How to Wash a Shower Curtain

You’d think that a shower curtain would be relatively clean. After all, it’s exposed to water and heat all the time, so you might assume that this combination eradicates dirt and bacteria.

Sadly, this isn’t the case though. And your shower curtain does, in fact, harbour many germs and different kinds of grime that you really need to treat and clean away.

So, how do you wash a shower curtain to get rid of harmful crud once and for all? Keep on reading to find out how to clean a shower curtain.

Do You Really Need to Clean a Shower Curtain?

Yes, you should always clean a shower curtain. In fact, you should wash a shower curtain after you’ve been in the shower with a mild cleaner, and you should clean the curtain properly every month!

Your shower curtain might look okay, but it’s actually housing loads of germs and bacteria! Not to mention the mould and mildew too.

You might not realise how much soap scum is setting up home, how much limescale is gathering on the button of the curtain, or even how smelly it’s getting.

But one thing’s for sure, it’s essential that you wash all the muck away for hygiene reasons. Plus, giving your curtain a quick spruce up will release some new life back into it, and it can really brighten up a bathroom.

Things to Know Before Washing a Shower Curtain

Here are a few points to keep in mind when cleaning a shower curtain:

Always test your chosen cleaning method out before you go ahead and clean your shower curtain.
There are different kinds of shower curtains, so find out what curtain you have at home – fabric with a liner or a plastic one.
You may have to repeat, or try a combination of cleaning methods below if you’ve got an extra dirty shower curtain. But you never mix any products mentioned below with bleach!
You don’t need to use fabric softener when cleaning a shower curtain.
You’ve got to make a habit of cleaning your shower curtain regularly – it’s a lot dirtier than you probably think.
You should not dry a shower curtain in a tumble dryer – air drying is all that’s needed and it also helps to keep the shape of the curtain too.
If you’ve got a shower curtain with a liner, you should remove and clean the liner, as well as the fabric curtain.
Being gentle is key when it comes to washing shower curtains.
If you’re worried about cleaning your shower curtain in the washing machine, just wash it by hand.
Pre-treating a shower curtain before washing it for real is a very good idea, even though it’s not essential.

Step-by-Step Guide to Washing a Shower Curtain

Follow the steps below and you’ll have a clean shower curtain in no time at all.

Step 1: Pre-treat the shower curtain

If you want to give your shower curtain an extra thorough clean, the best way to do this is to pre-treat the curtain before washing it.

To pre-treat a shower curtain, you need to:

Remove the shower curtain off the hooks.
Read the care label on the curtain to see how it should be washed.
Dab a small amount of diluted white vinegar on a discreet patch of curtain to see if the vinegar negatively impacts the material. If all is well after this patch test, continue.
Fill a bathtub or bucket with warm water (not too hot).
Add a cup of white vinegar to the water.
Pop the curtain into the water.
Leave it to rest in the water for an hour.
Drain the water away.
Rinse the shower curtain under lukewarm water.
Launder as usual.

The acidic nature of vinegar can often loosen up toughened grime, although it isn’t the nicest smelling product in the world!

Step 2: Washing the shower curtain

There are different approaches to cleaning a shower curtain: you can clean it in a washing machine or you can hand wash it.

You can also clean a shower curtain in many different ways using these approaches too.

So, pick the method(s) that suits you and the material you’re working with best. Some methods are easier than others, and some methods will take longer to complete.

Method 1: Washing a shower curtain in a washing machine

You can clean a shower curtain in a washing machine in various ways, and you can find out what these are below (Methods A to D are suitable for fabric and plastic shower curtains, unless stated differently):

Tip: Always do a spot test with the product you intend on using to clean your shower curtain.

