As you know, shower curtains keep the water away from your bathroom. Shower curtains also give you privacy in the absence of doors. I have analyzed that many of you are concerned about mold development in your fabric shower curtain due to continuous moisture.
You can keep your shower curtains from molding by various techniques. These techniques include mold inhibitors, liners, hydrogen peroxide treatment, washing with detergents, and many more.
If you want to know the proven preventive tips to avoid this problem in the future, then I have also explained effective and easy strategies for you.
Let’s dive in and explore the causes of mold developments and tactics to deal with molding. Here you go.
What Causes Mold In Shower Curtains?
Mold can be caused due to various reasons in your fabric shower curtains. I’ve picked up a few simple reasons for you. Let’s delve into and explore the factors.
Moistness
As you know, shower curtains prevent water from spreading throughout the restroom. When you take a shower, the water droplets and steam get accumulated on the curtain. It causes the birth of mold and mildew.
You must be thinking, you can’t keep the shower dry while bathing. Well, all you have to do is open the shower curtain after every bath to let the curtain dry.
Poor Ventilation
Poor ventilation is another factor that leads to mold production in your shower curtains. Many of you must have avoided this issue. But poor ventilation will never let the curtains dry which means a continuous mold development.
So, it is mandatory to have an exhaust fan that will help you get rid of unnecessary humidity in your washroom. You can also go for windows and dehumidifiers.
Shampoo Residues
As you already know, while taking a shower soap and shampoo residues are splashed unintentionally on the curtain. You’ll be astounded to know that the sticky layer of residues is the bed of roses for mold formation.
You can deal with this factor by cleaning your shower curtain regularly.
How Do I Prevent Fabric Shower Curtains From Molding?
Are you worried about preventing your shower curtains from mold, don’t be concerned. I will tell you the best tactics to prevent your fabric shower curtains from reach of mold. Here you go.
Use Liners
The first thing that will help you to prevent molding is using liners. You can choose either a plastic liner or a vinyl liner. They are easy to clean and can be instantly dried. The absence of humidity will bring no mold development on the liner.
You can use it separately or add a liner to your shower curtains to prevent the risks of molding.
Clean Regularly
Proper cleaning can also prevent molding in fabric shower curtains. You should clean the shower curtains including rods and surrounding to inhibit the development of mold. You can also use detergent to remove even a tiny risk of molding.
Use Mold Inhibitors
Nowadays, various mold inhibitors are introduced in the market. You should purchase a mold inhibitor spray, particularly for washroom curtains. You must get mold inhibitors, skim the instructions carefully, and use them on your fabric shower curtains. It will inhibit the production of mold even in humidity.
Keep The Entire Space Dry
As you have read above, moistness is the key factor in molding. So, if you keep the washroom including the shower area and shower curtains dry, there will be no risk of molding.
So, whenever you take a shower, turn on the exhaust and spread the shower curtains to let them dry quickly.
Here’s a little summary table:
| Causes of Mold in Shower Curtains | Recommended Techniques |
|---|---|
| Moistness | Open the curtain after every bath to allow it to dry. |
| Poor Ventilation | Use exhaust fans, open windows, or use dehumidifiers to improve ventilation. |
| Shampoo Residues | Clean shower curtains regularly to remove soap and shampoo residues. |
How To Prevent My Shower Curtains From Molding in the Future?
Unfortunately, if your shower curtains have developed mold, you should consider removing them. I will tell you the best hacks to get rid of molding.
Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment
| Benefits | Precautions | Tips for Safe Process |
|---|---|---|
| – Effective mold removal. | – Ensure good ventilation during treatment. | – Ventilate the bathroom during treatment to dissipate fumes. |
| – Uses a readily available cleaner. | – Avoid contact with eyes and skin; wear gloves. | – Use a spray bottle to evenly apply the hydrogen peroxide mixture. |
| – Minimal scrubbing required. | – Do not mix hydrogen peroxide with other chemicals. | – Allow adequate soaking time (about 10 minutes) for effective mold removal. |
| – Safe for most fabric curtains. | – Keep away from children and pets. | – Use a scrub brush with soft bristles to avoid damaging the fabric. |
The first tip to remove mold from a fabric shower curtain is hydrogen peroxide treatment. Hydrogen peroxide is also known as a cleaning agent for mold.
- Add an equal amount of hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle.
- Spray the mixture on the molded area of your shower curtain.
- Wait for approx 10 minutes and let the mixture sit on the curtain.
- Now, grab a brush and scrub the affected area adequately.
- Rinse the shower curtain with water and hang it for drying.
After drying, you’ll see that your shower curtain is mold-free.
Wash With Detergent
| Benefits | Precautions | Tips for Safe Process |
|---|---|---|
| – Thoroughly cleans the entire curtain. | – Use a mild detergent to avoid fabric damage. | – Follow the manufacturer’s care label instructions for washing the curtain. |
| – Uses a common and easily accessible cleaner. | – Check the care label on the curtain for washing instructions. | – Use a washing machine with a gentle or delicate cycle for the best results. |
| – Suitable for curtains with minor mold issues. | – Avoid using excessive detergent, as it may require additional rinsing. | – Ensure the curtain is completely dry before rehanging it in the shower area. |
Another straightforward method to remove mold from shower curtains is washing the curtain with detergent. Many of you might have noticed that mold development sometimes appears in the early stages. This kind of molding can be treated with detergents.
- Mix an adequate amount of detergent with the water in the washing machine.
- The use of hot water and mild detergent will be effective.
- Now, let the shower curtain clean in the washing machine on a normal cycle.
- After washing in the machine, rinse the shower curtain with clean water to remove any remaining residue.
- Hang the curtain to let it dry.
You should make sure that the curtain is completely dry before hanging it in the shower area again.
Vinegar & Baking Soda
| Benefits | Precautions | Tips for Safe Process |
|---|---|---|
| – Natural and eco-friendly cleaning solution. | – Ensure proper ventilation during use. | – Mix the vinegar and baking soda into a paste for better application. |
| – Effective at eliminating mold and odors. | – Use gloves to protect your skin. | – Apply the mixture to the affected area and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes. |
| – Safe for most fabric shower curtains. | – Do not mix vinegar and baking soda in a closed container. | – Scrub gently to avoid damaging the fabric. |
| – Inexpensive and readily available ingredients. | – Avoid contact with eyes; rinse thoroughly if contact occurs. | – Rinse thoroughly with clean water and ensure the curtain is completely dry before rehanging. |
Here comes the time to use natural cleaning agents, vinegar, and baking soda. Yes, you heard it right. These two cleaning agents will remove the mold and make your fabric shower curtain stainless.
- Grab an equal amount of vinegar and baking soda.
- Mix them in water to make an adequate paste.
- Apply the paste on the molded area of the fabric shower curtain.
- Let the cleaning agents do their magic so wait for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, cleanse the affected area with a brush.
- Now wash the curtain with water and let it dry.
You’ll be amazed to see that the vinegar and baking soda have completely killed the mold spores.
Related: Do you hang shower curtains and liners on the same hooks?
Bottom Line
By now, you have all the tactics to remove mold from the fabric shower curtain. I have told you about the causes of molding so that you can avoid these factors. You can also prevent your shower curtain before it gets attacked by molding germs.
If you failed in saving your shower curtain from mold, there’s nothing to worry about. Just follow the hacks given above in the writing and your fabric shower curtain will be new again.