Scrubbing the shower curtain
By bamakelly
@bamakelly (5191)
United States
May 20, 2009 3:33pm CST
I thought that I would bring this discussion to the table just out of curiosity.
When it comes to shower curtains I would like them to be pretty and frilly. However we need to watch the money in our family and mostly just buy the shower liners.
They seem to work well however just as everyone else I can imagine that there is a lot of soap and grime build up especially on the bottoms of these things.
I was wanting to buy a new shower liner but decided that I would just scrub it a little while and clean it. It worked out pretty good and now I don't need to buy a new one for a while.
How about you? Do you just break down and end up buying a new shower liner or just scrub the one you have?
6 people like this
11 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
20 May 09
The shower liner in our bathroom belongs to my fiance's parents, as does the house. It's cloth, or something like that so it'd need to be washed in a washing machine or better yet washed in the bathtub itself gently so as to not mess it up. However, I know I much more opt for the plastic shower curtains, the thicker ones at that as it's easier to clean and no worry of damaging it. I think they are fairly cheap but I haven't bought one myself so to tell you the truth, I just don't know.
I know when my fiance and I get our own place, We'd opt for ones we knew how to clean and could withstand a lot of cleaning. As is, we'd get something with a western theme that'd be expensive, or atheme that is expensive so hopefully they'd withstand showers!
Stalls on the other hand, are better but even harder to clean!
2 people like this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
21 May 09
Thank you for the reply. I can see where some shower curtains have that cloth material and they can be washed easily in a washer machine.
I just have the shower liner. We are trying to save our money and it seems to work that I can just scrub the bottom of it when it comes to some soap scum that builds up with each use of the shower.
Your right about the shower stalls. It does seem that they look better but end up being harder to keep clean.
Take care.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
22 May 09
Shower curtains can be a pain to put on because of the hooks, some hooks are easier then others and are appealing to the design of the bathroom, adding something to it. What kind of cleaner do you use to clean them? I think CLR cleans soap scum? Using that would work maybe. Or just getting a hanging shower cleaner, ofcourse if you have small ones around that can reach the cleaner it might be dangerous. In any case, happy cleaning!
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
You are right about the hooks being a pain to deal with when it comes to basic cleaning. I can sometimes use bleach or even a cleaning agent that works against soap scum.
I just scrubbed mine a couple of days ago and it should be fine for a little while.
It is just that that fungus seems to build up so fast especially if you take showers quite often. I have even heard at one time that it is a good idea to spray some kind of disinfectant on the shower curtain or liner after each use in the shower.
It seems to have a way of keeping it fresh and clean.
I can't say that I do that too regularly but the disinfectant could possible help things a little more.
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
That seems to be the way to go. Just buy an inexpensive shower curtain or liner and then throw it into the wash with towels and the like. I actually was not sure if I could put something plastic like that into the washer machine.
It would probably save me some time then scrubbing for ten minutes!
That is good if you are able to conserve like that when it comes to your shower curtain.
Five years is a long time to have something like a shower curtain.
I am trying to watch my money too. Money can go a long way if you really try to budget it right.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 May 09
when i had to use liners i would put them in the washer on delicate cycle. that works pretty well.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 May 09
that is alot easier & i really think it gets them cleaner than i could trying to scrub. i always put a litlle bleach in w/the soap. as soon as the cycle is done hang it back up & u have a clean liner. good luck.
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 May 09
i have to do everything i can to save money. i never did put that much bleach but felt as it help to clean all that yuvky stuff off. i have shower doors now because i had to take my tub out because i couldn't get down in it anymore. i had a walkin shower put in so don't have to worry w/a curtain or liner anymore. have a happy weekend.
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
I think that is a good idea. I have gotten a couple of replies from members here that agree on just throwing the curtain or liner into the washer machine rather then scrubbing.
Like I have mentioned before I just used some cleaner and scrubbed the bottom of my liner and it seemed to rid it of the soap scum build up which consisted of that orange looking stuff and black spots.
And it looks so much better now until the next time it builds up.
It won't be long before it starts getting a little dirty again due to the idea of people taking showers often.
I like the idea of placing the liner into the delicate cycle. If you say it works then I just might try it and wind up saving money on buying another one.
