How to Clean a Shower Curtain Without Taking it Down

Shower curtains can get very dirty over time, and constantly taking them down to scrub them can be a daunting task. But don’t let that stop you from cleaning them. Learn how to clean a shower curtain without taking it down and save yourself some time and effort. 

Because your shower curtain stays exposed to constant soap scum and humidity, it can develop mildew, mold and other bacteria if left unclean. Shower curtain liners can especially accumulate tons of residue towards the bottom due to kids bathing. 

If you’ve noticed dirt and stains on your shower curtains lately and are tired of regularly taking it down to clean, then this article is for you. Read further for all the ways to clean a shower curtain without taking it down.

How to Clean a Shower Curtain Without Taking it Down?

Every time you take a shower you leave behind a layer of soap scum that sticks to your shower curtain and/or plastic curtain liner. The soap scum, along with the excess moisture in your bathroom causes mold to grow on your shower curtain.

If you aren’t cleaning your shower curtains regularly, chances are they are filled with mold. You can prevent this from happening by regularly cleaning your dirty shower curtain without taking it down. It will clean the soap scum so there’s no chance of mold or mildew ever growing.

Below are some tried and tested methods of how to clean a shower curtain without taking it down. Some of these methods will even help you prevent and eliminate mold on your shower curtains.

Using Soap and Water

This simple method of using soap and water to clean your cloth shower curtain or plastic liner is the most convenient way to do this. Cleaning regularly with an antiseptic soap can keep bacteria from accumulating on your shower curtain.

Follow the steps below to learn how to clean your shower curtain using only soap and water:

1. Fill a spray bottle with warm water and enough soap to make the water soapy. 
2. Squeeze half a lemon into the mixture to create a tougher cleaner that will cut through the soap scum. (This step is optional.)
3. Shake the solution and spray directly on your wet or dry shower curtain. (This can be sprayed on a plastic shower curtain liner, as well.)
4. Let the spray sit for 5 to 10 minutes depending on how dirty the shower curtain is.
5. Use a sponge to scrub the shower curtain. You should see soap suds.
6. Rinse the entire curtain with hot water using your shower head.
7. Allow your bathroom to be well ventilated so the shower curtain can dry and to prevent bacteria or mold.

Using White Distilled Vinegar

White distilled vinegar is the best solution to fight mold and mildew growth. It’s also great at removing soap scum and helps prevent bacteria from growing. Its an all purpose cleaner.

Follow these steps to clean your shower curtain with vinegar without taking it down:

1. Mix 1 cup of white vinegar to 2 cups water in a spray bottle.
2. Add a few drops of dish soap for a more effective clean.
3. Spray your shower curtain with the vinegar solution and let the solution sit for around 10 minutes. If your curtains are very dirty, let the solution sit a while longer.
4. Once you’ve let the vinegar mixture sit long enough, rinse the shower curtain with warm water using a shower head. No need to scrub!
5. Allow the curtain to dry by opening windows, doors, or turning on the fan.

Using Baking Soda

Baking soda, like vinegar, is another great solution to fight mold growth and mildew stains. What’s also great about baking soda is that it works as a deodorizer. 

This means that it can keep your shower curtain smelling fresh and clean after eliminating the mold and mildew smell. Follow these steps below to use baking soda to help you clean your shower curtain:

1. You can either create a baking soda paste or simply sprinkle the baking soda all over the shower curtain.
2. To make a paste, mix baking soda with a small amount of water until the consistency is thick like toothpaste.
3. Apply the paste to a sponge and scrub the entire surface of the curtain. Scrub harder where the stains are most noticeable.
4. Rinse with warm water and allow the shower curtain to dry.
5. If sprinkling the baking soda on the shower curtain, simply use a wet sponge to scrub the entire curtain and rinse with warm water once finished.
6. For areas with excess mold and stains, apply more baking soda and scrub with a coarse sponge or scrub brush before rinsing.

Using Toothpaste

If you’d rather skip the baking soda paste, you can use toothpaste instead! Toothpaste may not be as tough as baking soda, but it still does get the job done while leaving your shower curtain smelling fresh. 

Here’s how to clean your shower curtain with toothpaste:

1. Grab a tube of white toothpaste (any brand should work fine, just be sure to avoid gel toothpaste).
2. Add some toothpaste directly to the coarse side of a damp sponge and squeeze the sponge until the toothpaste has seeped into it.
3. Scrub the shower curtain with the sponge. For tough stains, add more toothpaste to the sponge and scrub those areas harder.
4. You can also use a soft brush to apply the toothpaste to the shower curtain.
5. Rinse the shower curtain with warm water immediately after scrubbing.
6. If the toothpaste dries, you will need to wipe it down with a wet towel.
7. Last thing, allow the shower curtain to dry.

Using Bleach

Bleach is another way to kill mold and bacteria. It may not be the best way due to the toxic fumes, but if all else fails, you can try bleach to remove those stubborn mold stains. 

Always be careful when handling bleach. Keep doors and windows open and protect your skin. Always make sure your kids stay far away from the bathroom while using bleach.

