We know it’s necessary to scrub down your shower, toilet, and sink every few weeks. But many homeowners overlook one essential area during bathroom cleaning: the shower curtain and liner.
Your shower curtain and liner should be cleaned once every one to three months. Without a proper wash, your curtains become a hotspot for mold, mildew, and unidentified slime.
Continue reading to learn how to clean a shower curtain so you can keep your bathroom in tip-top shape.
A Clean Curtain Keeps the Mold Away
If you don’t give your shower curtain its own shower regularly, you’ll notice some funky smells and buildup. Mold, grim, and mildew thrive in wet and damp areas. Without a thorough scrub, your shower curtain will become home to fungi that aren’t healthy to live with.
You can visibly see mold and mildew growing on your shower curtain, but you might smell them first. They create a musty and dirty smell because of the accumulated moisture from your shower curtain.
Besides being smelly and unpleasant to look at, mold and mildew aren’t healthy for you to breathe in every day. Keep them away by regularly scrubbing down your shower curtain.
How to Clean a Shower Curtain
Washing your shower curtain is an essential part of a clean bathroom. Looking at your shower curtain, it may appear tricky and difficult to clean. But trust us, it’s not.
We’ve listed two of our favorite methods for keeping your shower liner as clean as can be. Check them out below and give them a go.
Give Your Liner a Bath
If you keep up with regular shower curtain cleanings, you can clean your curtain without removing it from your bathroom. For more intense scrubbing, you may need to rely on our next method.
To clean your shower curtain and liner using your hands, you’ll need:
- Three damp washcloths
- Baking soda
- Warm water
First, grab one of your damp washcloths. Sprinkle baking soda over it, so there is a light layer throughout the fabric. Lightly scrub your cloth over your shower curtain to remove top layers of grime, dirt, and build up.
Next, get your second cloth. Rinse it with warm water. Scrub your shower curtain to remove the baking soda and any extra grime and buildup.
Now that all the top layers of dirt are gone, focus on the tough stains, mold, and mildew. Dip your cloth in warm water and add more baking soda. Scrub on any lingering spots on your shower curtain.
Finally, grab your third washcloth and rinse it in warm water. Wash your shower curtain one final time to remove any leftover baking soda or residue. Once you’re done, have a crystal clear shower curtain.
Repeat these steps to clean your shower liner. We recommend using baking soda because it is a natural, environmentally friendly cleaner. Bleach and store-bought chemicals can cause discoloration and damage your shower curtain and liner.
Let Your Washer Do the Work
For those of us who have delayed washing our shower curtains and liners, leave the cleaning to the machine. Your washer can get your shower curtain and liner brighter and cleaner than ever.
First things first, remove your shower rings. Start with the shower curtain and place it in your washing machine. Add a couple of white towels to the load for better cleaning results.
Put in your recommended amount of laundry detergent. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the washing machine. Wash in warm or hot water at the highest level your machine tolerates.
Once your machine reaches its rinse cycle, add one cup of distilled white vinegar. The extra acidity from the vinegar counteracts any lingering buildup on your shower curtains. It will dissolve scum and stubborn stains that haven’t been removed during the wash cycle.
Resume washing and let the machine finish its entire cycle. Once finished, hang your shower curtain to dry. Now it’s time for your shower liner. Your liner is more delicate than the shower curtain, and therefore needs to be washed separately.
Place your liner in your washing machine with an added bath towel. Add the amount of detergent for a small load.
Run your machine on a gentle setting so your liner does not get damaged. Hang your liner to dry afterward. Do not put your shower curtain or liner in your dryer.
The Most Essential Part of Cleaning Your Shower Curtain
What is the most important step of the shower curtain and liner cleaning process? Drying your materials.
Moisture causes buildup from mold and unpleasant smells. After you have thoroughly scrubbed down your shower curtain and liner, you must let it dry and stay dry. All of your hard work will be for nothing if your curtain remains damp.
We recommend spreading your shower curtain and liner open as much as possible. Bunching it up traps moisture and prevents your curtain from fully drying. Mold and mildew love a moist environment, and before you know it, your beautiful curtain will become overridden with grime and slime.
Don’t Be Afraid to Replace
A reliable shower curtain can last one to five years, depending on the care you give it. Ideally, you should be cleaning your shower curtain once a month.
Keep in mind the more often you clean it, the less time and effort each cleaning will take. The longer you let your shower curtain and liner go, the heftier cleanup you must put in. Sometimes the damages are so severe that it calls for a brand new set of supplies.
Shop Our Supplies
Now that you know how to clean a shower curtain, how are the rest of your bathroom essentials? When it comes to bathroom needs, we have just what you’re looking for.
From plush bathrobes to our signature Turkish towels, check out our complete selection here. We want you to have the most comfortable and clean bathroom in your neighborhood.