How to Clean Shower Curtains and Liners Like a Pro

Gather the Supplies

To speed up this process, make sure all of your cleaning supplies are around your workstation. The good news is that learning how to clean shower curtains only requires a few household staples (which you probably have handy from cleaning your shower) and your washing machine, so you don’t need to buy special cleaners for this project. Also, now’s a good time to put on your protective gloves since you might be dealing with mold.

Clean Your Shower Curtain By Method

Photo: donikz / Adobe Stock

There is no one-size-fits-all method for cleaning a shower curtain. Some curtains may need to be cleaned by hand because they can’t fit in your washing machine or your fabric curtain isn’t machine-washable. On the other hand, some are safe to let your washing machine handle. 

Quick Cleaning Using Your Hands

Leave your shower curtain on the rod and thoroughly spray it with 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water. Saturate visible mold or mildew growth and the areas closest to the water spray, then leave the solution on for 10 minutes. After it’s finished sitting, rinse everything with warm water.

Deep Cleaning Using Your Hands

To deep clean your shower curtain, pretreat with 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water spray solution. Then, add 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of liquid laundry detergent to a warm tub of water. Massage your curtains so suds form, and spend extra time scrubbing the heavily stained areas, like the hem, using a sponge. 

If the plastic curtain’ stains are stubborn, mix in 1 tablespoon of color-fast bleach. Afterward, rinse your curtains in a drained tub with a handheld shower wand or continuously dunk and swish all the suds away in clean water. Once all the suds are gone, let it air-dry.

Washing a Fabric Curtain

Since your fabric shower curtain doesn’t come in direct contact with the water, you won’t need to clean it as often. You can usually throw it into your washing machine every few months, following the curtain’s care instructions beforehand. If there aren’t any, add your regular laundry detergent and 1/2 cup of baking soda. Then, use 1 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle and let the fabric curtain air-dry once the cycle is finished.

Remove Your Shower Curtain Liner

Your shower liner comes in direct content with your water, soap, shampoo, conditioner. So, of course, this part of your shower curtain can be a magnet to soap scum and mold. The first step in learning how to clean shower liners is to remove it from your curtain rings. 

Clean Your Plastic Liner

Once your plastic liner is off the hook, it should only require a tumble in the washing machine to look good as new. You’ll follow your liner’s care instructions if available. If there aren’t any, you can place it in the washer on the delicate cycle. Then, add your laundry detergent and a few white towels, which will provide some friction to help remove any stains, dirt, and soap scum. Let the cycle run entirely, remove it from the washer, and hang it up to dry.

Remove Your Shower Curtain Rings

Shower curtain rings may seem like they don't need to be cleaned since they're far away from the action, but that's not the case. They can accumulate a fair amount of dirt, dust, and soap scum. Your shower curtain ring should be removed from your rod to ensure your curtain is completely clean.

Clean Your Rings

Fill a large bowl or sink with warm water and 1 cup of vinegar. Remove the rings from your shower curtain rod and place them in the solution. Then, let them soak for 30 minutes to overnight. After they’ve finished soaking, use a soft-bristle brush to clean them. Once they’re clean, dry them with a soft microfiber cloth. 

Put Your Shower Curtain Back

After letting your shower curtain and its parts air-dry, put everything back in its rightful spot.