Does anyone have any tips for reading in the bath?

Submitted by genericusername7890 t3_zvelqx in books

Hi all. I love to read, and I also love to read baths, and, as a consequence of these two things, I love to read in the bath. The only trouble is, my books keep falling apart. I'm not an exceptionally careful person in the first place, and I wear down even books I've never taken for a dip pretty quickly, but when I bring a book in, all hell breaks lose. Is there any product I could buy or method I could use to help me alleviate this? I'm fairly certain I've heard of other people doing it; I even saw it referenced on the Uncle Grandpa cartoon once.

I do my best not to dip my hands in the water and then touch the book, and I've only once fully dropped a book in (which was an unavoidable disaster,) but they still seem to get ruined. Is it just an inescapable problem? Any help is appreciated, thanks so much.

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GrudaAplam t1_j1ov5hc wrote

Don't get the book wet.

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dietcokeandlime t1_j1otfls wrote

The latest kindle paper-white is waterproof. I read with mine in the bath all the time.

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laurpr2 t1_j1p5ekt wrote

Yes! I use a phone stand to prop my Paperwhite up on a bath tray so I can read nearly hands-free and have a towel handy to keep my hands relatively dry for turning pages. It might be a bit overkill, but I want my Kindle to last as long as possible, and this seems like a good balance between convenience/comfort and longevity.

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Effective-Papaya1209 t1_j1oufc0 wrote

I love this post. I keep a towel nearby so I can wipe my hands before picking up the book. But you say you've only dropped one in one time so I don't really get what's happening to your books! Are your baths particularly steamy?

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per_c_mon t1_j1or9kk wrote

Get an e-reader and place it in a ziplock bag?

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Apprehensive_Tone_55 t1_j1p45ha wrote

No go can confirm that I destroyed a phone doing this over time even though I completely sealed the bag every time.

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per_c_mon t1_j1pr1qt wrote

Really? Interesting. I'm not actually a bath reader (largely because I'm not a bath taker) but I do enjoy being out and reading in the rain, and this is how I protect my e-reader for that. Been working well for me so far.

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Apprehensive_Tone_55 t1_j1qaox2 wrote

I take really hot showers and baths and I have a feeling it was more to do with the constant heat over time than the water.. I really am not sure how it happened in the end.

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pretenditscherrylube t1_j1qli0u wrote

I think this is a good suggestion. Kindles work through plastic bags. And you can usually find old used kindles cheaply through FB Marketplace easily. If you fry it over time, it’s nbd.

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dothechachaslide t1_j1osj95 wrote

I can’t say this will definitely work because I don’t also have the problem of wearing down books outside of the bath but here are a few options:

  • small tray table that sits horizontally from one edge of bath to the other edge (ideally one that’s solid, not with slats, to keep steam from hitting the book and you from dropping it in).
  • hardback books (fall apart less easily in general, although unfortunately more expensive)
  • gloves, if you’re prone to lots of hand sweat and that’s part of the problem
  • protective cover (something like the You-Bumi), which I’ve heard relatively good things about but never tried myself. It allows you to turn pages and stuff all while keeping the book in a sort of bubble/raft-like container
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jwezorek t1_j1sysek wrote

For what it’s worth, I’ve used a you bumi in our swimming pool, and it does work but the problem with it is it only works with relatively small books. Something like a not-too-thick mass market paperback is perfect for the one I have. I’m not sure if there are different sizes or what. Mine was like a gag gift from my wife that I ended up actually using.

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[deleted] t1_j1orwxa wrote

This is one of those things I've sometimes seen depicted in media, but I'm convinced isn't something people actually do. But if you're determined, maybe try a bathtub tray and don't submerge your upper body so water doesn't drip onto the book.

Edit: Apparently it is something people do! Ignore me and take their advice! I need to jump on this cozy bathtub reading wagon!

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ADHD-HDTV t1_j1osybk wrote

I read in the bath every night lol no joke

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[deleted] t1_j1ot7hv wrote

I stand corrected. Man, that sounds wonderful! :)

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ADHD-HDTV t1_j1ot9c7 wrote

Lol I’ve always been a reader and a bath person too and your suggestions are perfect!

