Bathroom politics. No, I don’t mean the election, voting for the Toilet Paper Team or the Plunger Party; I’m talking about the age-old debate of bathtubs versus showers versus shower — bath combos. Think about your shower at home. Do you have a bathtub where you are soaking in your own filth or a shower where you are standing for eternity? Or do you have the all-powerful, amazing combo? Before you shower or bathtub devotees come at me with your pitchforks ablaze, hear me out.

Bathtubs do have a lot of perks. After a long day, you can submerge yourself in their warmth, relaxing your muscles. They are ideal for bathing small children because they are able to fit the hundreds of rubber ducks that are needed for each and every bath. Bathtubs also come in all shapes and sizes, and since they are freestanding, you can put them anywhere your heart desires. The variety of styles gives a lot of options for whatever type of bathroom you want, whether it be modern or with all the colors of the rainbow. 

However, bathtubs have downsides as well. They take up a lot of space and require gallons upon gallons of water. Not so great for your water bill. You need a water heater that is able to fill the whole tub, so you aren’t jumping into a tub of ice, and those can cost up to $8,000. 

Not worth it if you want to go to college. It also takes a lot of time to fill up a bathtub and bathe. Sometimes a quick 5-minute shower is all you can afford when rushing to a crucial meeting or to take the SATs. Now that I’ve shot down all of your bathing dreams, let’s move on to showers.

As many of you know, showers are awesome. They use less water than bathtubs — your water bill says thank you — and they are quick and convenient. They also have pretty small footprints, which are perfect for being able to move around in your bathroom. For people with mobility issues, showers have got your back, sometimes quite literally. They can be equipped with non-slip tiles, grab bars and benches. They also have a super-sleek design and can fit in with many different bathroom styles. 

As you can see, we have a pattern going on. So, here’s why showers are not so awesome. Families despise them because it requires too much effort to bathe their small children and those irreplaceable rubber ducks don’t have any space to float around. The doors need a ton of cleaning to make sure they don’t get lime and calcium stains — which don’t look good by the way. Leaks are also the absolute worst to fix. I won’t go into details, but it involves a lot of gluing, lengthy drying times, and most horrifying of all, leaving you with no way to bathe for a very long time.  

Now, the moment we have all been waiting for … COMBOS. Shower–bath combos are superior for many reasons. They combine all the good things of showers and bathtubs. For example, you can stand and take a shower, or lie down and take a bath. Furthermore, they remove some of the hassles, like cleaning glass shower doors and buying a water heater. They also provide ample space for those precious rubber ducks.

Overall, combos are the best and most efficient out of all the options. I’m not telling you to full-on renovate your bathroom; I’m just saying to consider the benefits and think about the poor rubber ducks. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a shower to take in my slightly–under–the–line shower–bath combo.