Along with mold, mildew, and other types of soap residue, your shower curtain can be a host to all sorts of bacteria if you don’t clean it regularly. Unfortunately, most of us don’t even think about cleaning the shower curtain until it’s too late.
But then again, if you want to extend the lifespan of your shower curtain and prevent your bathroom from becoming a bacteria breeding ground, then you should keep in mind that it’s essential to clean your shower curtains on a regular basis.
Why Is It Important to Clean a Shower Curtain?
When it comes to keeping your bathroom clean, the sink, toilet, and shower are the most bacteria-latent areas. To keep your curtain from harboring mildew, bacteria, and mold, it needs to be adequately cleaned.
If you put off cleaning the shower curtain, the bacteria could spread to cracks, in between tiles, and small crevasses in your bathroom. This, in turn, would present a much bigger problem.
How to Clean a Shower Curtain without Taking it Down
There are different ways that you can clean your shower curtain while it’s still hanging. No matter if you’re spot cleaning, can’t reach the rods, or don’t want the hassle of putting it back up, there are steps you can take to clean your shower curtain while it’s still attached to the rod.
Cleaning Soap Scum
The first method is for cleaning soap scum off of the shower curtain. As you shower, soap dissipates and travels onto the shower curtain, thus slowly starting to build-up.
In fact, even if you use the most eco-friendly cleaners, they still will end up accumulating on your shower curtain. This is the reason why it’s important to rinse off the curtains after every shower.
List of Materials Needed:
- Vinegar
- Water
- Spray Bottle
- Scrub Brush or Towel
How It’s Done:
- First, you’re going to mix one part white vinegar with four parts of water. Then, place this solution into a spray bottle.
- Spray the solution onto the tub-facing side of the shower curtain and then allow it to sit for a few minutes.
- Next, scrub the side with either a scrubbing brush or a towel, and then rinse away the rest of the solution using warm water from your shower head.
For this, make sure that the end of the curtain is sitting inside the tub, or else water may leak onto your floor, requiring you to clean up more than what you initially had to.
Cleaning Stains
The second type of cleaning is removing stains and mold growth. It’s not uncommon that your new body wash or hair care products may contain harsh chemicals that could potentially cause a stain on your curtain. Different products may leave a deeper stain, so it’s essential to clean it before it has time to settle in.
List of Materials Needed:
- Bleach
- Water
- Towel
How It’s Done:
- First, make sure that your curtain can be used with a bleach solution, as this can sometimes damage colored fabrics.
- Mix one part bleach to one part water and then place it onto the stain by dabbing the towel in the water and then onto the affected surface.
- Wait a few minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
You can repeat this process a few times to help remove a deep-rooted stain. However, keep an eye on it and don’t leave it on for more than a few minutes at a time.
When Do You Take It Down to Wash It?
As tempting as it may be to leave your shower curtain on and only clean it with the above methods, it’s important to remember that these cleaning solutions can only do so much. The vinegar mixture is excellent for killing bacteria and mold, but it won’t get rid of all types of germs that may be living on the curtain.
Also, while the bleach mixture is good at penetrating deep stains, it shouldn’t be used on large surfaces as it can ruin the design and ultimately destroy the fabric over multiple uses. Chances are you enjoy the pattern of your shower curtain, and the last thing you want to do is have to replace it every few months.
This leads us to our point: you can’t always use these methods to clean your shower curtain properly. Other useful methods such as using shower curtain cleansers, soap, or placing it into the washing machine are all more effective methods that not only thoroughly disinfect and clean your curtain but also preserve their lifespan as well.
Hence, we highly recommend at least washing your curtain every few months.
Conclusion
You don’t have to take down your shower curtain to wash it, but it’s always a good idea to do so when you have the chance. In this article, we covered the different methods that you could use to clean your curtain.
There are endless methods of keeping your shower curtains clean and maintained, these just happen to be the most effective. Hopefully, we have helped you learn how to clean a shower curtain without taking it down.