Method A: Using a washing machine and some detergent to clean a shower curtain

Remove your shower curtain from its curtain rail.
Read the tag on your shower curtain – this will tell you exactly how to wash the item.
If the tag says that you can machine wash the item, continue with this method.
Remove the curtain liner and pop it to one side.
Add the shower curtain to the washing machine’s drum.
Add two clean towels to the drum too – they will aid the cleaning process and provide the friction needed to clean the shower curtain.
Add a biological detergent to the washing machine – follow dose on pack.
Set the machine up to do a gentle wash.
Pick a temperature that is no more than 30℃ for the cycle.
Start the cycle.
When the cycle has ended, inspect the shower curtain. If the curtain is clean, shake the curtain and hang it back up to dry naturally.

Method B: Using bicarbonate of soda to clean a shower curtain in the washing machine

If you’d like to use bicarbonate of soda to clean your shower curtain in the washing machine, simply follow the steps above in Method A, but add half a cup of bicarb to the wash as well.

Method C: Using white vinegar to clean a shower curtain in the washing machine

If you’d like to use white vinegar to clean your shower curtain in the washing machine, simply follow the steps above in Method A, but add half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

Method D: Using bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar to clean a shower curtain in the washing machine

If you’d like to use bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar to clean your shower curtain in the washing machine, follow the steps above in Method A, but add half a cup of bicarb to the wash and half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.

This will give your shower curtain a thorough clean.

Tip: If you’re concerned about washing your shower curtain in a washing machine just skip to the hand washing method below.

Method 2: Washing a shower curtain by hand

There are several different ways you can wash a shower curtain by hand, and these include (Methods A to D are suitable for fabric and plastic shower curtains, unless stated differently):

Tip: Always do a spot test with the product you intend on using to clean your shower curtain.

Method A: Soaking a shower curtain in biological detergent to clean it by hand

Remove the shower curtain from its hooks.
Read the care label on the curtain to see how it should be washed.
Dab a small amount of biological detergent on a discreet patch of curtain to see if the product reacts badly with the material. If all is well after this patch test, continue.
Fill a bathtub or bucket with warm water (not boiling).
Add a measure of detergent (see back of bottle) – this will work best if you use liquid or powdered detergent.
Pop the shower curtain into the water.
Leave it to rest in the water for an hour or so.
You can massage the shower curtain gently as it rests in the water – this will help to spread the detergent around.
Drain the water away.
Rinse the shower curtain under lukewarm water – get rid of the suds.
Shake the shower curtain.
Hang the curtain back up to dry naturally.

Method B: Using bicarbonate of soda to clean a shower curtain by hand

Pull your shower curtain down from the rail and pop it in the bath/large tub.
Grab a microfibre cloth and soak it in some warm water.
Squeeze excess liquid out of the cloth, so it’s damp.
Sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over the microfibre cloth.
Start wiping down the entire shower curtain with the bicarb.
You will need to swill the cloth and apple more bicarb throughout this process and it may take you some time to do.
You will need to rinse the curtain down once you’ve finished the cleaning.
You’ll then have to check to see if you’ve missed any dirty bits and repeat the process above again.
Continue to do this until the shower curtain is clean.
Remember to rinse all the excess product off before replacing the curtain on its rail.
Allow the shower curtain to air dry naturally.

Tip: It might be worth using a soft, old toothbrush to help get rid of dirty patches.

Method C: Soaking a shower curtain in white vinegar to wash it by hand

Remove the shower curtain from its hooks.
Read the care label on the curtain to see how it should be washed.
Dab a small amount of diluted white vinegar on a discreet patch of curtain to see if the vinegar negatively impacts the material. If all is well after this patch test, continue.
Fill a bathtub or bucket with warm water (not too hot).
Add a cup of white vinegar to the water.
Pop the curtain into the water.
Leave it to rest in the water for an hour.
Drain the water away.
Rinse the shower curtain under lukewarm water.
Shake the shower curtain.
Hang the curtain back up to dry naturally.

Method D: Bleaching a shower curtain to clean it by hand

Tip: There is always a chance that bleach will cause desolation, so use this method with caution.

