Why Showers are Better Than Sponge Baths
Whenever I think of sponge baths, I envision an elderly, sick person lying in a hospital bed with a nurse dabbing a yellow sponge into a tub of sudsy water.
You think of sponge baths as a temporary thing that’s done for the sickest of the sick. And you assume that when people get better and go back home, they get back in the tub or shower.
Would it surprise you to learn that many people sponge bathe at home on the regular?
I can’t tell you how frequently I talk to people who sponge bathe at home as a normal part of their routine instead of showering.
It’s not unusual for people to tell me, “I just spit shine at the sink real quick.”
Just this past weekend I had a woman explain, “I’ll stand at the kitchen sink with my husband holding onto me while I bend over and wash my hair.”
Another woman told me, “I haven’t washed my hair since March.”
(This is the part where I scream inside my head.)
When people sponge bathe at home, it makes me feel so sad. I want people to have the chance to feel better about themselves.
We all love the feeling of being clean. But sponge baths just don’t do the job!
Reasons why people resort to sponge baths
You may wonder, “why do people sponge bathe in the first place?”
Usually, people sponge bathe at home because they’re too afraid to get in and out of their tub shower. They may have fallen in the bathroom before and don’t trust their ability to not fall again.
The CDC says the number one place where falls happen at home is while stepping out of the shower.
I’ve worked with so many people who’ve fallen and broken hips or had brain bleeds from smacking their head against the bathroom floor.
A fall in the bathroom can quickly lead to no longer taking care of yourself anymore. So people will do the safest option for them: sponge bathe.
Today, I’m going to list out what I recommend to prevent sponge baths from EVER happening! I hope these recommendations make it so you never experience a single sponge bath!
1) Grab Bars promote safe showering
Ponte Giulio Stainless Steel grab bar collection.
For reasons unknown to me, this is a controversial topic. Here are my thoughts: everybody on the planet benefits from grab bars in their bathroom.
Why? Because they help you confidently step in and out of your shower or tub.
Please don’t confuse towel racks for grab bars. Those suckers will rip out of the wall if even look at them hard enough!
I’m talking about installing some grab bars into studs or blocking in the walls with a drill, people! Not the damn suction-cup type either. I’m talking about the real deal!
Put grab bars in your tub shower, step-in shower, curbless shower, by the tub, etc. Wherever you shower or bathe, you need a grab bar!
Water makes things slippery. Don’t play with physics. Just get the damn grab bars in!
I don’t care how old you are. I don’t want to hear the excuses like, “I didn’t install grab bars because I got better and I didn’t need them anymore.” (This comment makes me roll my eyes so hard.)
I don’t care if you want to bequeath your house to your kids after you die and you worry that grab bars will lower the value of the property (They won’t. They’ll actually increase the value.).
With so many grab bar options in existence nowadays, you really don’t have an excuse not to install them in your bathroom. So just get it done!
(I’m an Amazon affiliate. Any purchases you make using the links below help run Toilet Talk! Thank you!)
2) Shower Seats are easy upgrades to the shower
Ponte Giulio wall mounted shower seat
Surprisingly, this is another controversial recommendation. It’s not an insult to your age or abilities to have something to sit on in the shower.
Sitting while showering helps you clean yourself easier!
No matter your age, you will get sick at some point, whether it’s the flu or a terrible head cold. Illnesses happen.
As do injuries! Last year, I fell off my back stoop (while pregnant) and injured my ankle. And I’m in my thirties.
See, I don’t have to be an old woman to hurt myself unintentionally!
So having something to sit on while showering is a great way to conserve your energy and keep you from falling in your most vulnerable state.
You can sit on a shower chair, stool, tub bench, or a wall mounted seat that flips up and down. Built in seats are fine, too. Sometimes built-in seats can be slippery, so throw a towel or dollar store shelf liner to keep your butt in place.
Every once in a while people tell me, “Well, it’s too much trouble for (whoever else lives in the house) to shower when I’m not using the seat.”
I want to respond, “So you’d rather fall in the shower than have your family member mildly inconvenienced?”
But what I end up doing is encouraging them to advocate for themselves. Have a conversation with your family. Let them know sitting down helps you shower safely! We don’t want to go back to sponge bathing!
3) Handheld Shower Head provide extra help for safe showers
This is a no brainer. Handheld shower heads are inexpensive and super easy to install. You need these guys when you’re sitting down to shower, unless you want water spraying directly into your face non-stop.
To make showering even easier, I recommend handheld shower heads on height adjustable mounts, like the mounts that can go up or down on a vertical grab bar.
Or if you don’t have the funds, get a U-shaped mount and put it within reaching distance of the shower seat.
I like to give options, people! You pick what works best for you!
Bonus: Handheld shower heads make cleaning the shower easier. They’re totally worth the investment!
4) Non-slip floor for safe showering
Let me start off by saying this: DO NOT use suction-cup mats. They WILL slide if you push your feet against them instead of stepping directly on them.
A great long term way to make your shower floor not slippery is to install non-skid bathroom tile. It’s a “one and done” situation that’ll keep your feet steady when cleaning up.
For immediate safe showering results, the most inexpensive option is to get non-skid decals. Some cost about $2!
There are also non-skid strips that come on a roll to cut to your desired length. Remember to apply them to a completely dry shower floor.
There’s also non-slip coating you can spray or paint on the shower floor. You’ll notice a difference after just a couple of layers.
I’ve had people tell me, “Well, my landlord may not let me put this down.” I totally understand how hard it can be for renters to feel empowered to make changes.
It’d be best to have a conversation with the landlord. Mention how the Fair Housing Act allows renters to have “reasonable accommodations” to keep them living safe in their home.
Applying non-slip coating to a slick tub shower floor is definitely a reasonable accommodation!
Your landlord wants to keep an awesome tenant, right? They don’t want you falling and getting hurt. Start the conversation with how concerned you are about falling in the shower and (hopefully) your landlord will jump on board to help you out!
5) shower storage keeps soap within reach
Lastly, let’s put the soap and shampoo where you can reach them while you’re sitting on your shower seat.
My favorite thing to recommend is installing a shelf that has a grab bar on it. Hurray for multi-functionality!
If you’re in remodeling mode, put in recessed shelving to hold your shower essentials!
There’s loads of shower storage products out there in the world from shelves to racks. Whatever you choose for you, just make sure that you can reach it while sitting down.
To figure out the best place to put your shower storage system, you need to sit down on your shower seat. Place the storage system in front of you or to the side. I don’t want you leaning waaayyyyy forward or to the side to get what you need. If you have to lean too far or twist your back to get something, it’s not in the right spot for you.
It needs to be effortless to reach what you need.
We do our best to plan for the worst. At the very least, these recommendations will ensure safe showering for the long term. You’ll never be in a position where you sponge bathe EVERY SINGLE DAY.
What’s your bathroom set up like? Have you done any of these tips? Do you know a sponge bather? Tell us about it down below in the comments section. And definitely share this article with your sponge bathing friends!
But above all, remember to do it before you need it!
(Hey, did you know we have an awesome online course for people who have a hard time wiping after using the toilet? It’s an awkward topic that you can learn how to solve in the comfort and privacy of your own home! Learn more about the course HERE!)