Everybody has an thought of what their dream home will appear like. Perhaps it features a terraced backyard or acres of untamed forest; maybe it comes with charming picket shutters or a glossy, trendy steel staircase; or that it is only a cozy 700-square-foot city-center residence. For me, each model of my dream house—from my days enjoying MASH on the playground, to utilizing the Sims 2 design layouts I discovered on the web, to house-hunting as an grownup—all included one factor: a clawfoot tub.
To me, a clawfoot bathtub epitomized the height of decadence—a romanticized fever dream the place maturity and self-care and luxurious (to not point out copious quantities of free time) collided in an aspirational-yet-attainable ideally suited—all represented in a single little forged iron fixture. The concept of proudly owning a house that boasted a clawfoot tub got here with guarantees of fluffy bubble baths accompanied by wine, and lazy afternoons studying a e book. It represented all that I believed homeownership can be: satisfying, snug, and uncomplicated.
That sound you hear? That’s the sound of all my goals cracking after I rapidly realized—upon buying a house with mentioned clawfoot tub—that my bath-time aspirations have been all kinds of flawed. It took only one bathe on our first night time post-move—a moist curtain sticking to me from all angles and my toes sliding out from beneath me—for me to understand that my golden goose really type of… sucked?
OK, to be clear, our clawfoot tub is kind of stunning, with bronze fixtures and a sublime form. And taking a shower in it’s really fairly beautiful (although I’ve solely had one within the 4 months that we’ve lived right here, so learn into that what you’ll). Nevertheless, for on a regular basis makes use of, like a post-workout rinse or a hurried suds-up throughout the child’s nap, it’s actually a royal ache. So, until you’ve gotten the room for a shower and a free-standing (separate) bathe, I’d properly warning in opposition to investing in a clawfoot tub that you simply suppose can do double-duty as a result of—spoiler alert—it could possibly’t. A minimum of, not that nicely.
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Since we’re not wanting so as to add “toilet reno” to our old-home to-do listing proper now, I had no selection however to determine find out how to make our bathe scenario extra manageable. After hours spent panic-Googling “find out how to bathe in a clawfoot tub” and “why is my bathe curtain clinging to me” it turned abundantly clear that the web wasn’t a lot better off than I used to be on this realm. So I set off on the selfless (egocentric?) quest to provide you with some tried-and-true guidelines for utilizing a clawfoot tub. Whereas they haven’t utterly solved all of our gripes, they’ve helped immensely—so hopefully, if you end up in the identical clawfoot tub of despair, they will help you, too.
Spend money on washable bathe curtains and liners
Belief me on this one, you’re going to wish them. As a result of you need to drape your curtain liners inside the bathtub as a way to maintain water from spilling out as you bathe, they are going to be getting moist continuously. Permitting them to air-dry utterly after every use is vital, however your life may also be lots simpler should you put money into a couple of (sure, you’ll want multiple to go all the best way round your tub) that may be thrown within the wash periodically to assist take away any cleaning soap scum or mildew. Fortunately, these aren’t arduous to search out—just about any model that boasts water resistant cotton or polyester ought to do the trick.
Purchase a rod bigger than you suppose you want
One of many largest points you’ll encounter showering in a clawfoot tub is the dreaded curtain cave. Image this: You’re all able to get pleasure from a heat rinse after an extended day of labor when out of the blue you’ve gotten moist (chilly) fabric sticking to you from all sides. Actually, it’s type of like what I’d think about a human automobile wash to really feel like, and never in a cool means.
Anyway, I digress. One of many methods to keep away from this, ahem, sticky difficulty, is to purchase a bathe curtain rod that’s bigger than the general dimension of your tub. With clawfoot tubs, you usually buy an oval or rectangular rod system that hangs from the ceiling (they’re typically additionally known as “rings” or “surrounds”). By buying one barely bigger than the width of your tub (like a 60” rod for a 54” tub) you’ll naturally be pulling the curtain liners out a bit as they drape inside the bathtub, making a pure pressure that forestalls an honest quantity of clinging.
Steadiness your toilet temperatures
Another excuse your curtain liner could cling to you throughout your bathe in a clawfoot tub is because of the imbalance of temperature between your tub and the remainder of the lavatory. Consider it this fashion: the bathe area, enclosed by curtains, is hotter than the encompassing air, making a type of vacuum impact that causes—you guessed it—the liners to billow in. One resolution is to depart a crack in your curtains a number of inches vast in order that among the steam and humidity can escape your enclosure. If that’s too chilly for you, you may attempt growing the temperature of the air in the remainder of the lavatory—typically letting the bathe run for a bit earlier than you get in (thus, warming up the room, too) can do the trick, however a small area heater (set nicely away from the water, after all) will help, too.
Get an anti-slip liner for the bottom.
Right here’s one thing to bear in mind: The accessible sq. footage for standing in a clawfoot tub is considerably lower than in a conventional bathe. Add in sloped edges and soapy water, and also you just about have all of the elements for a visit to the emergency room. All that thought of, a non-stick mat for the bottom of your tub must be essential in your listing. Search for one which boasts a little bit of grip and texture, and has suction cups that assist adhere it to the bottom of the bathtub. Bonus factors: little ones received’t slide round within the bathtub as simply, both.
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Use moisture-resistant paint
As a lot as you will have labored to leak proof your tub’s bathe with curtains and liners, there are in all probability a couple of sprays of water which can be going to make their means by way of. Safeguard your room’s design (and your funding in your house) by utilizing solely moisture-resistant paint in your toilet, particularly within the space round your tub. That means, if any water splashes up behind your bathe head (or any moisture makes its means as much as the ceiling) you might be positive you received’t be coping with main mildew points down the street.
Spend money on a bathe caddy
Earlier than we get into the ultimate accent you want, let me guarantee you: this isn’t your college-dorm bathe caddy we’re referring to. Fortunately, issues have come a great distance since then, and your choices for toting your toiletries to and out of your tub if you bathe have gotten rather more trendy. Take note, oftentimes clawfoot tubs aren’t enclosed like a bathe is, making built-in storage unlikely—therefore, the necessity for extra storage is born. For our house, I opted for an over-the-tub brass bathe caddy and a rolling cart to the facet of our tub to accommodate any extras. Bonus: the cart is a good place to relaxation my wine after I do find yourself taking that bathtub.
Have you ever ever owned a clawfoot tub? Inform us in regards to the relationship you had with it.