More Reasons to Avoid Glass Shower Doors in Your Rental

For some years now landlords, Airbnb hosts, hotel designers and the like have been warned that glass shower doors in rental apartments or rooms can cause trouble both minor and major. The chances are that you’ll recall that this began with a well documented legal case when a guest had an injury due to a glass shower door.

As I remember, the host maintained that the door was in perfect condition; the guest claimed that it fell and broke, hence her injury. Ever since then, responsible hosts have opted for the fabric-with-plastic-liner shower curtain which is also far more chic and brings a room up to date; shower doors being so 1990!

Here are other good reason quoted on the internet:

• Shower doors used with a tub/shower combo make it impossible to bathe a child. The parent only has access to one half of the tub
• Many people find shower doors to be claustrophobic, even those with transparent glass
• The medical profession advises against them. In case of illness, injury or a rescue situation the doors hinder paramedics and other professionals
• Many people (our own household included) have a no-glass-in-the-bathroom policy simply because of the dangers
• The doors are virtually impossible to keep clean, especially in hard water areas. This is especially important today when guests are expected to write online reviews – cleanliness is a huge issue
• The doors also make access difficult when cleaning the tub
• Access can also be difficult for people who are overweight or those who are not too steady on their feet.
• The door system usually creates too many nooks and crannies in an amongst the rails which can foster the growth of bacteria. An internet viewer from Arizona found scorpions harboured there!
• Another reported that someone was badly scalded when the cold water inexplicably cut off during his shower. The doors added seconds to the time it took him to get out from under the shower, causing more serious burns than a curtain would have done
• People who have moved into homes with shower doors and then ripped them out (as it seems most do) are appalled to find the mildew, mould and bacteria that has been growing under the rails

Shower curtains are so cheap and easy. As an Airbnb host, I find it ideal to have two curtain liners so that the liners can be washed after every guest. They cost only about $5 and can be thrown into the washer and the drier with the rest of the laundry. When you tire of the look of your shower curtain, it can be easily switched, giving your bathroom a whole new look very affordably.