How to Clean a Plastic Shower Curtain

One day when I was 12-years-old, my father asked me to mow the lawn and paint the picnic table while he was at work. Now, I didn't mind mowing, but I loathed painting with the same ferocity that one might have for a Novocain-free root canal. That being the case, I mowed the lawn first, and then painted the picnic table a robust crimson color. However, I was lazy and only painted the table's top, thinking my father wouldn't notice. When he came home, the first words out of his mouth were: "You have to paint the underside, too." So, I crawled under the picnic table (not wanting to roll it over since the top was still tacky), and painted the underside. I came out looking like Texas Chainsaw Massacre meets the Haunted Hayride—covered in red paint (oil-based) and dried grass clippings. After I showered, the curtain bore a striking resemblance to a splatter diagram, and no amount of cleaning could fix it. I wound up buying my parents a new one.

All right, to business. I'll be straightforward: If you don't have a washing machine, the process outlined below won't help you. If you want to clean your shower curtain with other means, check out How to Clean a Shower Curtain. But if you do have a washing machine, read the steps below; hopefully you will find them diverting and educational.

Cleaning a Plastic Shower Curtain

Take down your plastic shower curtain. It's significantly less messy to take it down when dry, but not required. Remove the curtain from its rings or hooks. If the rings or hooks are dirty, take them down as well; we'll get to those later.

Put your plastic shower curtain into the washing machine. If you have an older machine or you are at the laundromat, throw a few clean towels into the wash to act as a buffer. Older machines often have ragged edges that can catch and rip the plastic; the towels will help prevent this. Also, refrain from wadding or folding the curtain (obviously some wadding will occur, unless you have a monstrous washing machine) as that will prevent some areas from getting clean.

Getting the machine started. You'll want to use either cold or warm water (never ever use hot water, as it is possible to melt your plastic shower curtain). Set your washing machine on the gentlest cycle possible. Add ½ cup of white vinegar. You needn't use any other detergent, since the mildly acidic vinegar is sufficient to break down the mold, mildew, and other filth. Start your wash cycle.

While you're waiting, grab those hooks or rings. Find a bowl large enough to hold them. Fill the bowl with a ratio of 1:1 of white vinegar and water. Vinegar is mildly acidic and will help break down any mold or mildew that your rings have accumulated. Let them sit for an hour (or the duration of your washing machine's full cycle), drain the bowl and rinse your attachments in warm water. Set them out to dry.

Drying your clean plastic shower curtain. Remove the shower curtain from the washing machine and extricate it from the towels. Throw the towels in the dryer, but hang onto your shower curtain, which will not survive the dryer. Let the shower curtain drip dry in a cool dry spot, or re-hang it in the bathroom. Be certain to stretch it out completely so it doesn't accumulate mold or mildew.

Treating mold and mildew buildup. Fill a spray bottle with a solution of water and white vinegar at a ratio of 1:1. Spray moldy or mildewed areas and scrub vigorously with a cloth/sponge until the grime dissipates. Once you've spot cleaned the shower curtain, wash it using the steps above.

Your Next Shower Curtain

Sooner or later the plastic shower curtain is going to give up; when that happens, consider purchasing something a tad more environmentally friendly. There are plenty of cloth-based shower curtains available, which can be washed with regular laundry detergent (we use Seventh Generation liquid laundry detergent, and it works wonders). They are also biodegradable so they won't gum up the world for centuries to come.

As for disposing of your plastic shower curtain, might I recommend reusing parts of it? Use remaining clean pieces to patch your hip waders. I had a friend who made a lovely pair of spats, a tie, and a vest with his yellow-ducky-and-umbrella plastic shower curtain; he was the belle of the ball. Granted, the ball took place on Halloween, but it was still fantastic. Just because a shower curtain dies doesn't mean it's not still useful; you just have to be creative.