Cleaning a Shower Curtain

If your house has a bathtub with a shower nozzle fixture, chances are that you also have some type of shower curtain. There are two types of curtains made for bathtub-type showers; an inner liner made of either plastic or vinyl to provide privacy and prevent water from getting out of the bathtub, and an outer curtain usually made of cloth to function as a decorative touch. Both are suspended usually from shower curtain hooks held up by railings.

Usually made of vinyl or plastic, inner shower curtain liners take daily abuse, and must be cleaned often to prevent mold and mildew growth. There are several methods for cleaning a shower curtain liner:

Put your shower curtain liner in your clothes-washing machine, and fill the machine with cool water. Do not use hot water if your liner is made of vinyl, as it may melt from the heat. Add a few white towels to balance the load. Add a cup full of regular liquid bleach and enough laundry detergent as if you were washing a large load of laundry. Allow the load to agitate for five minutes, then turn the washer off and allow the load to soak for at least an hour. After an hour, let the load wash in the heavy-duty cycle. At the rinse cycle, add liquid fabric softener, as it will help remove the soap from the vinyl or plastic. When the load is finished, remove the liner from the machine and hang outside to dry, or put it back on the shower curtain rings and allow it to air dry over the bathtub.

If you find that your washing machine may damage your liner, you can soak it in a full bathtub of warm water with a cup full of bleach. Let it soak for at least two hours, then hang it back onto its shower curtain rings to air dry.

Another effective method for cleaning a shower curtain liner is to leave it on its rings and spray it liberally with a mildew cleaner specifically formulated for bathroom use. Read the label carefully to make sure that it will not harm your shower curtain liner, stand inside the bathtub, spray the liner the full length and width, then immediately leave the bathroom after you turn on the ventilation fan if you have one. If you don't, then open a few windows to allow air to circulate and avoid the fumes of the cleaner. Allow the cleaner to work for the time recommended on the product label, and then rinse the liner clean.

Never dry a plastic or vinyl shower curtain in the dryer, as it could melt from the high heat. To prevent growth of mold and mildew, always draw the curtain across the length of the rails to allow it to air dry between showers.