Mold on shower curtains is not only unsightly but can also be harmful to health. Due to the moist environment of bathrooms, mold can easily flourish. However, with the right approach and some everyday household items, you can get mold off a shower curtain of this pesky fungus. Here’s a guide to effectively removing mold and keeping your curtain fresh.
Mold and Mildew
Mold and mildew are fungi that develop as a result of excessive, uncontrolled moisture. Mold and mildew are both tiny spores that often require similar environments to reproduce, which makes them easy to confuse. Usually, the use of mold and mildew is often interchangeable.
But actually, mildew refers to some specific types of fungus, including some types of mold. They are both considered as fungi, which require water, oxygen, and food to survive. They grow in a variety of temperatures and environments, and some strains thrive at higher temperatures.
Mold can spread on any organic material, including clothing, leather, and paper, ceilings, walls, and floors. Mildew is usually found on shower walls and windowsills, but it can also grow on plants, paper, or cloth.
Why Should We Get Mold off a Shower Curtain?
Mold can produce spores. Once inhaled, it can cause rashes, headaches, and respiratory problems. People at high risk, such as young children or the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, mold sensitivities and allergies, or asthma, can have severe reactions to mold.
As we know, the bathroom is one of the most likely places for mold to grow, as it is a moist environment, especially on the shower curtain. Keeping the shower curtain clean is key to helping avoid microbial growth. For people with a normal immune system, mold on the shower curtain might be a very tiny threat to them, but for people who suffer from the immune system, which mentioned above, mold can be a big problem. Therefore, it is significant for us to get mold off a shower curtain in order to keep your bathroom clean.
How Often Should We Remove Shower Curtain Mold?
Many people often ignore the importance of washing the shower curtain regularly. According to some previous surveys, over one-third of people, have never even washed their shower curtains. Among those who have habits to clean them, only a few can do it enough. Whether you can thoroughly get mold off a shower curtain is another matter.
Some cleaning experts agree that cleaning shower curtains once a month is necessary in order to prevent mold and bacteria from thriving in a moist environment. If your bathroom is used frequently or remains humid for long periods, it is better to often clean, which will help reduce the opportunity for microbial growth. If the bathrooms have showers that aren’t used frequently, you can wash your shower curtain every other month. At the very least, you are supposed to clean shower curtains once every three months.
Knowing how to regularly and deeply clean a shower curtain can be a great help in maintaining the level of bathroom hygiene and preventing the mold growth.
How to Get Mold off a Shower Curtain?
It’s important to know how to clean a shower curtain and liner, and you should do it regularly. As soon as you find the mold, you should clean it immediately. There are some anti-mold ways that are very effective, but we don’t have to use laundry detergent every time. You just need to prepare a few simple things to clean a shower curtain.
Get Rid of Shower Curtain Mold With Vinegar
Using vinegar to clean the shower curtain is a very convenient cleaning solution. When you want to remove mold from your shower curtain, vinegar can be your first choice.
You can use a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water with, and add some extra essential oils to make it smell good. You can regularly spray onto the shower curtain.
You don’t have to rinse it off every time, because it can works on its own. When you take a shower next time, it will be washed off. If there are very dirty areas, such as soap scum, you can gently wipe them off with a brush.
Get Rid of Shower Curtain Mold and Mildew With Baking Soda
Cleaning your shower curtain with baking soda is also an environmental way to keep your shower curtain from growing mold. You can let the baking soda soak up the stain and remove it all with a wet cloth after a few minutes. You may need to rinse and repeat several times to make sure there is no baking soda remains.
Moreover, you can mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide together, which is good at killing mold spores. The baking soda is small enough to go into the fibers of the shower curtain, and the hydrogen peroxide can disinfect and clean the shower curtain. They are mixed together to remove a large amount of mold while cleaning. You just need to mix the two ingredients together, then apply them to the moldy area and let it sit for 15 minutes to half an hour, or until dry, before regular washing.
Cleaning a Moldy Shower Curtain in the Washing Machine
Using a washing machine is one of the best ways to get mold off a shower curtain, which can also help get rid of mold from the shower curtain. Most shower curtains are machine washable, including plastic shower curtains and fabric shower curtains.
Depending on the different materials, you need to choose different temperature and cycle settings for the washing machine. When cleaning the shower curtain in the washing machine, you can also put several towels together, which will help wash away dirt and prevent the shower curtain from tearing.
In the washing machine, apart from adding the usual amount of detergent, you can also add a cup of baking soda to remove mold stains and wash in gentle and warm water. When the washing machines changes to the rinse cycle, you can pour in half a cup to a cup of distilled white vinegar. After washing the shower curtain, you can choose to dry it in the dryer or hang the shower curtain to let it air dry.
Tips & FAQs
We need to note that vinyl or plastic shower curtains cannot be placed in the dryer.
How to Clean Shower Curtain liners？
Mold or mildew can also grow on shower curtain liners. Moldy shower curtain liner can also be washed in your washing machine. The steps are the same for shower liners and shower curtains. But you need to notice one thing: when doing the liner clean, don’t forget to remove the liner before the final spin cycle! Then, you just need to simply hang it up to dry in the sunshine.
How to Clean Shower Curtain Rings?
Sometimes, when we clean the mold on the shower curtain, perhaps we will forget to clean the shower ring. It is quite easy to clean the shower curtain ring. You can put them in warm water with a cup of distilled vinegar. It can deeply clean the shower ring and remove dirt. This method also works if shower curtain rings are rusty, but you need to make sure they soak for a few hours and then use a brush to rinse them to remove stains.
How Do You Prevent Mold from Growing on the Shower Curtain?
Every kind of mold has one thing in common: it requires moisture to exist. That’s why there’s so much mold in your bathroom, especially on your shower curtains. The key to preventing mold and mildew is controlling moisture. The bathroom sink and the tub or shower are always wet, so you need to take some steps to prevent mold and mildew in these places.
Other soft materials in the bathroom, such as towels, are also very easy to grow mold. You should remember to let them dry after you use them every time and wash them regularly.
Related article: Say Goodbye to Mold: 2 Ultimate Guides to Clean a Moldy Shower Curtain and Liner
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