How do you clean a mouldy shower curtain?

How to clean a shower curtain by material

Shower curtains are made of fabric, such as polyester, or of PEVA, a plastic film. The two need different care, and the care label on your curtain tells you which method applies.

IKEA's own products show how far apart the rules can be. IKEA says its STRANDLUMMER curtain is polyester with a water-resistant surface that repels water, and that it can go in the washing machine. It says its BJARSEN curtain is PEVA and must not be washed at all. The table sets out the care instructions IKEA prints for each.

Machine washing a fabric curtain

If your fabric curtain's label allows machine washing, you can do it at home. Before you wash shower curtain fabric, read the whole label: the bleach, drying and ironing instructions matter as much as the temperature. The steps below use IKEA's instructions for its polyester curtain as an example.

1. Take it down. Unhook the curtain from its rings and lay it out to look for mould spots or tears.
2. Check the label. Confirm that machine washing is allowed, and note the maximum temperature and any bleach, drying or ironing instructions.
3. Wash on a normal cycle. Wash at or below the temperature on the label. IKEA gives max 40 degrees C on a normal process for its polyester curtain.
4. Hang it to dry. Hang the curtain up, spread out, on the rail or a drying rack. IKEA says not to tumble dry its polyester curtain.
5. Iron if the label allows. IKEA says to iron its polyester curtain after washing, at max 110 degrees C, so it keeps its water repellence.

Rinsing and wiping a plastic liner

IKEA says to keep a PEVA shower curtain clean by regularly rinsing it and wiping it with a wet sponge. The care label on its BJARSEN curtain adds: do not wash, do not bleach and do not tumble dry.

In practice, you can rinse the liner while it hangs, using the shower, then wipe both sides with a wet sponge. Pay attention to the folds and the lower edge. If your own liner's label gives different instructions, follow those instead.

Mould spots and drying

Shower curtain mould grows where the curtain stays wet and folded. A curtain pushed to one end of the rail after a shower keeps water in its creases. Spread it out along the rail after each shower so both sides can dry.

When you clean mould spots, the National Environment Agency (NEA) says to prepare and apply any disinfectant according to the manufacturer's guidelines, give it the stated contact time and use the protective equipment the product's Safety Data Sheet prescribes. NEA also recommends ventilating the home to let fresh air in, especially during and after cleaning and disinfection, to reduce the concentration of disinfection products in the air.

NEA names household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) as the most widely used disinfectant and lists hypochlorites as fungicidal. That does not make it right for every curtain: IKEA's labels for both its polyester and PEVA curtains say do not bleach.

For the rest of the room, NEA suggests cleaning bathrooms from high to low (wall to floor) and from cleaner to dirtier areas (shower to toilet bowl). For mould on other bathroom surfaces, see how to remove bathroom mould.

When to replace it

Judge a shower curtain by its condition rather than its age. Replace it when mould marks remain after you have cleaned it as its label allows, when its coating peels, or when it tears.

When you buy a replacement, read the care label before you choose. If you would rather put the curtain in the washing machine, pick one whose label allows machine washing. If you are happy to rinse and wipe, a PEVA liner may suit you.

A quick look at the curtain as part of your weekly cleaning schedule helps you notice marks early.

When to call a cleaning company

A cleaning company can include the bathroom in a deep clean. Before you book, ask whether they wash or wipe shower curtains as part of the job, and whether they follow the care label on yours. You can compare home cleaning companies and ask each one the same questions.

Prices depend on the job. See home cleaning prices for the rates companies publish.

For fabric window curtains rather than shower curtains, see dry cleaning or washing curtains and sofa and curtain care between cleans.

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