How to clean a shower curtain and liner in the washing machine

Step by step: how to clean a shower curtain and liner in the washing machine

Safety first. Never put bleach in the same load as vinegar or ammonia-based cleaners, and keep the bathroom ventilated when you pretreat with bleach. Check the care label before using bleach on any fabric.

1. 1

   Read the care labels

   Check the tags on the curtain and the liner for water temperature, bleach and dryer limits. Most polyester curtains and many vinyl or PEVA liners can be machine washed. A curtain with no tag is safest on a gentle, warm cycle with no chlorine bleach.

2. 2

   Take it down and remove the hooks

   Unhook the curtain and liner and shake them over the tub to drop loose grit. Put the rings or hooks in a bowl of warm soapy water to soak while the curtain washes. Rust or mildew on the hooks will transfer straight back onto a clean curtain.

3. 3

   Pretreat mildew spots

   Brush loose mildew off the fabric outdoors or over the tub, then rub a little detergent into the spots. On a white, bleach-safe fabric, you can soak stubborn spots for 10 to 15 minutes in 1/4 cup bleach mixed with 3/4 cup water, as UGA Extension suggests. For colors, use an oxygen bleach soak instead.

4. 4

   Load the washer with two towels

   Put the curtain or liner in the drum with two old bath towels. The towels rub against the plastic as it tumbles and scrub off soap scum and slime. Wash the curtain and the liner in separate loads if they have different care labels.

5. 5

   Add detergent and bleach or oxygen bleach

   Add your normal amount of detergent. For a white liner that is safe for bleach, add bleach to the dispenser; Clorox suggests 1/3 cup for a high-efficiency washer and 1/2 cup for a standard one. For colored fabric, use oxygen bleach as the label directs. A 1/2 cup of baking soda in the drum helps with musty smells.

6. 6

   Wash on the right cycle

   Choose the warmest water the label allows and a gentle or regular cycle with a full rinse. Polyester and nylon handle hot water; some plastic liners can warp or crinkle in hot water, so use warm if the label says so. Skip fabric softener, which leaves a film that mildew likes.

7. 7

   Hang it back up to dry

   Take the curtain out straight away and hang it back on the clean hooks, spread fully open. Plastic and vinyl liners should never go in the dryer. Run the bath fan or open a window until it is dry, and wipe the hooks dry before rehanging if they were soaking.

How to wash each type of shower curtain

Wash by material: a plastic shower curtain or liner needs cooler water and no dryer, polyester fabric is the easiest, and cotton or linen follows the care label closely.

Clorox’s method for polyester and nylon curtains and liners uses a hot wash, a little detergent and bleach in the dispenser, then hanging the curtain back on the rod to dry.

How to clean a shower curtain without a washing machine

Clean it in the tub: fill the tub with a few inches of warm water and detergent, soak the curtain for 30 minutes, then scrub mildew spots and the hem with a soft brush. Rinse it with the hand shower and hang it to dry.

For a quick clean between washes, spread the liner flat against the tub wall, spray it with a tub and tile cleaner or diluted dish soap, wipe it with a sponge and rinse. For stains on fabric, UGA Extension’s mildew advice also offers a bleach-free option for some fabrics: treat with salt and lemon juice and dry in direct sunlight, then rinse and launder. Always test first, because mildew weakens fibers and some fabrics fade.

How to keep a shower curtain from getting moldy

Keep it spread out and dry between showers. Mildew grows in the folds of a bunched-up wet liner.

• Close the curtain fully after each shower so it can dry flat, and shake water off the hem.
• Run the bath fan during and after showers. The EPA recommends ventilation and more frequent cleaning to keep mold from returning in bathrooms.
• Wash the liner monthly, and replace it when stains stay after a bleach or oxygen bleach wash.
• Keep the rest of the shower clean too; see our guide on how to clean shower mold.

Mistakes to avoid

• Putting a vinyl liner in the dryer, where it can melt or warp.
• Using chlorine bleach on a colored or cotton curtain whose label does not allow it.
• Washing the liner alone, with no towels to scrub off the soap film.
• Folding the curtain up wet in a laundry basket, where mildew spreads in hours.
• Rehanging a clean curtain on rusty or slimy hooks.
• Adding fabric softener, which leaves a waxy film that holds soap and mildew.