Can You Wash Shower Curtains in the Washer?

Your shower curtain can harbor mold and mildew if not cleaned regularly.

The humidity, soap residue and hard water deposits of a shower make shower curtains an ideal habitat for mold and mildew. With a few precautions, however, you can clean shower curtains in a clothes washer. Using the right cleaning agents, you can also inhibit mold and mildew regrowth so that cleaning will not be necessary as often, extending the life of your shower curtain.

Cleaning Soap and Hard Water Stains

Remove soap and hard water stains from your shower curtains by placing them in the washer with a couple of bath towels. The towels help to keep the shower curtains from crinkling up as badly as they would on their own. Add 1/2 cup of laundry detergent and 1/2 cup of baking soda, and run the washer on the gentle cycle. Stop the machine before the final rinse cycle, and add 1/2 cup of vinegar before restarting the washer.

Cleaning Mold and Mildew

Bleach is an effective treatment to kill mold and mildew on surfaces like your shower curtain. To eliminate mildew stains and mold growth, add 1/2 cup of laundry detergent and 1/2 cup of chlorine bleach to the washer, and let it run for a few minutes on the gentle cycle. Place the shower curtains and a couple of light-colored towels (that won't be harmed by the bleach) in the washer, and resume the cycle.

Inhibiting Mold and Mildew Regrowth

Soaking your shower curtains in either a vinegar or salt water solution after cleaning them can keep them mold- and mildew-free for longer before the next cleaning. After removing the curtains from the washing machine, fill the bathtub with a few gallons of warm water and either a cup of vinegar or 1/4 cup of salt. Stir to mix, and put the shower curtains in the tub and swish them around. Remove the curtains, drain and rinse the tub.

Drying Shower Curtains

Vinyl shower curtains must never be put in the dryer. Drip dry vinyl curtains by replacing them in the tub. If they are wrinkled, turn the shower on hot for a few minutes; the steam will remove the wrinkles. Dry cloth shower curtains in the clothes dryer on the coolest setting for about 10 minutes, and hang them to dry the rest of the way. Drying them completely in the dryer will cause them to wrinkle badly.

References

• Reader's Digest: How to Wash Shower Curtains
• Mrs. Clean: Shower Curtain Cleaning