If washing by hand, soak the curtain in your bathtub and scrub with a soft brush and soap until clean. Or, toss your curtain in the washer on a gentle cycle with mild detergent and a few towels.
Also, Mock advises that it's best to machine-wash the curtain/liner with a towel or two, which helps to balance the load and can also rub against the liner to help remove dirt and debris. Yes. You should plan to machine-wash your shower curtain about once a month to keep it mildew-free.
Shower Curtain Liner
If your liner has magnets, it's still okay to put it in the washer.
Place your shower curtain and liner in the washing machine, along with a towel and baking soda. Run a regular cleaning cycle. "Throw [them] in the machine with ½ cup of baking soda and a towel or two.
Lay the curtain in the bathtub and dampen it with water. Sprinkle on the baking soda and/or apply a teaspoon of dish soap or a tablespoon of laundry detergent. Then, scrub the curtain with your cloth, sponge or brush. Rinse and repeat as needed.
Please do not wash the shower curtain magnets in a washing machine or dryer, Magnets are sensitive to heat and can demagnetize with excessive heat.
Many times, shower curtain liners are already sold with magnets sewn into them. If yours doesn't, however, you can always use magnets to pin the curtain to the tub while you're showering. Be sure to check if your tub is made from metal, however. If it's made from plastic or fiberglass, magnets won't work.
Close your curtain to keep it fresher, longer. Resist the urge to toss your shower curtain when it becomes grimey. Clean it without lifting a scrub brush by tossing it in the washing machine.
The best practice is to wash towels after every use, says Kelly Reynolds, PhD, a professor at the University of Arizona Zuckerman College of Public Health in Tucson, but you can stretch them to two to three uses — max — as long as you fully dry them out in between.
First, mix one part white vinegar to four parts water in a spray bottle. Close the shower curtain so it extends the full length of the tub or stall, and, on the tub-side, spray with the vinegar and water solution. The vinegar will work to break down soap scum and mold.
Using vinegar in laundry is simple. You can add it to the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine or pour it in during the final rinse cycle. When adding vinegar towards the end of the cycle, manually pause your machine right before the final rinse cycle and add a 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to the load.
Shower Curtains & Shower Curtain Liners: Every 6 Months
If you have a plastic shower curtain liner, it's easy to see when mold, mildew, or other buildup has accumulated. You can wash it with a diluted bleach solution and a sponge, throw it in the washing machine (hang to dry), or just toss it and purchase a new one.
Use a capful of Signature Detergent and spin on a normal setting with warm to cool water. Avoid using a hot water setting if possible. Shake it out, then hang your curtain to dry. Never put it in the dryer, as this may cause the curtain to become misshapen or melted.
If you're concerned about your washing machine having magnets clanking around inside, you can always hand wash your shower curtain instead. However unless otherwise stated on the label, plastic shower curtains with magnets are safe to machine wash.
Underwire bras, belt buckles, and metal buttons might damage the machine or other items in the load. So make sure you remove the metal pieces or put items with them in a mesh laundry bag or pillow case.
Mildew has a gray, white or light brown color and generally rests flat on the surface of a moist area. It has a powdery appearance that may have a distinct, foul odor. Mold has a fuzzy, raised appearance and in unaired areas has a strong, musty smell. It often appears in darker shades of black, green and red.
Over time, bath and shower curtains can become dirty due to mould, mildew and a build-up of soap scum. Shower curtains can easily be washed and refreshed, either by hand or in the washing machine.
Is the bottom of your shower curtain pink or black, even though those are not in the color scheme of your bathroom decor? That's mold—and it's both unsightly and unhealthy to have around. While the easiest way to take care of the problem is to simply throw away the liner or shower curtain, you can salvage them.
Baking soda and vinegar are best used to remove stains. To keep your vinyl or plastic shower curtain clean in between washes, make sure to keep it spread out, which allows it to dry properly. This helps prevent the growth of mold and mildew.
Summary: The best methods for cleaning a plastic shower curtain are using a washing machine or handwashing. For the washing machine, use gentle laundry detergent on a delicate cycle. For handwashing, use baking soda with sprinkles of water and scrub the whole thing down outside or in a large tub.
You can use a regular vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment, as the sturdier fabric can withstand it. Make sure to cover the entire surface of the drapes thoroughly. Lint rolling. After vacuuming, use a lint roller or brush to remove any remaining tiny fibres or lint particles from the drapes.