tile vs. soapdish

[Paul Wheaton]

Having a small debate here ... looking to take a bit of a poll to get an idea of what other people do ...

When taking a shower in a tiled shower stall or tub area, do you keep soap in a soapdish in the tub area? How about shampoo?

One party in this debate is saying that one should not keep soaps, shampoos or other products in a tiled space because it leads to grout problems. Further, that one should towel off all grouted areas after every shower.

The other party says that one should try to keep your soap dry, but bottles can be anywhere. Further, no toweling out the area after.

Each party is claiming that a vast majority of people do it their way (80% or more).

Please share what your experience have been with tiled spaces (non tiled spaces don't count).

Thanks!

[Charleen]

Well, I don't wish to pick sides but ...

Our shower stall is quite cramped, like a phone booth, so there is 1 soap dish and 1 bottle of shampoo that stay there all the time. Soap dish has suction cups to stick to the wall, to let the bars drain and stay dry. Since I make soap, the dish is currently overflowing with many sample size bars.

Good idea to towel off the walls after each shower too. My parents do this every day (tile walls) and the tile & grout still look great after 20+ years.

[Maura]

Towel off the tile after a shower, or use a squeegee. Keep the bar soap in a dish. Things in bottles can be anywhere.

[sullen]

But I thought that was what sealants were for....

[BigBoy]

[cpeyus]

I have one of those wire racks that hangs on the shower head...it holds oldest DSs shampoo & my bath gel. We use liquid soap, & its dispenser is kept in the "soap dish" area built into the wall. We also have a few other bottles that stay on the tub edge all the time.

I wipe down the tile about every other shower & it's easy to keep clean with weekly cleanings & monthly deeper cleaning.

[Grandmotherbear]

The soap dish is tiled into the wall.
I don't have time to wipe the shower every use.
Every now and then I attack it with baking soda and a rag.
Been 24 years.

[Pony]

I know people who towel off the walls after a shower. I did, too, for the first couple of weeks.

Soap and bottles and everything stay in there.

Just please please please don't start the "toilet paper over or under" debate!

Pony!

[pistolsmom]

We have one of those pole type things on a tension rod that goes from the tub to the ceiling and has 4 shelves. Soap, shampoo,conditioner, and razor all have their own shelves. $12 at Walmart. Solved the problem here!