How to clean a shower curtain?

Silvia Yanira
by Silvia Yanira



  36 answers
  • Karen Pullen Karen Pullen on Jan 04, 2019

    I put my shower curtains (check the manufacturer's tag to ensure it's safe) in the washer with towels and rags and run through a normal cycle with my regular detergent. Comes out great and I hang it to dry. My shower curtain is a combination of material and plastic liner from Hookless.

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jan 04, 2019

    Hi Silvia, toss it in your clothes washing machine and set the water on cold. Use your regular laundry detergent. Don't dry it, simply take it out of your machine and hang it back up in your shower. It will come out sparkling!

  • Plastic, fabric, it doesn't matter. Toss in the washing machine with just a few drops of detergent, a cup of vinegar in the wash and rinse cup, a couple heaping table spoons of baking soda and no fabric softener. If plastic, hang up right out of the washer. Use a hair dryer to smooth out if necessary. I hang my fabric shower curtains up right out of the washer. Some toss in the dryer first. Your choice.

  • Mitzie Pikert Mitzie Pikert on May 13, 2017

    i put mine in the washer with a towel or 2 and wash its good every time

  • Rickie Broadfoot Rickie Broadfoot on May 13, 2017

    Depends on what kind it is. If it's cloth just throw it in the washer with towels to do the scrubbing for you. If it has mildew add a little bleach to the detergent. If it's plastic throw it in the washer with white towels and use normal amount of detergent and bleach. Take a plastic curtain out and place in the dryer long enough to soften and hang right away. Like new.

  • Vljefferson Vljefferson on May 14, 2017

    Put it in the washing machine, add about half a cup of vinegar and laundry detergent. Wash on full cycle and air dry.

  • Karen Karen on Sep 18, 2019

    Soak it in hot bleach water in your washer. Then put on spin and rinse and take out quickly and pop into dryer for 3 minutes. Take out and shake, shake outward. Hang on rings immediately or it will wrinkle. The shaking cools the plastic!

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jun 07, 2019

    Throw it in the washing machine with towels.

    I use a spray cleaner with hydrogen peroxide, spritzing after each shower and making sure to leave open to prevent build up.

  • Catherine Anspaugh Catherine Anspaugh on Oct 20, 2017

    I suggest soaking it in hot water and Oxi Clean according to package directions. Then wash.

  • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Nov 23, 2018

    You can wash both plastic and fabric shower curtains in a washing machine. Use your usual detergent plus 1/2 cup of white vinegar. This will get both dirt and soap out of the curtain, as well as bacteria. If you need to wash it in the tub, put 1/8 cup of detergent, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and about a pint of warm water in a spray bottle. While the curtain is hanging up, spray both sides, from the top to the bottom. Let it soak a few minutes, then rinse the curtain using the sprayer from the shower. Rinse as thoroughly as you possibly can. Let it dry in the tub while hanging, where the curtain was washed in the machine or in the shower. Enjoy your clean shower curtains. And remember, fabric outside of the tub, the plastic liner ($1 at discount stores) inside the tub at all times. Best wishes! ☺️

  • Laurie Laurie on Feb 15, 2019

    After cleaning and after each shower use Shower Clean. Its in a spray bottle and I get mine at Wal-Mart. Really keeps the shower curtain clean!

  • Sandie60 Sandie60 on Feb 15, 2019

    I put mine it washing machine. Run as normal. Add vinegar to the rinse cycle. Hang back up to dry.

  • They are usually machine washable.


  • Elizabeth Elizabeth on Mar 27, 2023

    I put the cloth curtain a d the plastic curti. Together into the washing machine usually on warm

    Cycle and tide and they come out spotless.

  • Janice Janice on Mar 30, 2023

    I just place the shower curtain in my washing machine with a couple of bath towels, then hang it back on the shower rod to dry.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Apr 05, 2023

    Soak in a Bio Powder and hot water then wash in machine.

  • Most can go in the washing machine.

  • It really depends on what it's made of but honestly, the washing machine is best.

  • J Brown J Brown on Jun 20, 2023

    IF it is just along the bottom that is nasty you can clean it without even taking it down.

