AquaRug shower rugs
CPSC Recall #16-084 — January 28, 2016
Recall Summary
| Recall Number | 16-084 |
| Recall Date | January 28, 2016 |
| Remedy Type | Replace |
| Units Affected | About 1.4 million (in addition 70,000 rugs were sold in Canada) |
| Importer | Tristar Products Inc., of Fairfield, N.J. |
| Manufactured In | China |
Where It Was Sold
| Bed Bath & Beyond |
| Dollar General and other retail stores nationwide |
| online at Amazon.com and BuyAquaRug.com |
| by Tristar through direct response television commercials |
| and through a live television show on QVC |
| from July 2012 to September 2015 for between $18 and $28. |
Product
AquaRug shower rugs
Description
The four suction cups on the underside of the rugs can fail to prevent slipping, posing a fall hazard to the user.
Hazard
The four suction cups on the underside of the rugs can fail to prevent slipping, posing a fall hazard to the user.
Incidents & Injuries
Tristar has received 60 reports of consumers falling in the shower or bathtub while on the recalled four suction cup rugs, including 30 reports of injuries such as bruises, cuts, and fractured or broken bones.
Remedy Instructions
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled shower rugs and contact Tristar for instructions on how to dispose of the rugs and to obtain a free replacement rug.
What Should You Do?
Stop using this product immediately. Contact the manufacturer for a Replace at no charge. If you experienced an injury, report it at SaferProducts.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the consumer action instructions in the recall notice above. Most recalls require you to stop using the product and contact the manufacturer directly — either by calling the toll-free number listed in the official CPSC notice or by visiting the manufacturer's website. You generally do not need a receipt or original packaging to claim a remedy. The manufacturer is legally required to provide the remedy (Replace) at no cost to you.
Furniture tip-overs are a leading cause of pediatric injuries in the U.S., particularly dressers, bookcases, and television stands. CPSC data shows that a child dies approximately every two weeks from a furniture or TV tip-over. Unstable high chairs, baby swings, and bouncers are also frequent recall subjects due to fall risks. ASTM International standards now require that certain furniture must meet tip-over resistance standards, and CPSC has been actively pursuing mandatory requirements for dressers and chests. If you have furniture that was not recalled but feels unstable, wall-anchoring kits are widely available at hardware stores.
In most cases, no. CPSC-coordinated recall remedies are designed to be accessible without proof of purchase. Manufacturers typically ask consumers to self-certify ownership and may ask for photos of the product or its serial number. Some manufacturers request that you mail in a portion of the product (such as a cut cord or removed component) as proof of disposal. Check the specific remedy instructions for this recall for exact requirements. If you registered your product at the time of purchase, the process is usually even simpler.
If the original manufacturer has gone out of business, the recall remedy may no longer be available through them. In this case, contact CPSC directly at 1-800-638-2772 or cpsc.gov for guidance. If the brand was acquired by another company, the acquiring company may have assumed recall obligations. In some cases where a remedy is unavailable, CPSC advises consumers to safely dispose of the product. If you were injured by the product of a defunct company, consult a product liability attorney — parent companies, distributors, and retailers may still bear liability in some circumstances.