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imgoodboymosttime t1_j1p5avm wrote

Get in bath. Read book.

Warning dont do if motor skills are that of a 4 year old.

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IAmAlive_YouAreDead t1_j1paqu7 wrote

Even if you don't directly get a book wet or drop it in the bath, the humidity will have an effect on the paper.

As other have mentioned, the paper-white is waterproof. You can buy a bath tray that goes across the bath that are specifically designed to hold e-readers so you don't have to hold it, and just dry your hand with a nearby towel before you 'turn' the page on the paper-white.

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QuietDapper t1_j1ounzg wrote

I read in the bath all the time and have never ruined a book. Just make sure you don't get it wet. Make sure your hands are dry before you touch it. And if you keep the spines in good shape you books won't fall apart. Avoid breaking spines.

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slothbeardontcare t1_j1ovj73 wrote

perfect bindings (single pages glued together) fall apart way more quickly than sewn bindings where leaves are gathered and sewn together in signatures. usually paperbacks are glued together and hardbacks are more frequently sewn. sewn for the tub!

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HunterRoze t1_j1oxu3b wrote

If I am going to recline and read, which I often do, I will take a hand towel and fold it and rest it on my chest. Then I rest my arms on the towel - if I feel anything damp I know I need to look.

Also depending on your bathroom, as in is there a huge amount of condensation then any sort of book will have issues. So good air flow can help. Keep in mind not all paper in all books were created equal - the paper in paperbacks is often thinner than hardcovers. I take this to mean there is a greater chance of them getting moisture due to how permeable the paper is. So I don't read paperbacks in the tub just to play it safe.

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BalaAthens t1_j1p5vvg wrote

But the water gets cold.

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PansyOHara t1_j1pdiqd wrote

Back in the day I used to read in the bathtub—but now I take showers, so no reading. Unluckily I’m also too nearsighted to easily read without my glasses! IMO the generally steamy environment isn’t great for reading books made with paper, even if you don’t drop the book in the water.

Good luck!

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Anon-fickleflake t1_j1pe2na wrote

I keep a hand towel nearby to regularly wipe the sweat off my hands, cause I like me a hot reading bath.

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Top-Abrocoma-3729 t1_j1puoco wrote

I sometimes fall asleep reading in the bath and wake up the moment the book splashes in the water. I tend to give lots of money to publishers re-buying editions

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Objective-Ad4009 t1_j1q2usy wrote

My best suggestion is to get an e-reader and put it in a zip-lock bag. I do this with my phone in the bath.

I don’t like reading off a screen. I’d always rather have the real book and turn the real pages. But it’s not worth ruining the book. At least for me.

You could also try some audiobooks?

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oddfeett t1_j1q85wq wrote

You can get a sort of tray that sits across the rims of the bath, I got one as a present years ago so I couldn't tell you what it's called but it has a dedicated stand for books.

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minorhealingpotion t1_j1r9rf2 wrote

Get a bath table and a nice, super absorbent towel to keep in arms reach. Keep your hands dry from the beginning so you don't make the pages get wavy from moisture. Tbh, the table was the key for me.

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Indifferent_Jackdaw t1_j1rp6b0 wrote

I buy cheap paperbacks and let them fall apart. No matter the quality of the book steam will damage it eventually. The paper will swell and mould develop. I have probably replaced my favourite bath books a couple of times. I am a bibliophage rather than a bibliophile, so the physical book is not as important to me, but there are certain books which have a sentimental association which I would never bring into the bath.

I read on my phone sometimes. It's a piece of crap Xiomi with a cracked screen so I'm not bothered if I kill it.

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Dontrllycaretbh t1_j1sc1gd wrote

Lmao has anybody suggested wrapping ur paperbacks in contact paper so they stop falling apart

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lucia-pacciola t1_j1v0r47 wrote

Ah, the bath! Or as I like to call it, a slowly cooling soup of my own filth.

Sounds like you need a bath caddy.

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