Suction Cup Grab Bar

Prevent Falls in the Bathroom and Throughout the Home



Using a suction cup grab bar can eliminate some of the risks associated with falls in the bathroom, and even throughout your entire house.

Falls account for over 6,000 deaths per year according to the Home Safety Council, making it the leader of all home injury deaths.

Unlike traditional grab bars, these do not require any drilling or modification of existing surface provided the surface is flat and non-porous.

Advantages of Using Suction Cup Grab Bars

Many people do not like the idea of installing permanent grab bars due to the fact that it can make your home bathroom feel “institutionalized”, similar to a hospital or nursing home.

The new suction cup grab bars can eliminate some of the industrial look typically associated with grab bars. Most are white and there are different styles and sizes to fit all of your safety needs and yet still fit into your home décor style.

The larger sizes can support up to 300 pounds of pulling force and are quite reliable and stable.

By releasing the vacuum levers over each suction cup, you can move them around the bathroom, even around your entire house, if the need for a grab bar changes from where you initially thought you wanted it.

The other advantage of the suction bars is that they are portable. If you are traveling or visiting family or friends, you can easily removed them from the wall and carry them with you for use in another bathroom.

Portable suction cup grab bars work best if they are applied to a flat, non porous surface, such as tile or surround. If you are applying over wallpaper or drywall, you will need to check the vacuum frequently to assure that the fit is still tight.

For safety reasons, if you are placing a grab bar by the toilet where you have drywall, consider a permanent grab bar that is screwed into the studs behind the drywall.

For use around a shower or sink that has tile backsplash, a suction cup grab bar can be a perfect solution. Make sure that the entire surface of the suction cup is on a flat surface. If it is placed over grout lines, air will escape through the sides and weaken the grip of the suction cup.

If your shower or backsplash has small tiles, you may have to remove several of them and put in a larger tile that the suction cup head fits safely on. Just make sure the seal is tight all the way around and the grab bar will function properly.

Choosing the Right Grab Bar

If you are caring for a frail, lightweight and smaller elderly person, look into smaller grab bars with a smaller diameter of the handle. This will make it much easier for them to get a good grip on the handle.

On the flip side, if you are caring for a heavier, larger person, you will need to look at grab bars with a larger handle and ones that assure they can handle the pull force without coming off of the wall.

These types of grab bars can be a perfect solution for mobility assistance in the bathroom, as well as other rooms in your house.

Evaluate each area you plan on using the bar and make sure that the surface is non porous before you place any orders. You may have to use a combination of both permanent and portable grab bars to assure that your bathroom is safe for your elderly family members.

Suction Cup Grab Bar Prices

Prices range anyway from around $20 to well over $100, with average prices of high quality grab bars being between $40 - $130 retail. The basic pricing models indicate that the higher the price, the larger the handle.

One reputable online company that has a wide variety of portable grab bars is Mountainview Medical. They offer several styles of grab bars in prices well below most retail prices.




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