January Is National Bath Safety Month — Make Your Bathroom Safer in 2026

🛁 Every January, National Bath Safety Month reminds us that the bathroom — despite being one of the most used rooms in our home — is also one of the most dangerous places for slips, falls, and serious injuries. From hot baths and wet floors to hard surfaces and tight spaces, the risk of accidents is real for people of all ages.

In fact, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

  • Approximately 235,000 people visit hospital emergency rooms each year due to bathroom-related injuries.
  • 80% of these injuries resulted from slips and falls, often on wet surfaces like tubs, shower floors, and bath mats. National Safety Council
  • Bathroom falls are especially risky for older adults and children, making safety upgrades essential for every household. National Today

This National Bath Safety Month, let’s look at how you can reduce accidents and create a safer, more comfortable bathroom experience for you and your loved ones.

🚿 Why Bathrooms Are Risky Zones

Bathrooms combine water, hard surfaces, and smooth floors — a dangerous combination that dramatically increases slip risk. Just stepping in or out of a tub or shower with wet feet can lead to a fall. Older adults, young children, and anyone with limited mobility are especially vulnerable. Home Inspector

🧠 Top Tips to Make Your Bathroom Safer

Here are practical steps you can take right now to prevent falls and injuries:

1. 🧼 Use Effective Non-Slip Solutions

One of the simplest and most impactful changes you can make is adding trusted non-slip surfaces in and around wet areas.

Use mats inside the tub and on the shower floor, and even right outside the bath to stop wet feet from sliding on tile. Do it Best

👉 A great example is the Kahuna Grip™ Non-Slip Safety Bath Mat for inside the tub, or on the shower floor— designed with an advanced embossed micro-pattern that improves grip when wet and helps prevent slips as you step in and out of the tub. These peel-and-stick mats are ultra-thin, comfortable, and anti-bacterial, giving you both safety and comfort without bulky rubber backing.

2. 🔗 Install Grab Bars and Handrails

Grab bars give you something secure to hold onto when entering, exiting, or moving around the bathroom — especially helpful for seniors or anyone with balance concerns. Elk + Elk

Place bars near:

  • The shower or tub
  • The toilet
  • Along walls where balance is needed

3. 💡 Improve Lighting

Slippery surfaces are even harder to see in dim lighting. Install bright overhead lights or motion-activated nightlights so you can see clearly during nighttime bathroom trips. BrightStar Care

4. 🛠️ DIY Suggestions for Safety

You don’t have to overhaul your bathroom to make it safer. Try these easy DIY upgrades:

  • Secure Rugs or Mats: Use non-slip backing or double-sided tape under rugs to stop them from shifting. BrightStar Care
  • Cut-to-Size Traction Tape: Apply non-slip adhesive strips or tape to slippery floors or tub surfaces where you need extra grip, like Kahuna Grip Traction Tape Rolls.
  • Clear Clutter: Keep towels, shampoo bottles, and bath toys off the floor to eliminate trip hazards.
  • Check Water Temperature: Set your water heater at a safe maximum (often recommended around 120°F) to avoid burns. National Day Calendar

5. 🧒 Watch Children Closely

For families with young kids, bathrooms pose special risks. Never leave a child unattended in the bath — even a few inches of water can be dangerous and drowning can occur silently and quickly. NDPA

Try installing a bathtub liner, like Kahuna Grips Adhesive Non-Slip Safety Bathmat, to keep the little ones from sliding around in the bath. 

📅 Make Bath Safety a Year-Round Priority

While January highlights awareness, bathroom safety is something to think about every day. Small changes like adding Kahuna Grip™ non-slip bath mats, installing grab bars, and improving lighting can drastically reduce your risk of falls and give you peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

💡 Start this National Bath Safety Month by taking one step toward a safer bathroom — because every step counts.

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