1 person likes this
@Chevee (5905)
• United States
22 May 09
I usually scrub my old liner until it is clean. I am living on a very strict budget now. However, I did have to buy a new one just last week, the reason is that the old one had a rip in it. In buying my liner, I thought the dollar store was the best place to get it. I was at WalMart first and I check their liners, pass them up and went to the dollar store, well that was a mistake the ones at Walmart which I passed up was cheaper than the ones at the dollar store.
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
I can understand about living on a strict budget because my family has to watch the spending also. It is not easy but we can try to cut corners where we can.
And if I need to scrub the shower liner to save buying a new one then that is what I will do.
I would really like to buy a new liner and pretty shower curtain but that will have to wait until our finances are better.
Isn't that something that you found something cheaper then in a dollar store!
Sometimes there are things less expensive then in those savings stores. How about that!
Thank you.
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
27 May 09
That is the idea I have been getting from some of the replies here. Just simply scrubbing the liner and getting some of that soap type of scum out is the first thing.
At some point I might just try to throw it into the washer on a delicate cycle. It just might work.
But after a while the liner will just start to get older and perhaps wilt with time and then I will eventually buy a new one.
It is alright to buy a new liner from time to time but with the finances the way they are I figure that if I can save money buy just scrubbing or cleaning something then that is what I will do.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
21 May 09
Kelly-
I've tried several things. I even broke down and bought that over priced thing from scrubbing bubbles! What a waste of money. I try to spray the shower current but it always seems to build up stuff, so I typically break down and buy one when I have the extra funds. I've gone to just buying cheap ones though because if I have to replace them often, it's cheaper.
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
I have seen from some of the replies that I am receiving that a lot of people go with the less expensive shower liners or curtains.
We are in a time now where we need to stretch the finances further then we ever have.
If I can solve a problem with just cleaning a shower liner rather then tossing it out and buying a new one then that is what I will do.
I can see where you are coming from though. Sometimes you just have to break down and buy a new one once in a while.
After all, even those curtains can wear out after a while and then it gets to be a pain cleaning or scrubbing them all of the time.
I guess that there is just no getting around the fact that there is that soap scum build up on the bottoms of the liners which is hard to get around due to the fact of there being showers taken on a regular basis.
With all of that water combined with soap it can build up and look really ugly.
I just scrubbed the bottom of my liner the other day. It wasn't all that hard to scrub and all of those ugly black spots came off.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
20 May 09
A large number of my clients are gone to an overnight camp. We cleaned at their houses. I have one set of clients that had a very gross shower curtain liner, because I cannot get them to leave it pulled out straight. Lots of mold and mildew in where it folds as well as along the bottom. I put it in delicate wash with a big towel and washed it, hanging it wet. It is much easier than hand scrubbing.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
21 May 09
Cool tip. I had not thought to do that.
Usually, I put mine into a bucket of sudsy
water and leave over night and the grime
just wipes off.
It's backbreaking labor as you mentioned.
Your idea seems like it would be easier.
Thanks for the fantastic suggestion.
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
21 May 09
Most times, I use the cheap shower liners too.
They're best when they are new
and cost about two dollars at the
Dollar store.
I've scrubbed many shower liners.
I'd prefer to have a fancy shower curtain
but it's way too expensive to do so
and just way too much effort to keep cleaned.
1 person likes this
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
22 May 09
Yes, as it has been previously mentioned here some people pretty much go with the shower liners that are cheaper in price.
For instance, as you have mentioned the dollar store offers them for just a couple of dollars.
That is true. You can get those liners at the dollar store. That is what we end up doing from time to time.
Sometimes we buy liners in a department store and that is why I don't think we should throw it out just yet.
The idea of throwing a liner into the washer sounds like a good idea.
And then it is simple enough just to hang it up wet.
I am all in for wanting to save money and keep the budget stretching even further. Take care.
@AndrewFreyne (6281)
• United Kingdom
21 May 09
I have one of those plastic shower curtains and these types of shower curtain are really problematic! When grime starts to build up it's very difficult to get rid of so I just take the thing down, throw it away and buy a new one, they are so cheap nowadays that this isn't a problem. When they are new, they do look very nice! Andrew
1 person likes this
@mrshernandez623 (146)
• United States
21 May 09
The cloth shower curtain I wash in the washer and dryer. The plastic liner i wash by hand with bleach if im in the mood for scrubbing. Otherwise I fill the tub up with hot water and bleach. let it sit for about an hour. Then after that I take it to the washing machine and wash it with more bleach and hot water. I only do that on my lazy days haha!
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