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Headrest and pillow suction cups: attaching them securely and getting replacements

Updated September 2026

▶Glossary7
  1. Which Accessory Attaches Where
  2. Getting a Strong Hold
  3. If a Cup Will Not Hold or Is Missing
  4. Choosing the Right Pillow for Your Setup
  5. Watch: The Pillows and Head Supports on Video
  6. Related Guides
  7. Common Questions

Ella bath pillows, headrests, wall cushions and seat risers attach with pillow suction cups, so no drilling or adhesive is ever needed on your tub, and the cups themselves are simple wear items that the team replaces from a photo. A cup holds only on a clean, flat, smooth surface, which is why a pillow that keeps sliding is nearly always a placement or cleaning issue rather than a defect. This article covers how each accessory is meant to attach, how to get a strong hold, and how to get replacement suction cups through a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support.

Which Accessory Attaches Where

Walk-In Tub Accessories to Enhance Your Experience
Chapters in this video
  1. 0:00 Extension and End Panels Ella's Bubbles walk-in tubs come with extension and end panels for flexible installation in various bathroom layouts.
  2. 0:49 Four-Fold Glass Screen A four-fold glass screen offers a convenient and elegant alternative to a shower curtain, folding away when not in use.
  3. 1:27 Flexible Tile Flange and Wall Tiles The flexible tile flange creates a watertight seal, and groutless wall tiles provide a maintenance-free finish for your tub area.
  4. 2:40 Fast Fill Faucets and Rain Head Fast fill faucets quickly fill the tub, and a 10-inch rain head shower kit adds a luxurious showering experience.
  5. 4:24 Hand Shower Sliding Bar A 24-inch hand shower sliding bar with leak protection offers adjustable height and pivoting for comfortable showering.
  6. 5:17 Safety and Comfort Accessories Seat belts, wall pillows, headrests, and seat cushions provide enhanced safety and comfort during bathing.

The accessories overview above runs through the comfort items near the end: the wall pillow, the headrest with its L-bracket, and the cutout and non-cutout seat cushions, alongside the panels, screens and shower column covered elsewhere. Watch: Walk-In Tub Accessories to Enhance Your Experience with chapters and a full transcript.

AccessoryHow it attaches
Head and neck support pillowFits securely on the tub extension panel, or directly to the wall with suction cups
Soft bathtub wall pillowAttaches to the wall with suction cups for back support and comfort
Large headrest with neck supportAttaches to an extension panel using an L bracket with suction cups; the bracket ships with the headrest
Seat pillow and riser, cutout styleSits on the seat on suction cups; the cutout allows air or bidet jets to flow unrestricted
Seat pillow and riser, standard styleAttaches the same way and provides added height and support
Removable rubber back restTwo suction cups on the tub wall behind the seat

Which seat cushions and risers fit which tubs, and how the swivel tray mounts, is covered in swivel tray, seat pillow riser and seat cushions.

Gray Ella walk-in tub seat pillow and riser measured with a tape at 20.5 inches wide, showing its suction cup straps
The seat pillow and riser: about 20.5 inches wide, held to the seat by suction cups on straps.

Getting a Strong Hold

  1. Choose a smooth, non-porous spot: the acrylic tub surface, the extension panel, or smooth wall tile. Suction cups do not grip well on textured areas, grout lines, the seat edge or over a jet.
  2. Clean the surface and the cups first with soap and water, then dry them. Any soap film, oil or debris weakens the grip.
  3. Press each cup flat against the surface until the air is pushed out, then give the accessory a gentle tug to confirm it holds.
  4. Reseat the cups from time to time, especially after cleaning the tub, since cleaners can leave a film where the cups sit. The cleaning routine itself is in common maintenance questions.
White removable rubber back rest cushion with two suction cups for an Ella walk-in tub
The removable rubber back rest: two suction cups, pressed flat onto clean acrylic.

If a Cup Will Not Hold or Is Missing

Suction cups are wear items and they are easy to replace. If your pillow or headrest arrived without its suction cups, arrived with the wrong style, or a cup has stretched and no longer grips, open a ticket with a photo of the accessory and the cup mount, and we will send the correct replacement. The removable head support ships with its mounting hardware included, so if anything was missing from the box we will make it right. Seat cushion cups that pop out of their tab holes are handled the same way: a photo of the cushion and the cup, and replacements ship. Ordering steps are in how to order replacement parts, and if a replacement has not arrived, see where is my replacement part?

