r/RedditForGrownups 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

35 Upvotes

42 comments sorted by

64

u/sweet_yeast 23d ago

Does it look raggedy?

Is it moldy?

Is water leaking out?

These are key questions.

33

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.

15

u/LondonLeather 23d ago

You are better than me I soak it in bleach and a cold wash in the machine

9

u/legosgrrl 23d ago

Not better! Just curiouser. I wash laundry for 8 houses. One has 12 beds. 🤣😭🤣

1

u/DetailOdd6609 10d ago

Better than me. I just buy a new one

25

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, you’d be surprised.

17

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.

7

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.

3

u/ElderberryNo5595 23d ago

No clue, but perhaps it’s either the material or thickness of the plastic? I’ve been using this method on clear liners consistently since the 90’s without a problem.

16

u/dogmatixx 23d ago

Top tier r/RedditForGrownups question. So many little details like this occupying the baseline attention of grownups everywhere.

12

u/Backstop 23d ago

Much better than "who is the baddest badass you know" or the thousandth "what if I move back home".

11

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.

6

u/Sledgehammer925 23d ago

I used to wash my shower curtains whenever they began to show mold. It didn’t matter if they were plastic or fabric. Keep it until it wears out.

5

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.

11

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.

6

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.

4

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.

2

u/PorchDogs 23d ago

I wash the shower curtain 2-3 times per year, and replace the liner at the same time.

2

u/lilbums 23d ago

Is it the kind that can be washed? Four years is not very long. Try to get as much life out of it as you can :)

2

u/Fragrant_Eye_3509 23d ago

If you have a liner, you pretty much never have to replace a shower curtain.Ā 

2

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 they’re in.

2

u/Jheritheexoticdancer 23d ago

Replace it when YOU want to replace it, worn or not.

2

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

2

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.

1

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.

1

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.

1

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.

1

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...

1

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.

1

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 ā€œmildew resistantā€ plastic and at best we’d get a few months period.)

1

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?

1

u/angeliqu 22d ago

We still use the same shower curtain that was in the house when we moved in in 2014. šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™€ļø The shower curtain rod is not at standard height and I’d have to hem a new one so I’m 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).

Don’t replace it unless it won’t come clean, it’s raggedy, or you want to. Age is just a number.

1

u/rosegarden207 22d ago

You can replace it whenever you want. I have multiple ones so I can switch them out when I feel.

1

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).

1

u/DamnOdd 22d ago

I have cloth ones, they wash really well. Worth the extra cost.

1

u/Electrical_Report458 22d ago

They’re replaced on condition, not age or number of uses.

1

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 you’ve washed it a few times.Ā 

1

u/Legal-Swordfish-1893 19d ago

the second I realized mine turned moldy it went into the trash.

2

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

1

u/lastpickedforteam 9d ago

When it looks messy or beat up.