroom Accessories Do I Need?

Shower and bathtub accessories are handy when you need extra shelving in your shower or bathtub. What you need will depend largely on what you want it to hold. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, razors, shaving cream, and other shower necessities all take up room.

Consider the design of your shower and bathtub accessories in light of what you keep in your shower before you proceed.

Extra shelving

If you're storing a lot of family size bottles of shampoo and soap, extra shelving may be what you need most. A corner standing tension rod with 2-4 shelves on it is probably perfect. Metal is durable and will hold more weight, so consider a metal solution to hold heavy liquids.

Baskets

Baskets are great options for holding loose items like travel sized bottles, hair ties, rags, toys, or loofahs. Most of these things are lightweight, so your basket could be plastic or mesh.

However, if you need multiple baskets to segment these items, consider a solution that has a combination of shelving and baskets of different sizes for versatility.

Hooks

Clips, hooks, or hangers are great for loofahs with strings or razors you need to hang to let dry between showers. Consider shower and bathtub accessories that come with built-in hooks for these items to make them more useful for you.

Where Should Bathroom Accessories Be Placed?

The configuration of your shower or bathtub will help you decide where you should place your accessories. Small bathrooms benefit from vertical storage, making use of empty corners, while large bathrooms allow you to spread out more.

Hanging accessories

Hanging accessories are perhaps the easiest way to conserve space, as long as you have a place to hang it. Some solutions hang over your shower head or faucet handle while others are designed to hang on the back of a shower door or over the side of the tub.

Some people find that hanging over the shower head can get in the way of water flow, while hanging over the faucet handle can get in the way of turning the shower on. However, if you don't have a shower door, that option won't work for you.

Corner accessories

Placing your storage in the corner makes effective use of your vertical space and keeps items off of the floor. If you don't have any shelving in your shower or bath area right now, this solution is attractive and stylish.

You don't have to bend over to reach anything anymore, and it's perhaps the most convenient space-saving solution there is.

While some of these mount on the tile using suction cups, others have shelves built into tension rods that run from floor to ceiling. Suction cups aren't as durable or heavy duty, but they're cheaper.

Floor accessories

There are also many attractive floor designs, so if you want to place your accessories on the floor beside the bathtub, you can make use of a tiered basket design that looks stylish and offers plenty of function. Be prepared for water dripping on the floor though.

Floor accessories can also be used in the shower, especially if you don't like any of the hanging solutions. While you may still have to bend to reach items on the bottom, the tiered design still makes use of vertical space, just not to the extent that a corner accessory does.

The best shower and bathtub accessories are the ones that make the most effective use of your space, hold the things you need the most, and work to declutter your bathroom. Research your options, measure your shower or bathtub space, and consider every design and how it will solve your problem so you can select the best solution for you.