Choosing the Right Pillow for Your Setup

If the back of your tub is not against a wall, the large removable headrest on the deck or wall is usually the better fit than the standard wall-mounted pillow. You can browse all current pillows, cushions and headrests at ellasbubbles.com/walk-in-tubs/accessories, and accessories such as seat pillows and headrest pillows can be added after your tub purchase at any time; what can and cannot be customized lists the add-ons that fit an installed tub.

Watch: The Pillows and Head Supports on Video

Compact Head Pillow with Secure Suction Cups
A short look at the compact head pillow and how its suction cups seat against the tub or wall. Watch: Compact Head Pillow with Secure Suction Cups for Walk-In Tubs on its own page.
Ella's Bubbles Wall Pillow
The soft wall pillow in place on the wall behind the seat, giving back and neck support. Watch: Ellau2019s Bubbles Wall Pillow: The Perfect Support for a Comfortable Bath on its own page.
Comfort & Safety Accessories: Head Support and Pillows

The comfort and safety accessories together: the head support with its bracket, the wall pillow and the seat cushions, shown on the tub. Watch: Comfort & Safety Accessories: Head Support and Pillows for Walk-In Tubs on its own page.

Common Questions

The suction cups will not hold. What am I doing wrong?
Usually nothing at all. The most common causes are a film of soap, oil or cleaner on the surface or the cups, or cups placed over a jet, a texture line, a grout line or the seat edge. Clean both with soap and water, dry them, and press each cup flat on a smooth section of the shell. If a cup has stretched and no longer grips even on a clean surface, open a ticket with a photo and the team will send a replacement.
The suction cups keep coming out of the seat cushion tab holes.
Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with a photo of the cushion and the cups, and the team will send the correct replacements. Suction cups are wear items, so this is a simple fix rather than a defect in the cushion. Until the new cups arrive, keep the cushion off the seat rather than risking a slide.
My headrest arrived without the L-bracket. Is it sold separately?
The L-bracket ships with the large headrest, and the removable head support ships with its mounting hardware included. If the bracket was missing from the box, open a ticket with a photo of what you received and the team will send it. If you only need a bracket for a headrest you already own, the team can supply that as well.
The back of my tub is not against a wall. Which pillow works?
The large removable headrest, since it mounts to the deck or the extension panel with its L-bracket and suction cups rather than needing a wall behind the tub. The standard wall-mounted pillow relies on a smooth wall surface for its cups. The team can confirm the right one for your model.
Can I add a pillow or seat cushion to a tub that is already installed?
Yes. Pillows, headrests, seat cushions and risers attach with suction cups, so they can be added at any time after installation without drilling or adhesive. Our article on what can and cannot be customized lists the add-ons that fit an installed tub.
Will the pillow damage the acrylic?
No. Suction cups leave no mark on acrylic when the surface is kept clean. Never use adhesive or drill the tub to hold an accessory, since alterations to the tub can affect your warranty coverage. Reseat the cups from time to time, especially after cleaning, so they keep gripping without being forced.
Do you make a seat belt or harness?
A seat belt bracket is available, but it mounts below the seat with drilled fasteners rather than with suction cups or glue, so fitting it is an installer job rather than a simple add-on. Open a ticket with your model and serial number and describe the bather's needs, and the team will confirm fit for your tub and what the installation involves.
Can I return an accessory that does not suit me?
Accessory returns follow the published shipping and returns page at ellasbubbles.com/shipping/, which applies to brand new, uninstalled items in their original packaging within the stated window. Returns must be authorized before anything is sent back, so open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your order number first and wait for authorization. If you purchased the accessory through a dealer or retailer, that seller's return policy applies.

Still need help? Open a ticket at ellasbubbles.com/support with your serial number, or call (800) 480-6850, and our technical support team will be glad to walk you through it, including by live video.

About this guide. Answers in the Ella’s Bubbles Support Center are compiled from real conversations with tub owners, our technicians’ notes and the product documentation, then reviewed by our team. Tub models and options have evolved over the years, so a detail here may differ slightly from your exact tub. If something looks different on yours, send us your serial number and a specialist will confirm it for your model.

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