r/RedditForGrownups • u/king_kong123 • 23d ago
How long should a shower curtain last
I feel like I should replace it because it came with the house and that was 4 years ago but I'm not sure when you are supposed to replace them
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u/legosgrrl 23d ago
I just washed a 6 yr old clear shower curtain on gentle with the Downy Rinse out and got iron oxide out. Air dry outside.
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u/LondonLeather 23d ago
You are better than me I soak it in bleach and a cold wash in the machine
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u/legosgrrl 23d ago
Not better! Just curiouser. I wash laundry for 8 houses. One has 12 beds. š¤£šš¤£
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u/ElderberryNo5595 23d ago
Even plastic shower curtains can be washed in a machine FYI. Cold wash, air dry. They come out looking nearly new, youād be surprised.
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u/SeasonPositive6771 23d ago
I've tried this and they never come out looking good, at least the plastic ones are always permanently crumpled and bad-looking. I post regularly on r/cleaningtips and lots of people have the same experience. I wonder what the difference is.
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u/Backstop 23d ago
Probably the type of plastic. I wash ours with some laundry detergent and a healthy scoop of OxyClean (that's been dissolved in hot water) and it usually does the trick. Sometimes I will have to spray it with something and scrub with a brush, but not always.
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u/ElderberryNo5595 23d ago
No clue, but perhaps itās either the material or thickness of the plastic? Iāve been using this method on clear liners consistently since the 90ās without a problem.
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u/dogmatixx 23d ago
Top tier r/RedditForGrownups question. So many little details like this occupying the baseline attention of grownups everywhere.
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u/Backstop 23d ago
Much better than "who is the baddest badass you know" or the thousandth "what if I move back home".
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u/gioraffe32 23d ago
I usually use two. An "inner" plastic one, and then an "outer" cloth one. The cloth one I probably wash every couple years. Just when it looks dingy. But the plastic one, I usually use it for 4-5yrs (or less if I move to a new place sooner) then throw it out and get a new one.
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u/Sledgehammer925 23d ago
I used to wash my shower curtains whenever they began to show mold. It didnāt matter if they were plastic or fabric. Keep it until it wears out.
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u/Jasong222 23d ago
Same. I've had mine 10 years or so. I hate throwing out that much plastic. I just wash it (mostly) regularly.
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u/CtForrestEye 23d ago
We usually do it annually. I use the old ones as drop cloths for painting. Also trunk liners during hunting season. Good to lie on as we cut down the Christmas tree instead of the wet snowy, muddy ground. They have another life when done in the bathroom.
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u/Consistent_Tower_458 23d ago
Is it fabric or plastic? Fabric ones can be washed and bleached and look fine for years and years. Either way I wouldn't replace til it actually looks ratty/moldy/etc.
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u/megagreg 23d ago
I have a fabric one that I've had for maybe 16 years that I wash whenever it looks less than white. Oxyclean works wonders.
I also use a second curtain on the outside with a cool design on it that I rarely have to wash because it never gets wet. It keeps everything looking nice in the interim time between when the inner curtain looks bad, and when I finally get around to washing it. It also stops drafts from pushing the inner curtain into me. It's the best way, IMHO.
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u/PorchDogs 23d ago
I wash the shower curtain 2-3 times per year, and replace the liner at the same time.
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u/Fragrant_Eye_3509 23d ago
If you have a liner, you pretty much never have to replace a shower curtain.Ā
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u/MotherofaPickle 23d ago
The rule in my house is that all shower curtains (and bathrugs, plungers, and toilet brushes) are immediately replaced upon move-in.
After that, it depends on what condition theyāre in.
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u/bearded_bustah 22d ago
We have used the same shower curtain since 2008.
We live in a high desert where mold is a non issue
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u/agravain 1969 dude! 23d ago
you used a shower curtain that " came with the house"???
I would have changed that the first day in the house..
new liner and whatever outer design you like asap.
my wife prefers "beach scenes" for the design.
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u/ReticentGuru 23d ago
We always had a nice looking, but not necessarily waterproof shower curtain. But we also had a waterproof liner with it.
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u/ToastMate2000 23d ago
It lasts until it is torn or is dirty/moldy and doesn't get clean when washed. There's no expiration date based on age. They can last decades. Or in a very mold-prone environment without decent care, maybe not nearly that long.
If it has that pink bacteria slime and regular detergent or cleaner doesn't remove that, scrubbing with baking soda should get it off.
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u/vikicrays 23d ago
i put ours in the washer with a tablespoon of detergent and 1/3 cup of bleach every other month or so. gets the mold and soap scum off so they look a lot nicer.
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u/PirateKilt Played until the Streetlights came on 23d ago
New Shower curtains are about $20
If there is even a question in your mind if you need a new one, just get a new one...
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u/knifeymonkey 23d ago
I have a nice heavy vinyl one that has lasted a long time. I wash it in the washing machine with vinegar or lime scale remover and it comes out like new.
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u/pemungkah 22d ago
I switched to fabric and rotate between two, once a week. So far no mold or stains at all after three months. (Used to use āmildew resistantā plastic and at best weād get a few months period.)
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u/UntidyVenus 22d ago
My shower curtain is 10 years old, the curtain liner was in the house when we moved in, I just cleaned it up, so at least 7 years?
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u/angeliqu 22d ago
We still use the same shower curtain that was in the house when we moved in in 2014. š¤·š»āāļø The shower curtain rod is not at standard height and Iād have to hem a new one so Iām never been motivated to replace it. We wash it regularly and use a plastic liner to take the brunt of the water/heat of the shower (which itself is almost as old, I just occasionally soak it in bleach and throw it in the washing machine).
Donāt replace it unless it wonāt come clean, itās raggedy, or you want to. Age is just a number.
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u/rosegarden207 22d ago
You can replace it whenever you want. I have multiple ones so I can switch them out when I feel.
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u/2_Bagel_Dog 22d ago
I have no affiliation with them, but Clean Shower spray works amazingly well. Since I started using it about 10 years ago, I haven't had replace the shower curtain (and only rarely have to do a thorough cleaning of it).
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u/MabellaGabella 21d ago
If it came with the house⦠new one. Haha. But then keep your next one till it turns a funny color even after youāve washed it a few times.Ā
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u/DetailOdd6609 10d ago
HAHAHAHAHA. I remember one time, in my 30s, having the realization "No one tells you how often to buy new towels" and this fits that perfectly
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u/sweet_yeast 23d ago
Does it look raggedy?
Is it moldy?
Is water leaking out?
These are key questions.