Shower Curtains | Cleaning Tips

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Shower curtains are very easy to get dirty; full of soap scum, hard water stains, and stains from your shampoos (not to mention molds, fungus and mildew)... GROSS! This can lead to bad odors and diseases if not properly handled. Most people have plastic or vinyl curtains that can be easily thrown away and replaced, but some people just don't want to spend that money every few months. You could also have fabric shower curtains and you definitely don't want to just toss those because they are more expensive. It is possible to clean your shower curtains, here's a few cleaning tips for your disgusting problem.

• Take down your shower curtains, being sure to remove it from its rings on the curtain rods, and drop it in your washing machine with a cup of baking soda, or laundry detergent. Be sure to wash with warm water. For cloth shower curtains you'll want to follow the washing instructions. When finished washing take it out and hang it up to dry, do not put it in the dryer. The steam from your next shower will iron out the wrinkles for you.
• If you have a plastic shower curtains you can safely add bleach along with your regular laundry soap. Rehang the shower curtain when finished washing.
• Vinegar and soapy water works well with vinyl and plastic shower curtains. For added scrubbing power you can throw in an old towel. Rehang when cleaned.
• It has been suggested that you can cut off the sewn portion on the bottom of the shower curtains as mold tends to collect there the most. However I would think that you'd still have mold growing on the portion that's left, plus it leaves you with ragged edges so you may want to skip that idea.

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Your shower curtains will last longer with proper cleaning. Gentle cycle is usually best, but check the care tag on the curtain itself for the best method. Regular cleaning with help control the mold and mildew.

To remove existing mildew try washing the shower curtains with hot water (lots of soap), rub it with lemon juice and let dry in the sun. Lemon juice may have a bleaching affect so test an area first if you are concerned about bleaching.

Fabric shower curtains are easier to clean and often come with better care and cleaning instructions than plastic shower curtains. They also tend to last a bit longer and aren't quite so bulky in your washing machine.

Hopefully these tips with your shower curtains cleaning project. Haven't cleaned it lately? Get going, that mold is growing!

For more tips on how to get clean curtains/drapes, including beaded curtains, see the other pages of our site.