    I fill a tall bucket with about12-14 inches with a strong bleach water. I put a waterproof stool in the tub or shower to raise the buclet of solution a couple feet off the ground. Then simply gather the nasty bottom into the bucket swish around, let it sit and swish again in an hour or so. then remove everything and the nasty is all gone.

  • PaulaV PaulaV on Jun 24, 2023

    I throw mine in the washer with a load of towels. Works Everytime. When I hang it back up I spray the thing down with a borax solution and let it air dry. Keeps mold from building up again at least till the next time I wash it.

  • Marty Ayers Marty Ayers on Jul 12, 2023

    I have always put mine in the washer with a little vinegar in the wash cycle (helps remove soap deposits) with an extra rinse... if the spin cycle leaves it "wrinkly crinkly" just put in the dryer on "LOW" with a dryer sheet and a DRY towel....remove before the dry cycle ends and hang back up

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Aug 08, 2023

    You can spritz and wipe down or toss in the washer on gentle cycle.

  • Deb K Deb K on Aug 10, 2023

    Hi Silvia, you can put it into your washing machine on delicate. Dry it on delicate just long enough to get the wrinkles out.


  • Betsy Betsy on Aug 13, 2023

    Hi Sylvia: I put mine, which are cloth, in the washing machine with my regular wash. Don't use bleach and hang back up on the rod to dry. If you have vinyl, you can do the same thing. If just the bottoms are a bit dirty, you can hang the dirty bits in the laundry tub, the excess on the outside so that the drain doesn't get plugged, when you are doing the regular wash and the wash water will get them wet enough to rub and clean. After showering, leave about 6 inches away from the wall on each side, close them after bathing, so that they don't get mildewed and the air can circulate, leaving them inside of the tub for the water to drip off. You can also spray with bathroom cleaner, let sit for a few minutes, maybe 5, and then hose down with the shower head.

  • Janice Janice on Aug 16, 2023

    If your shower curtain is cloth, check the directions for washing and follow those. If you're asking about a clear vinyl one, I've always just laundered it with a few towels and then hung back up to dry or wiped it down with a soft cloth.

  • Libbie B Libbie B on Sep 11, 2023

    I toss mine (I have have short-term rentals so I have a few) into the wash with a dirty towel and some Dawn Powerwash. Then hang to dry.

  • Karl Karl on Sep 16, 2023

    If everyone is going to the wash to clean it there is a simple way. Buy a bleach sprayer, pour one gallon bleach in it. Pump it up. Spray the entire shower, curtain, toilet, in all rooms wait 15 minutes then rinse. Remember to turn on the exhaust vents. All your bathrooms will be sanitized at once. Do not spray on anything with color without testing it. All mold, mildew, and kids will disappear. If your dog is named spot he will disappear also.

  • Lauren Caruso-Samuelson Lauren Caruso-Samuelson on Oct 07, 2023

    If it's just the CLOTH white liner, I run in the washing machine with white towels or cleaning rags. Regular amount of detergent and a little bleach cuts through the soap buildup and makes it nice and white. I usually hang it outside when weather permits, the sun seems to make it smell like outdoors. In inclement weather, I just dry it in the dryer.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Oct 08, 2023

    Soak it in a mix of Bio Washing powder and a Decalcifier.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Dec 09, 2023

    Right straight to the washing machine with a load of towels/wash cloths, hang on the shower rod to dry.

  • I usually buy very ornate shower curtains and so far, over the past two decades, I haven't had an issue with putting them in the machine, gentle cycle cold water, delicate. They come out great.

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 06, 2024

    The simplest way to launder your shower curtain is in the washing machine, but check the tag to ensure this method is safe first.

    1. Take the shower curtain off the rings.
    2. Select the delicate cycle and warm water setting.
    3. Place your shower curtain in the washer.
    4. Add a few drops of detergent and 1 cup of vinegar to the machine. (The vinegar will remove any mold that has accumulated on the curtain).
    5. Once the cycle is complete, hang your curtain back on the rod to air dry.


  • Dee Dee on Feb 24, 2024

    I wash mine in my front loader and then dry in the dryer. I have a fabric curtian so easy peasy. A plastic one can be washed in the machine, but only dry for about 5 minutes and hang it up.