The Best Way to Remove Hard Water Stains from your Plastic Shower Curtains

You must be washing your bathroom regularly, but how often the shower curtain? The shower curtain can easily have some unpleasant and nasty stains from molds, soap scum, and mildew. However, the stains from hard water are annoying as they seem persistent and difficult to remove. Now, how to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains? It may be tempting to just get rid of the old and stained shower curtain to buy a new. But removing the stains can make them as good as new while saving, resources, time, and money. Let us share some of the useful tips to wash your plastic shower curtains and make them stain free. After cleaning, try to keep your bathroom dry to avoid moisture building and following stains.

Hard water problems

Water is deemed hard if dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium are present in high concentrations in it. The groundwater can collect these elements when passing through the rocks and soils containing these minerals. You will find the deposit of minerals, white films, and stains on different surfaces such as glass, chrome, tile, stainless steel, porcelain, etc. when you are having hard water in your home. You can see stains on sinks, dishes, different fixtures of the bathroom. Copper, iron, brass, and manganese may also be found in the water beside calcium and magnesium. Flecks of manganese look black or brownish, and deposits of iron look like white or red slime. Acidic water gives a green or blue stain on plumbing fixtures.

How to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains

Hard water stains are annoying, and it also damages the products on which the stain appears. It is easier to deal with the floors, dishes, or plumbing fixtures as they have a hard base. The stains on the shower curtain can be difficult to remove. The plastic ones are not durable enough to withstand hard scrubbing. So, how to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains.

Washing it with mild dish washing soap

If you are having hard water stains on your shower curtain it means your home water is hard. So, arrange for some soft water first. You can install a hard water softener in your home if the water is too hard.

Put your plastic shower curtain in a bucket filled with water (3/4) and place it in a convenient position like your tub in the bathroom. To form moderate suds, use 2 TB of any mild dish soap. You may additionally use some baby oil for conditioning. First, remove all the rings from the shower curtain, and immerse it in the soap solution you have prepared. Please pay particular attention to immerse the lower edge as it usually has more residues. Allow for a minimum of 20 minutes to 3 hours of soaking time. Take it out of the soap solution and put it flat on your bathroom tub. Now pour the soap solution over the entire curtain. Keep it like that for some time to drain out the soap solution. You will find the stains being loosened up. Wipe them using a dampened clean cloth or sponge mop to remove the stains. Rinse the whole curtain thoroughly with water and place it in a place with good ventilation to dry.

How to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains with heavier strains

Vinegar can be helpful

The above-mentioned soap and water method can be followed by the vinegar treatment for curtains with heavy hard water stains.

Fill 3/4 of a bucket (plastic) with water in a safe and comfortable place, like your bathtub. Mix 2 cups of vinegar with this water. If you don't like the smell of the regular vinegar you may replace it with apple cider one. However, apple cider vinegar can produce new stains on light colored shower curtains. Remove the rings from the shower curtain and plunge it into the vinegar and water solution. You may add baby oil as before for conditioning. Be careful to dip the curtain's bottom, having more residues in general. Soak the curtain for a minimum of 20 minutes to 3 hours. Take it out of the solution and put it flat on your bathroom tub. Pour all the vinegar and water mixture on the curtain and keep it for some time, allowing the solution to drain out completely. Wipe out the loosened spots or stains with a clean cloth or sponge soaked in water. Rinse the curtain well and hang it in a place with good ventilation. Let it dry normally.

Baking soda and borax

Use the above-mentioned method to rinse the shower curtains. Just add baking soda or borax (1/2 cup) instead of vinegar. You can use these methods in your washing machines as well (use alternate hot and cold cycles).

You can spot clean using these products (avoid baking soda for spot cleaning because of its mild abrasive nature) without removing the full curtain if the stained areas are less. Just apply them on the stains and remove it after some time using a damped cloth or sponge. Then rinse the area thoroughly with water and let it dry.

Commercial cleaning products

You can use some commercial cleaner to remove the stains of hard water from your shower curtain. Choose the cleaners having "sequestrants" such as hydroxy-acetic acid, hydrochloric, or phosphoric acids that bind with the minerals present in water and deactivate them. Choose the cleaner wisely as they can damage the plastic curtains permanently. Many of these cleaners produce fumes, so use it in a well-ventilated area.

Useful cleaners for various stains of hard water

If you are thinking of how to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains having different colors and forms then you can follow this guide:

Soap scum and typical hard water stains: Mixture of baking soda and vinegar

Black and brown stains: Mixture of hydrogen peroxide and tartar

For green and blue-green stains: Ammonia (prefer not to use on plastic curtains) and soap

For red and brown stains: Use a mixture of tartar paste and water

Conclusion

Hope you got the answer of how to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains. All the methods mentioned here are simple and you can easily get the ingredients. They can solve your question of how to remove hard water stains from plastic shower curtains. Washing your plastic shower curtain can help keep it free from soap scum. Use these tips to banish hard water stain from the plastic shower curtains and bathe with complete peace of mind. If you enjoyed our article, please check out bathroom shower repair for more exciting tips.