Aside from being cautious, using bleach to clean your shower curtains is pretty simple. Here are the steps below:

1. Mix ¼ cup of bleach with one tablespoon of dish soap in a spray bottle.
2. Fill the remainder of the spray bottle with water.
3. Spray your shower curtain with the bleach mixture and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
4. Spray a bit more on areas with lots of mold, mildew or stains.
5. Keep your bathroom well ventilated while doing so.
6. Rinse with warm water. 
7. If stains don’t come out, spray the affected area once more and scrub with a sponge, then rinse with warm water.

How to Clean a Shower Curtain Without Taking it Down Using Commercial Cleaners

Using household products is the most convenient and easy way to clean your shower curtain, however, if you’re looking for an even easier way you can purchase a product to keep your shower curtains clean.

Here are some of the best products to clean a shower curtain without taking it down:

• Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover is top on our list, because of its ease of use. Just spray and wash. Spray the product directly on your curtains, wait a few minutes, and rinse off with warm water. You can also scrub areas with tough stains if needed.

Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray, 32 Fluid Ounce (Pack of 2)

• Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover Economy Size 32 fl oz (Pack of 2)
• Delivers a powerful clean without scrubbing
• Eliminates stains before your eyes
• Kills 99.9% of household mold & mil

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• Don Aslett’s Showers and Stuff contains chemicals in its formula that bring your shower curtain back to life. If you’ve got a dull shower curtain from excessive cleaning, this cleaner can make it sparkle again. Like the Tilex cleaner, this one just needs to be sprayed and will work on its own. Don Aslett’s is tough and can even get rid of rust stains from metal shower hooks or shower curtain rings. All you need to do is spray and let it sit for a few minutes then wash away. This cleaner can eliminate tough mold and mildew stains. Most of the time, you won’t need to do any scrubbing, as it’s a very tough cleaner.

Don Aslett’s Showers and Stuff (32 Oz Spray Bottle, Pack of 2) Hard Water Stains and Soap Scum Remover | Cleans Bathroom Rust, Grout Tile Lines, Fiberglass Tub, Glass Shower Door Surfaces

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• Kaboom Shower Guard Daily Shower Cleaner is another great shower cleaner. This one should be used daily to keep your shower curtain clean. This cleaner works best on vinyl shower curtains, as it removes hard water stains. Like the other cleaners, you simply spray and rinse off to clean your shower curtains. This formula prevents and fights off soap scum, water stains from mineral deposits, and limescale.

Kaboom Shower Guard Daily Shower Cleaner, 30 fl oz

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How to Keep Your Shower Curtains Clean

Regularly cleaning your shower curtain is the best practice to keep them clean and free of mold and mildew. It’s very important to keep everything in your bathroom clean to prevent growth of mold and mildew. 

Allowing mold to grow in your bathroom can cause respiratory issues and allergies. Aside from keeping a regular cleaning schedule, you can follow these tips to prevent mold and mildew from growing on your shower curtains:

• Use a vinegar solution made with white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Use this vinegar and water solution to spray your shower curtain and shower liner after every shower. This should kill any mold that has grown and prevent it from coming back.
• Make a habit of cleaning the residue from soap that lingers on your fabric shower curtain after each shower. You can do this by wiping it away with a damp cloth or sponge.
• Keep a microfiber cloth handy next to your shower. Once you’ve finished your shower, wipe down the shower curtain with the bath towel to keep it dry. Excess moisture can help black mold grow.
• On top of that, be sure to keep your bathroom ventilated so your shower curtain can dry quicker. If you have a ventilator, turn it on while showering so it can help the humidity and steam escape. You can always open doors and windows as an alternative.
• When taking a bath or bathing your kids, keep the shower curtain out of the bath or hang it up on the shower rod to prevent soap scum from sticking to the bottom of it.this is where soap scum occurs the most on shower curtains due to the soap residue and dirt that accumulates in your bath water.
• Always keep your fabric curtain completely open to allow it to properly dry and so no moisture gets trapped inside the folds when closed.
• Once in a while, toss your shower curtains in the washing machine, or take them down and wash by hand to clean them thoroughly. You don’t have to do this often, though, doing so will help you clean off any dirt or stubborn stains that were missed when cleaning them on the shower rod.

Using Vodka to Keep Shower Curtains Clean

Vodka can be used as a solution to prevent mold and stains on your shower curtain. It doesn’t necessarily eliminate mold, but it will help keep mold at bay.

The alcohol is vodka helps prevent mold from growing, so using this on your shower curtain can help keep it clean and free of bacteria.

Follow these steps below to apply a vodka solution to your shower curtain:

1. Mix ½ cup of vodka and 1 cup of cold water in a spray bottle. Be sure to add some essential oils to block out the strong scent of alcohol.
2. Spray the mixture onto your shower curtains after each shower. Do not rinse away.
3. Allow it to dry by keeping the curtain completely open. Keep windows and doors open and turn on a ventilator if you have one so the vodka solution can dry properly. 

By doing this, you create a layer of protection on your shower curtain until you use the shower again.

Final Take: How to Clean a Shower Curtain Without Taking it Down

And there you have it, some of the best ways to clean a shower curtain without taking it down. We all know how much time it takes to remove each hook from a shower curtain and no one wants to spend time doing that.

Try out these methods to keep your shower curtains and shower liners clean and mold and mildew free.