How to Clean a Shower Curtain

Irrespective of the type of shower curtain you own, be it vinyl, plastic, or fabric, they all tend to collect a film of soap scum along with body oils after a certain period of time. This scum needs to be dealt with on a regular basis. In fact, there is nothing grosser than a shower curtain that has not been cleaned for a long time.

Besides scum, even mildew makes its presence around the edges of the curtain. Some people do not bother to clean their curtains, instead discard them once they're quite unsightly. Shower curtains may not be very expensive, but throwing them away is certainly under-utilizing them.

Washing a shower curtain is not rocket science and takes only about 5-10 minutes of your time. Let's take a look at how it is done.

Remove the curtain and all the rings from the shower.

Dump the curtain into the washing machine with 2 or 3 large towels. These towels are necessary as they act as scrubbers during the wash cycle. Add half a cup of detergent, half a cup of baking soda, and cold water, and wash the curtain on a gentle cycle.

Using hot water to wash the curtain may conduce to melting of the curtain, so it's best to stick to cold water. Add a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

As soon as the curtain has been washed and rinsed, quickly hang them in a ventilated area where it can air-dry. You could also hang it back onto the curtain rod to dry. Never put these curtains in the dryer, because they will melt.

It does not matter if the curtain appears a little wrinkled after the wash. This will be taken care of by the steam from your regular shower use.

To clean the curtain rings, fill a bucket or tub with hot water and add some liquid soap to it. Scrub the rings clean with a sponge and rinse them out in tap water. Use a brush to scrub off stubborn stains.

Once both the curtain and the rings have been washed, it's time to replace them.

Removing mildew stains may seem difficult and cumbersome, but getting rid of them is not that complicated. To deal with the mildew, you will need a spray bottle filled with liquid bleach (do not dilute it).

Next, place some old towels on the floor by the side of the tub and spread your shower curtain on it. Now, spray the bleach on the stains and leave it for half an hour. Then, rinse the bleach off with hot water until all the bleach comes off.

To prevent mildew from attacking your shower curtain, stretch out the curtain after each shower. To keep a new curtain from contracting mildew stains, spray a disinfectant onto it. Moreover, to minimize soap scum collection on the lower half of the curtain, just rub a little baby oil onto it.

If you want to keep your new shower curtain looking fresh for longer, just hang it with the old curtain, on the same rings. This way the beating taken from the soapy water is encountered only by the old curtain, while the outer new curtain maintains the new look for a longer time.

Since you now know how to clean them, you do not need to throw them away after a short while. Wash them, hang them up, and use them till they rip apart!