If you don’t have a bathtub or can’t afford to buy one, this guide will show you how to take a bath without a bathtub! As we all know, getting into a bathtub is probably one of the most soothing experiences you could have.
After a long and tiring day at work, simply sliding into a bathtub with aromatic candles, some light music, and a dim atmosphere is sure to recharge all of your batteries.
In fact, bathtubs are so important for some people that they actively look for houses that have attached baths, or look for larger bathrooms where they can install a bathtub on their own.
If you like the water and like spending time there, having a bathtub in your house is one of the best investments that you could make.
Otherwise, your only option will be the local pool, and it’s just so crowded at times that finding some peace in there is quite difficult.
The issue with getting a portable bath, on the other hand, is that they are quite expensive. You have to inflate them, and need to work your way around them.
However, what if you don’t have a bathtub? What if you would like to take a bath, but just don’t want to go through the expensive process of buying a bathtub and then installing it? The best solution is a portable bath.
How To Take A Bath Without A Bathtub
Portable baths, as mentioned above, are simply inflatable baths that you can prop up in your bathroom. They can be easily fitted into your shower stall as well.
They are usually made from a mixture of fiber and plastics, so you don’t have to worry about them leaking or being too structurally weak.
The best thing about these baths is that the layer of insulation around them ensures that the water remains heated for a longer period of time.
That’s not all; these baths also have straight poles (usually made from PVC) around the sides that maintain the structure. Think of it as a soaking tub.
Obviously, these are not like the big tubs so you won’t be able to stretch your legs out all the way. However, when you sit inside the tub, you might not be able to look out to the side.
That’s because they have a height of almost 30 inches, so most people will find themselves submerged to the neck once they sit in it. The hot water is going to reach all the way to your neck as well.
The amount of water that these bathtubs use is also slightly less than the conventional bathtub. An important thing that you need to keep in mind when you sit in a portable bathtub is that you should never fill it to the brim before getting in.
As you sit inside the bathtub, a considerable amount of water is going to be displaced. When you consider the fact that an average portable bathtub requires between 35 to 40 gallons of water, it’s important to understand that wasting the water is not a good idea.
How to Maintain Your Portable Bath
One of the biggest concerns that most people have when they order a portable bath is that they don’t know about its care and maintenance. Obviously, what will you do once you have gotten out of the bath?
You will have to dry it and then store it away until your next usage. Thankfully, this is not a problem. If you live in an apartment, this is actually an excellent idea.
The answer for that is quite simple; you can just invest in a drying rack that’s used for hanging clothes. You can put that rack up in a closet or out on the balcony, and just place your tub on that.
To ensure that the top of the tub does not sustain damage, it might be a wise idea to add some padding into the mix as well. This is going to ensure that the structure of the tub is not damaged while it dries out.
How Do You Drain?
This may seem a bit confusing to most people at first. How do you drain the portable bathtub? There is a small drain component installed, but simply moving the knob around isn’t going to work.
Some people are often confused because rotating the knobs seems a bit risky. In case it breaks, the entire bathtub will become useless.
However, the good thing is that the drain apparatus is not the only thing that you can use to drain out all of the water. These tubs also have a small silicone plug at the bottom.
You just have to pull that out, and the water will start to drain out with considerable ease. It might take a bit of time when you do it the first time, and your shower space is likely to get a bit slippery from the bottom.
However, if you position the drain plug right on top of the main drain hole of your shower, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. You just have to take out the plug, and the water is going to seamlessly run into the drain pipes.
Once all of the water from the pipes has been drained out, you just have to take it out and hang it up to dry. You may want to turn the tub on its side or invert it altogether to ensure that it completely dries quickly.
How Do You Clean and Dry Out the Tub?
These portable bathtubs are not really designed for washing yourself in them. You can’t expect to jump in with soap and shampoo when you are in these tubs.
Otherwise, the soapy water is going to leave a residue, and that’s really not something that you would want. Cleaning out the sides is a big problem otherwise.
As a result, the best thing to do is to clean yourself first before you decide to jump in and relax. If you want, another excellent option is to use a mild cleaner and wipe out the tub on your own. This way, even the insides will be fully dried out.
You may still want to leave it out to dry for at least 24 hours before you decide to remove those PVC poles and then collapse it. Once the whole tub is completely dry, you can then store it anywhere you want.
Storage
Most tubs come with a set of instructions where they mention that it should be completely disassembled before being put into storage. However, it can get a bit problematic to remove all connections and then keep it in.
Instead, what you can do is remove the poles and then let the tub collapse. Just be careful not to bend the plastic as that might cause a bit of a leak over time.
Before you place it into the cupboard or any storage space, it’s always recommended that you cover it with a piece of cloth. Use a spare bed sheet to wrap it up carefully before you put it away.
Also, make sure that there are no sharp edges or items where you keep the bathtub. It could cause damage to the sides and that will ultimately result in a leakage. These are just a few things that you should know about storing your bathtub.

Hello, my name is David Zal and I’m a plumber with more than 20 years of experience based in Englewood (Florida). I like to teach normal people how to make easy fixes in their homes. I believe that a lot can be achieved just with DYI and that’s why I started this blog.