How can I prevent spillage from my bathtub?

Question

Let's set the scene:

The horizontal surfaces of the bathtub in my apartment are flat. We have a double shower curtain (with the waterproof bit that hangs on the inside of the tub and the fabric bit that hangs on the outside of the tub) and are careful not to splash too much, but the flat top bits of the tub still get water on them when you reach for stuff. The floor in the bathroom is very slightly slanted, so the open side of the bathtub is slightly lower than the wall side of the bathtub. This means that any water that gets dripped onto the short end of the tub (the side with the showerhead) drips down to the floor, and then slowly flows across the bathroom floor to the opposite wall.

Not ideal.

We rent this apartment, so replacing or making major upgrades to the tub is not really an option. (We will have trouble convincing the management company that a few drops of water on the floor merit remodeling the bathroom, since there's no actual leak involved here.)

I need a way to catch the water that wants to drip off the edge of the bathtub and redirect it back down into the tub. (My current plan is to use some foam tubing and rubber sheeting to create a sort of ramp... thing... around the corner of the tub, but I bet this community can generate some ideas that will both look and work much better.)

Additional info: Turns out I'm sort of a natural at drawing bathtubs. A diagram, in case you're confused by my description:

Answer 1

You can buy bathtub splash guards such as the ones found here.

You should be able to find similar ones at your local hardware store. Most versions install in seconds, using easy peel and stick adhesive backings. No tools, no mess, and usually no waiting for caulks and/or glues to dry.

Answer 2

I had this problem in my last house, but rather than Jaydles' fancy putty, I just grabbed a cheap tube of silicone caulk and ran a bead around the outside of the tub wall. A couple seconds to squeegee it off after the shower, and things stayed nice and dry.

If you're not great at drawing straight lines, use good-quality masking tape to get those perfect edges on it.

Answer 3

Have you considered Sugru?

In the words of its maker:

It moulds like play-dough, bonds to almost anything and turns into a strong, flexible silicone rubber overnight.

Another way to think about it is that it feels like clay, then turns into stuff a lot like the outside of an iphone charging cord. I think you could pretty easily use it to make something like a very thin ramp on the tub edge that guides water back into the tub (rather than splitting between in and out due to the currently flat surface).

One challenge is that it's designed for smaller patches, and is expensive when you start using a lot of it. If you only need it in the corners where the curtain isn't, you're probably fine, but doing the whole length could get costly, depending on how much "ramp" you need. It's also not super easy to remove when you move out, but you can cut off the bulk of it with a sharp knife, and then scratch of the remaining bits with your fingernail.

Answer 4

If the water problem is primarily just right at the one end, you could cut a shallow triangular piece of plexiglass, with a nice stylish curve if you like, and glue it into the corner with silicone sealant. It will also stop splash water that seems to get around the curtain end. It looks more purposeful than some stuff gooped near the edge. It can be removed as much as any silicone can be removed.

Something like this should work...

You can cut plexiglass much as you'd cut thin plywood, and the edges can be sanded to be smooth and slightly rounded. Similar products might be found already manufactured, ready to be glued in place.

You'll still want to mop up any standing water or water mineral deposits will develop. Nice perspective drawing of your situation btw!

Answer 5

I have same puddle problem on bath edge after I had my bath and tiles resurfaced. Plumber said this is because the new surface is too rough and solution is to buy a spray to repell the water. I can't remember the name of the product but BigW sells water repellants. I've done some research and someone stated the water turns into round droplets and just slid off the bath edge and keeps everything cleaner for longer as well.

Answer 6

Here is what I did in a similar situation.

• purchase a 150 mm white acrylic curved corner shelf with its fittings from e-bay at £7.
• fit this in a upright position, 20mm in from the corner of the bath
• seal it with white silicone on the inside.