The falling suction cup
A suction cup holds well on a perfectly smooth surface. Even the smallest pores or bumps can cause the suction cup to fall. Additionally, even if you have a smooth surface, the humidity, warmth, or soap scum deteriorate the cup’s adhesive properties. In my home, I have a suction cup shower head holder on a smooth, glossy tile, but it still falls off after a while.
How do you keep a suction cup from falling down
We have found a perfect solution to make a suction cup stick to a tiled shower wall. We have tested it on a shower caddy with three suction cups, which kept falling off after a few days. The tiles were not perfectly smooth, which was the main problem. To make the suction cups stick better to the tiled shower wall, you will need one simple thing: a silicone.
How to make a suction cup stick on a tile
- Clean the suction cup and the tile thoroughly.
- Let the surfaces air dry or use a cloth that doesn’t leave any fibers.
- Take the suction cup and pour a thin layer of silicone starting from the inside into a spiral shape, but be sure to leave enough free space on the edges of the cup so that when you will stick the suction cup to the tile, the silicone won’t spread beyond the cup.
- Stick the suction cup with the silicone to the tile as usual.
Update: After using this method, our suction cup stuck to the wall for around half a year. Not great, I know. But since we were sure that applying silicone is the right way to go, we have figured out an updated process of applying the silicone, which works much better. The problem was that we had left a little bit of space around the edges of the suction cup. To make the suction cup stick like glue, you have to make sure that there are no nooks or crannies so that moisture can’t get in. The solution is simple, follow the steps above and then:
- Apply a final coat of silicone around the outer edge of the cup.
- Put a bit of soap on your finger.
- Remove the silicone excess from the edge of the cup.
- Wipe away silicone residue from tiles with a tissue making sure not to wipe away the new silicone layer around the edge of the cup.
After reapplying the silicone, our suction cup is stuck to the wall for almost a year now, and it does not look like it will fall anytime soon.
Four more steps to success
A secure and long-lasting solution to make a suction cup stick to the tiled shower wall. This way, you can fix a suction cup that won’t stick since you will increase the cup’s adhesion.
Which silicone should you use?
It is important to use waterproof silicone. For this reason, I recommend using a sanitary silicone sealant, which is designed for kitchens and bathrooms. Preferably a clear/transparent option. Since the silicone we have used wasn’t purchased in the US, here is an alternative from Amazon that we would choose. The same product is also sold in a small squeeze tube.
Will it last forever?
Silicone is a soft material that deteriorates in time, so you will probably need to repeat this process after a couple of years. But I don’t expect the suction cup to fall down for a long time.
How to remove the suction cup?
If you will be moving out or just want to rearrange the suction cups, the process is straightforward. Remove the suction cup with a bit of force by peeling it off the wall, and clean the silicone residue (click here to watch the Bunning’s video on how to remove silicone).
Thank you for your tip on making suction pads stick
You’re welcome :)! I am glad that you like it. It was a game-changer in our shower :D.
Sounds like just the answer for my tub fixture.
Thank you for the comment! I hope you’ll like the result as much as I did. It works great!
I have one of those pre-made shower inserts, or what ever you call it. I couldn’t get anything to keep the suction and hold it.. So-I tried my super hold non-aerosol hair spray and it’s holding so far! I am the queen of rig!
What kind of silicone? Do you recommend a specific product?
Do you have a recommended brand of silicon?
Hi Dale, I recommend using a sanitary silicone sealant since it must be waterproof. Preferably a clear/transparent option. The silicone I used was not purchased in the US, but I looked through Amazon, and I would choose this option. You can also buy the same product in a small squeeze tube.
This is an awesome suggestion. Every months, we’d hear big noise from upstairs which was the suction cupped shower caddy falling in the shower. I tried hairspray which worked for a few months and then…clang!! Hopefully the silicone will last longer.
Hi Doug, I am glad you liked it! I hope that there will be no more “clang” noises :D!