How to clean shower curtains

Determine what material the curtains are made of

Not every curtain can be washed and not damaged.

Polyethylene … These curtains do not tolerate cleaning well, they cannot be machine washed, and various detergents can easily discolor or destroy the print. Therefore, it is better not to wash heavily soiled plastic curtains, but to replace them with new ones.
Vinyl (polyvinyl chloride). It is better to clean such curtains by hand - creases easily appear on the vinyl after the typewriter. In order not to be mistaken, it is worth checking the label. If the manufacturer allows automatic washing, everything is fine. But if it is prohibited or the label has not survived, you should not risk it.
Polyester. Fabric curtains are the most unpretentious. They can be machine washed, by hand, or to deal with individual stains.

It is also important to look at what the sewn-in rings are made of, with which the curtain is attached to the cornice.

If they are metal, they cannot stay in water for a long time. So when soaking, make sure the rings don't get wet. It is better not to wash curtains with metal elements in a typewriter.

Estimate the degree of pollution

If the curtain is generally clean and you are confused by only a few yellowed or rusted areas, you can try to get rid of only them.

But if there are a lot of stains and they are distributed over the entire surface of the curtain, you cannot do without a global wash.

Try to remove stains

Select the appropriate method depending on the type of contamination.

Rusty and yellow stains

Rust leaves orange spots, but yellow ones are alkaline. Sour solutions will cope with both. For example, ordinary food vinegar 9% or lemon juice.

Apply a teaspoon of the solution to the stain, let it sit for 10-15 minutes and rub thoroughly with a sponge or brush. Then rinse the curtain with clean water using the shower head and let it dry naturally.

Mold stains

Alkaline compounds do well with them. For example, regular baking soda.

Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 2-3 drops of ammonia and apply the resulting gruel to the stain. Soak for 10-15 minutes, wipe thoroughly with a sponge or brush, rinse the curtain under running water and let dry.

You can also use commercial bleach, with or without chlorine, which is also an alkaline solution. Dissolve it in water and soak the stain in it for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse and dry.

Wash the entire curtain if necessary

This can be done in two ways: in the washing machine and by hand.

In the washing machine

If the curtain is severely yellow or has too many stains, soak it for 1–2 hours in bleach before washing. It is better to do this in a bathroom or a large-diameter basin so that the curtain does not have to be crumpled and twisted.

Then place the curtain in the machine's tub along with a couple of terry towels to act as soft cleaning brushes. Add washing powder.

Wash the curtain in a delicate mode, at a water temperature of 40 degrees and below. Be sure to turn off the spin to avoid wrinkling the fabric.

After washing, unfold the curtain in the tub to drain the water. And then hang on the curtain rod and let dry.

Manually

Place the curtain in a tub or large diameter basin. Add 50 g of laundry soap, a measuring spoon of powder and, if there is a lot of dirt, a teaspoon of any store-bought stain remover.

Fill the curtain with warm water - no higher than 40 degrees.

Leave to soak for 1-2 hours. Then use a soft bristled brush or dishwashing sponge soaked in the detergent solution to sweep over the entire surface of the curtain. Pay special attention to streaky areas.

For difficult cases, sprinkle some kitchen cleaner on the stain and scrub thoroughly with a brush or sponge.

Rinse the curtain with clean water. Wait for it to drain, and then hang the curtain on the curtain rod and let it dry without spinning.

Keep your curtains clean

Follow these simple tips:

Rinse the curtain with water after every bath. When you wash, drops of shampoo, shower gel, conditioners and hair balms fall on the curtain. If not washed off in time, they will turn into unkempt gray or yellowish spots.
Make sure the curtain is dry … Constant high humidity is the main reason why mold and rust stains appear on curtains. If there is poor ventilation in the bathroom and even an open door does not help, at least from time to time try to wipe the curtain dry with a towel.
Do not curl the curtain on the eaves and do not put its lower part on the side of the bathroom … In this position, water stagnates in the curtains of the curtain, which can lead to the growth of mold or other stains.
Do a light cleaning every 3-4 weeks. Dampen a cloth or sponge with a cleaning solution (for example, 1 tablespoon of dish soap per liter of water) and wipe down at least the bottom half of the shade. Then rinse with water and let dry.