Prevent mildew by keeping the curtain spread out after every shower to air dry. Once a month, deep clean the liner in your washing machine on a warm setting using a cup of white vinegar, then hang it immediately to drip dry.
Your shower curtain gets moldy because it is frequently wet, exposed to lingering humidity, and coated with nutrients like soap scum and body oils. When trapped in the dark and steamy environment of a bathroom, mold spores thrive and multiply quickly.
Leaving your shower curtain open can help prevent moisture from getting trapped, which would encourage mold and mildew to take hold, says Mock. “Keeping your shower curtain open allows air to flow around the curtain, reducing the chances of these issues developing,” she explains.
To kill mold on a shower curtain, machine wash the curtain on a hot cycle with 111 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Afterward, hang the curtain back up to drip dry. Never place a plastic liner in the dryer, as the heat can melt it.
You should plan to machine-wash your shower curtain about once a month to keep it mildew-free. Be sure to double check the care tag on your curtain to make sure you clean it properly.
Hotels often use detergents made of hotel sheets and towels. These detergents are mild and light enough for use on shower curtains.
Indeed, if you spot any new stains on the liner or curtain, it's ready for a trip to the trash bin. “You'll see when it gets really discolored or moldy,” says Dulude. “Then you'll know it's time for a new liner.”
You don't necessarily need to change out plastic shower curtains or liners when they become grimy. As we've discussed, OxiClean™ bathroom cleaners can help you remove soap scum, or stains from hard water or mold and mildew.
Vinegar is the better choice for killing mold. While bleach removes surface stains, its chemical structure prevents it from penetrating porous surfaces like wood and drywall, leaving the roots intact. Vinegar penetrates these materials, killing mold at its roots.
Yes, it is perfectly fine to wash most moldy fabric, plastic, or vinyl shower curtains in the washing machine. Use a delicate cycle with warm water, standard detergent, and 1 cup of white vinegar or baking soda to kill mold and remove stains. Always hang it back up to air dry rather than using the dryer.
Black mold is dangerous because it produces mycotoxins. These toxins can negatively affect human health: Respiratory problems: Mold spores can trigger asthma attacks, chronic coughing, wheezing, and even shortness of breath.
The soap and hard water also builds up over time. It is recommended that you keep the curtain closed after use so that they dry faster. You can also run the vent for 15 minutes or so to get the humidity out of air.
Opening a window following a shower might appear beneficial, but it can actually disrupt the circulation generated by extractor fans and bring in chilly air that speeds up condensation formation. This results in additional moisture accumulating on surfaces, precisely what mould requires to flourish.
Mildew: The Lesser Evil, But Still a Nuisance
It thrives in warm, moist environments but is generally easier to clean than black mold. While mildew isn't typically as dangerous as black mold, it can still trigger health problems, especially for individuals sensitive to allergens.
Preventing Shower Curtain Mold
Spreading the curtain out fully instead of leaving it bunched together helps moisture evaporate more quickly rather than getting trapped in the folds. Ventilation also helps.
Microorganism growths will permanently stain a fabric. The resulting damage will remain as a darkened area and only radical treatment procedures inappropriate for a historic textile will visually diminish such stains. Once a microorganism population is established, it alters the pH of the cloth.
If you discover mold on your liner or curtain, don't panic.
First, soak it in a large sink or basin filled with hot water and Oxygen Boost for several hours. Rinse and assess. If this doesn't do the trick, spray a generous amount of undiluted vinegar or cleaning vinegar and scrub away as much as you can.
To quickly clean a moldy shower curtain liner, toss it in the washing machine on a warm, delicate cycle with your regular detergent and 111 cup of white vinegar. Add a couple of old bath towels to act as scrubbers. Hang immediately to air dry; never put plastic liners in the dryer.
Wash the liner in warm water using a small amount of laundry detergent and 1/3 cup of bleach. Adding a few white cotton towels to the load will help with the agitation and also prevent the curtain from wrinkling. Hang the shower curtain liner on the rings so it can dry. Never put a plastic liner in the dryer.
No, you should not just spray vinegar on mold and leave it. Leaving vinegar on the surface can actually accelerate mold regrowth. While its acidity effectively kills most mold species, the proper process requires letting it sit, scrubbing the dead mold away, and thoroughly drying the surface.
Effective Cleaning: The surfactants in Dawn help lift and remove mold from various surfaces. Safe for Most Surfaces: Dawn is gentle enough for use on many surfaces, including tiles, countertops, and fabrics.
Attempting to clean mold with vinegar (or bleach) can disturb the colony, causing it to release spores into the air. These microscopic spores can spread throughout your home, creating new growth in other areas, and increasing the risk of respiratory problems for those nearby.
Use 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Spray on mold and let sit for 10 minutes. Wipe away.
13. Don't use OxiClean on wool, silk, or other off-limits fabrics. OxiClean's manufacturer suggests that it should not be used on the following fabrics: wool, wool blends, silk, silk blends, leather, or on fabrics labeled dry-clean only.
Mold-killing laundry detergents—often referred to as mold extraction or anti-allergen detergents—are specialized formulas designed to strip mold spores, mildew, and musty odors from fabrics. They rely on targeted surfactants rather than harsh bleaches to encapsulate and lift mold out without damaging clothing.