A bath mat has two jobs: soak up the water that comes off you, and stop you slipping while it does. Most of the disappointment people have with bath mats comes from buying one that is good at the first job and poor at the second.
This guide covers the materials, what GSM actually means, how to size a mat to your bathroom, and how to keep one from sliding.
In short: cotton for softness, microfibre for quick drying, memory foam for standing at the basin and a suction-cup rubber mat inside the bath. Measure the floor space you stand on, and keep the mat grippy with a warm wash and no fabric softener.
The materials, and what each is good at
Cotton. The classic choice. Absorbent, soft underfoot, washes well, and it looks like a piece of bathroom linen rather than a safety product. Cotton holds a lot of water, which is exactly what you want and also why it needs to dry properly between uses. In a bathroom with no window and no fan, a heavy cotton mat can stay damp all day. A bath mat set with more than one piece lets you rotate while one dries. The Sleim set linked here is polyester with a non-slip rubber back, in 45 x 45cm, 50 x 80cm and 60 x 100cm.
Microfibre. Synthetic, very fast drying, and it holds a surprising amount of water for its weight. It is the sensible choice for an ensuite with poor ventilation, a rental, or a family bathroom that gets four showers in a row. A large microfibre mat dries between uses where cotton would not. It does not feel like cotton, which some people mind and some do not.
Memory foam. A foam core with a soft cover. Very comfortable underfoot, and the obvious choice if you stand at the basin for a while — shaving, drying hair, getting ready. It absorbs less than cotton of the same size because the foam is doing the comfort work rather than the soaking. An extra-thick memory foam mat suits the basin better than the shower door.
Rubber and PVC. Not really a bath mat in the textile sense — these are anti-slip mats, usually with suction cups, for inside the bath or the shower base. They absorb nothing. Their whole job is grip on a wet, hard, sloping surface. A slip-resistant rubber mat goes in the bath, and a fabric mat goes on the floor outside it. The Dolphy rubber mat is listed at 350 x 555mm, with suction cups. They are not alternatives to each other; a well-equipped bathroom often has both.
What GSM means on a bath mat
GSM stands for grams per square metre, and it measures the weight of the fabric, which is a good proxy for density and absorbency.
- Under 800 GSM. Light, fast-drying, thin underfoot. Fine for a guest bathroom or a low-use ensuite.
- 800 to 1400 GSM. The everyday range. Absorbent enough for a family bathroom, still dries in a reasonable time.
- 1400 GSM and above. Thick, plush, hotel-feeling. Holds the most water and takes the longest to dry, so it needs a well-ventilated bathroom and probably a second mat to rotate with.
Higher is not automatically better. In a small internal bathroom, a very heavy mat is the one that ends up smelling, because it never fully dries. Fibre matters as well as GSM: the Toggle microfibre mat is listed at 1600GSM and as fast drying.
Sizing
Measure the floor space rather than guessing, and think about where you actually stand.
- 50 x 80cm is the standard single mat. It covers the step out of a shower or a bath and suits most bathrooms.
- 60 x 100cm and larger suits a wide shower opening or a bathroom where two people get ready at once.
- A runner, around 50 x 120cm, works in a long narrow bathroom, in front of a double vanity, or along a bath. A non-slip bath runner covers the whole wet strip rather than one landing spot.
- A set covering the shower exit, the basin and the toilet keeps the whole floor dry, and lets you wash one part without stripping the room.
Check the door swing. An inward-opening door that rides up over a thick mat will drag it out of position every time, and eventually wear it.
Keeping it non-slip
This is where most bath mats fail, and there are only a few causes.
A latex or rubber backing is the standard solution, and it works until it perishes. Backing degrades with heat, so a mat that has been through a hot wash and a tumble dryer a few times will start to crack, flake and lose grip. If you can see the backing cracking, replace the mat.
Wash warm, not hot, and skip the fabric softener. Softener coats the fibres, which reduces absorbency, and it can attack the backing. This single habit is the difference between a mat that lasts a few years and one that lasts a few months.
On tile, backing alone is sometimes not enough. A separate non-slip underlay under the mat solves it. So does choosing a heavier mat, which is less inclined to travel.
Never put a fabric mat inside the bath or shower base. It is not designed for a sloping, wet, hard surface, and it will slide. That is what a suction-cup rubber mat is for. The Dolphy non-slip rubber bath mat guide covers choosing one.
Washing and replacing
- Wash weekly in a family bathroom, fortnightly in a low-use one.
- Warm cycle, plain detergent, no softener. Bleach will destroy both colour and backing.
- Dry flat or on a line where you can. A hot tumble dryer is the main killer of rubber backing; a cool tumble is safer.
- Hang the mat over the bath edge or a rail between uses rather than leaving it flat on the floor. This does more for smell than anything you wash it with.
- Replace when the backing cracks, the pile flattens and stops absorbing, or a smell survives a wash.
A short checklist
- Cotton for comfort and looks, microfibre for fast drying, memory foam for standing, rubber for inside the bath.
- 800 to 1400 GSM suits most bathrooms; go lighter if ventilation is poor.
- 50 x 80cm standard, a runner for a long bathroom, a set for full coverage.
- Warm wash, no fabric softener, cool or line dry.
- Hang it up between uses.
- Replace the mat when the backing starts to crack.
See the full range on the bath mats page, including the non-slip range.
Two narrower ranges if you already know what you want: microfibre bath mats in large and medium, and bath mat sets of two.
Frequently asked questions
What size bath mat do I need?
A 50 x 80cm mat is the standard single size for the step out of a shower or bath. Use 60 x 100cm or larger for a wide shower opening, and a runner of around 50 x 120cm for a long narrow bathroom or a double vanity.
What GSM should a bath mat be?
800 to 1400 GSM suits most bathrooms: absorbent, and still dry in a reasonable time. Under 800 is light and quick drying, and 1400 and above is plush but slow to dry, so it needs good ventilation.
How do I stop a bath mat slipping?
Choose a latex or rubber backing, wash warm without fabric softener, and add a non-slip underlay on tile if the backing alone is not enough. Do not put a fabric mat inside the bath or shower base; use a suction-cup rubber mat there.
How often should I wash a bath mat?
Weekly in a family bathroom and fortnightly in a low-use one, on a warm cycle with plain detergent and no softener or bleach. Dry it flat or on a line, and replace it when the backing cracks.
Can I return a bath mat?
30-day returns on eligible items apply (see our return policy). Measure the floor space before you order.