The bath mat by the toilet is one of the six stops on the night route, and it is the stop most people stop looking at. A rubber-backed mat grips the floor by friction and suction. That grip wears down with washing, drying, soap film, and water that has been left on the floor. The mat can look fine and still slide, so the check has to be done with your hands and eyes, on a schedule.
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Each week: the lift and slide check
Look at each corner and edge of the mat. Note any curl, cup, crack in the backing, torn corner, or area that no longer lies flat. Then press each corner down with your palm and watch whether it springs back up. Next, place one foot on the mat at the spot she steps from, and push gently sideways. If the mat moves, mark that stop on your card and treat it as a failing mat until it is cleaned or replaced.
Check the floor under and around the mat too. Wet spots, soap film, or water pooled near the toilet make any mat less safe. Wiping the floor dry is part of the job, not an extra. Public guidance on slips in the home lists wet floors and loose surface coverings among the common hazards, and you can find the public sources on the sources page.
Each wash: keep the backing working
Wash the mat in plain warm water with a mild cleaner. Rinse until no soap remains, because soap residue is what makes the backing slick. Check the care label before you use anything stronger than mild soap. Do not use solvents or harsh cleaners on the backing unless the label allows them.
Dry the mat flat, backing side down on a clean towel or a rack, and let it dry fully before it goes back on the floor. Put it back only on a dry floor. Damp backing on a damp floor is the combination that lets a mat slide under a step.
Replace it when any of these is true
Replace the mat when the backing has cracked or flaked, when an edge will not lie flat after it has dried, or when it slides under a light sideways push. A mat that fails one of these checks is no longer doing its job on the route. Do not try to re-glue or patch a mat unless the maker's instructions say that is allowed.
When you buy a replacement, check that its size fits the same spot without overhanging the tub edge or the toilet base, and that it lies flat on your floor before you rely on it. Bring the old mat's measurements to the store or write them down before you order.
Write down the routine
On the card in the drawer, record the weekly check day, who does the lift and slide test, who does the washing, what the replacement rule is, and where the spare mat is kept. A mat that is checked on a fixed day is much less likely to be the stop that surprises someone at 3am.