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Cleaning Mildew From Shower Curtains

What’s gross and smelly and makes your shower curtain look disgusting? Mildew, of course.

No one likes seeing mildew on the shower curtain. Unfortunately, it’s going to grow there at some point. The shower is hot and humid and this is exactly the climate in which mildew thrives.

However, the fact that mildew is going to grow on your shower curtain doesn’t mean you’re powerless against it. You can—and should—fight back. After all, if mildew is left unchecked, it can become hazardous to your health. We don’t want that to happen, so read on to learn how to get the mildew off and out of your shower curtains.
 

How to Remove Mildew from Plastic Shower Curtains

There are a lot of mildew-resistant plastic shower curtains on the market. However, you should take the claim of mildew resistance with a grain of salt. You’ll most likely still have to deal with mildew every now and again. And when you do, here are the steps you’ll need to remove mildew from your plastic shower curtain:
 
  1. Remove your shower curtain and fill your tub with warm water.
  2. Add a little bleach to the warm water and soak your shower curtain in this mixture.
  3. After your shower curtain has soaked for a while, run it through your washing machine on the rinse cycle. You’ll want to use warm—not hot—water. You may want to check on the curtain after a few minutes to make sure the water isn’t too hot. Nobody wants to deal with a melted shower curtain in the washing machine.
  4. While the curtain is washing, thoroughly rinse the bleach from your tub with warm water.
  5. After the rinse cycle has finished, hang your shower curtain back on the shower curtain rod.
 

How to Remove Mildew from Cloth Shower Curtains

As with plastic shower curtains, there are many mildew-resistant cloth shower curtains out there. Again, be wary of these claims. Mildew has a way of creeping up. When it does, you can fight back by doing the following:
 
  1. Pretreat any noticeably mildewed spots with a stain remover. Follow the instructions provided on the stain remover package.
  2. Check the tag on your shower curtain to see what material it’s made from. Wash it according to the cleaning instructions for that fabric. If your curtain is lined with plastic, however, you’ll want to avoid washing it in hot water, as the plastic can melt in your washing machine.
  3. After the curtain has been washed, you can place it in the dryer on low heat unless the cleaning instructions state otherwise. Cloth curtains with attached plastic lining will need to be air dried, preferably outside.
  4. If you have a separate plastic shower curtain liner, you can treat it for mildew using the above instructions on cleaning plastic shower curtains.
 

How Often Should I Treat Shower Curtains for Mildew?

To keep mildew from taking over your shower curtains, you should aim to clean them every one to three months. Cleaning them monthly would be ideal, but you can push it to three months if you just don’t have the time. The exception, however, is people who live in hot or humid climates. You’ll probably want stick to monthly cleanings to keep mildew in check.

So if you see mildew creeping its way up your shower curtain—and you will at some point—get rid of it quick so you don’t have to deal with the smell or potential health hazards.

Looking for more advice on bathroom cleaning? Look no further. We’ve got the tips you need to keep the bathroom and shower sparkling.

And if you ever find yourself needing extra help keeping your bathroom clean, then contact Merry Maids today to get an estimate on our house cleaning and maid services!

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