Downsides Of Suction Cup Shower Shelves And Alternatives To Try

If there's one place that always seems to lack storage, it's the shower. One of the many popular shower storage ideas that keep your products within grabbing distance is suction cup shower shelves. These convenient and often affordable solutions stick directly to your shower walls using suction, eliminating the need for drilling or permanent mounting. They come in many different styles and materials and are easy to install and remove, making them ideal for renters or those who prefer not to damage their bathroom walls. However, these clever inventions aren't without their downsides: They do tend to lose suction over time (especially when loaded with heavy items), and their effectiveness is highly dependent on the surface they're attached to, making them an okay, rather than great, shower storage option.

Instead of using suction cup shower shelves, you can use a hanging caddy or corner temporary storage. If you'd like more of a permanent option, you can use wall-mounted shelving or built-in nooks to create dedicated and stable storage spaces for all your shower essentials. Ultimately, the best shower storage solution depends on your individual needs and budget, but let's first look into exactly why suction cups are unreliable and what your particular best solution might be.

If you're looking for a short-term shower storage solution, then you're probably in the suction-cup shower shelf market. They're good for dorm rooms, student accommodation, and anywhere that you don't have permission to change the fabric of the walls by drilling or adding adhesives.

However, there are a couple of things to consider. First, suction cups work best on entirely smooth surfaces — this is because suction cups create a vacuum to seal the cup to the wall. If you adhere the suction cup to a textured shower wall or walls with grout lines, its effectiveness will be significantly reduced. This results in the shower shelves basically being useless. If the unit does stick to the textured wall, avoid placing anything heavy on it.

Also, suction cups aren't great for long-term use. The breakdown of suction power is made worse by the constant exposure to moisture, temperature fluctuations, and the weight of the products they hold. Because of this, they can become unreliable, detaching from the wall and potentially causing everything they hold to come crashing down, creating a mess and even posing a safety hazard for your toes in the shower. Or they could even damage the shower base, creating chips or marks, which may involve an unexpected repair expense.

Over-the-showerhead caddies are a space-saving way to still add storage, without requiring any drilling or adhesive that could damage your shower walls. These don't use suction cups; instead, they hang directly over the showerhead arm, utilizing the existing plumbing fixture for support. They can also be adapted to hang over the wall of the shower, if appropriate. You still have to be careful when adding heavy items to this storage solution — it could cause wear and tear to the showerhead arm or wall over time, which will require repair. And if you make the base unbalanced by removing something heavy, it might tilt in a way that will dump the remaining bottles. The other issue is finding one that's the right height and fits over your shower unit or shower wall successfully. Not all showers have a suitable space for hanging this type of storage unit.

Another temporary storage option that offers a variety of functional space is a corner storage unit. These can be a stand-alone unit, sitting on the floor or bench, but most have a combination of suction cups and tension rods to secure them in place. These usually have more than one shelf, making them an excellent option for large families, but installation can be tedious because just the right amount of tension is needed for a proper fit. Also, if your shower area is on the small side, these units take up valuable space, and you may end up knocking into it while showering. 

When considering stylish shower shelves that add storage to your bathroom, don't overlook permanent solutions. You can install permanent shower shelving with metal brackets for a secure and long-lasting storage space, without worrying about the shelf coming unattached and dropping your soap and other shower essentials. These options often come in a wider variety of sophisticated materials like glass, stone, or sleek metal, allowing you to integrate your storage into your bathroom's design seamlessly. They do require a bit more effort or installation than suction-cup shelving, but permanent shower shelving offers much more stability and increased visual appeal.

If you're thinking about replacing your shower, it's definitely worth considering shower upgrades that will make you never want to get out — one of which is a recessed niche. A recessed niche is a built-in compartment that is integrated directly into the shower wall during construction. This gives you a seamless and space-saving storage solution without the need for additional shelving or hardware. These are by far the most visually appealing and successful shower storage option, but are also the most expensive, since they are part of the initial build or require significant renovation work.