Pick an oxygen bleach for the job and make sure it’s a colour safe one too.
Pop your gloves on before you start working with this product.
Dilute a small measure of bleach in a cup, and perform a patch test on your shower curtain. Continue, if all works out ok.
Fill a large tub with water – a bath would do the trick.
Add a measure of bleach – check the bottle for exact measurements and remember that bleach has to be diluted before you use it!
Pop your shower curtain in the water.
Allow the curtain to rest in the water for five minutes at a time.
You need to keep a close eye on your shower curtain throughout this entire process.
Keep repeating Steps 7 and 8 for up to half an hour.
Rinse the shower curtain off, shake the water off it and replace it on its hooks.

Step 3: Cleaning the shower rings and rail

Although cleaning your shower curtain will transform your bathroom, your job isn’t quite at an end yet! You also need to clean your shower rings – the ones that keep the shower curtain on the rail – and the rail itself (if you can get to it).

You can clean the rings by dropping them into some warm water and wiping them down with a cloth. Some people like to add some white vinegar to this warm water too, but this depends on the material you’re cleaning.

You can also clean the rail by wiping it with a warm cloth.

How to Get Rid of Mould and Mildew on Shower Curtains

Mould and mildew are going to be visiting your shower curtain on a regular basis, so you need to manage the situation before it gets out of hand.

You can keep mould and mildew at bay by treating the shower curtain with a specialised cleaner on a monthly basis.

You also need to make sure that the shower curtain is getting enough ventilation, so you limit the chance of mould and mildew reappearing.

In addition to this, you need to keep an eye out for any mould or mildew spots on your shower curtain, and you should re-treat your curtain as soon as possible to limit the spread of the problem.

What to Do if Your Shower Curtain Still Looks Dirty After Cleaning It

It’s not uncommon for people to spend a lot of time and effort cleaning a shower curtain, only to find out that it would be better all round to replace it.

If you’ve not seen the desired end result after trying the methods listed above out, you should accept defeat, and consider buying a new shower curtain.

If you’ve followed the methods above and you’ve tried to clean your shower curtain, but it doesn’t look any cleaner, then it’s probably time to get a new shower curtain.

You should look at replacing a shower curtain liner every six months regardless. And plastic curtains only last a few months at a time, if they aren’t kept clean.

But luckily you can pick up shower curtains in places like Asda, Dunelm, The Range and Tesco. And they’ve usually got different styles in stock, so you can pick a pattern that you like, and they won’t cost too much.

How Do You Keep a Shower Curtain Clean?

Here are a few ideas to help you keep your shower curtain clean:

You have to make a habit of cleaning and maintaining your shower curtain.
You have to treat mildew spots as soon as they appear and to prevent them from returning.
Daily cleaning will prevent large build ups from forming and will make the cleaning easier for you.
Spray your curtain with a water and white vinegar mix after every use to keep the bacteria at bay.
Ensure that the bathroom is well ventilated – use the extractor fan and open a window after you’ve used the shower.
If you don’t like looking after a shower curtain, you could invest in a shower door, which might be easier for you to maintain.

FAQs on Cleaning Shower Curtains

How often do you need to wash a shower curtain?

At a minimum you should wash your shower curtain every month.

Although, you should spray your curtain with a water and white vinegar mix after every use to keep the dirt away!

How can you tell if a shower curtain is machine washable?

There should be a care label on a shower curtain that advises you on how to wash and maintain the item. However, if you can’t see a tag that tells you what to do, you should err on the side of caution and wash your shower curtain by hand.

This will prevent any mishaps from happening!

Can you wash a shower curtain at 60℃?

This is not advisable because the temperature is too high for a shower curtain, and it could cause the plastic to melt.

A temperature of 30℃ or lower is ideal for shower curtains.

How do you wash polyester shower curtains?

Polyester shower curtains should be cleaned on a low temperature and should not come into contact with chlorine bleach. This kind of bleach can cause irreparable damage to the curtain.

Follow the in-depth steps in the guide above to clean a shower curtain made from polyester.

Bethan

Bethan has a passion for exploring, reading, cooking and gardening! When she’s not creating culinary delights for her family, she’s concocting potions to keep her house clean!