How to deal with a moldy shower curtain - Lifehacker

No matter how often you clean the tiles, fixtures, and tub/shower, you can still end up with a recurring and annoying problem: mold on your shower curtain. One day you put on a new liner and it seems let it be a few days later before the mold reappears.

So why does it happen and what can you do about it? Mold remediation expert Michael Rubino breaks it down in an article for mindbodygreen. Here's what you need to know.

What causes mold to form on shower curtains?

Basically, it comes down to ventilation and airflow." Excess moisture between the shower curtain and the shower liner can get trapped, creating an ideal environment for mold and mildew to grow (which, by the way, should be taken as seriously as mold)," writes Rubino.

Ventilate the bathroom

The obvious solution is to turn on the exhaust fan, but as Rubino explains, you can't just flip a switch and expect everything to be fixed:

It should be noted that when you turn on your exhaust fan, you create a negative pressure environment in your bathroom which draws in steam and air. For your exhaust fan to work properly, you must replace this air at the same rate as you remove it. That's why it's important to open a door or window every time you use it.

If you don't replace the airflow in the bathroom, your exhaust won't work as efficiently as it could. Have you ever noticed moisture dripping from your fan after a hot shower? This is moisture that has been trapped inside the vent due to a lack of incoming air.

And if you don't have an exhaust fan, you'll definitely want to open a window to give the warm, humid air a place to go.

Other Ways to Prevent Mildew from Growing on Your Shower Curtain

Besides making sure your bathroom is well ventilated, Rubino has a few other suggestions for keeping your shower curtain mold-free:

Separate shower curtain and liner

Since mildew often forms between the shower curtain and the liner, take an extra five seconds after a shower or bath to separate them, i.e. making sure the liner is inside of the tub and that the curtain is on the outside of the tub. By Rubino:

By keeping them separate, you allow them to dry properly. When these two wet surfaces touch, the moisture can linger between them much longer. (Think of if you were to leave a damp sponge on a counter; the sponge and the counter below would remain damp for an extended period of time.)

Don't leave your bath mat on the floor

Because the goal is to keep your shower area dry, Rubino says it's also important to hang up your bath mat after showering or bathing to avoid the same type of moisture trapping that occurs between curtains.

"Just lean your bath mat on the shower rod or a towel rack to allow it to dry completely between uses and you'll have far fewer problems with mold growing around your shower area," he writes. .

Wash your bath mat and shower curtain regularly

If you're not in the habit of regularly washing your bathmat and shower curtain, it's time to start, Rubino says, noting that he washes his once a week. "Over time, the Dust will accumulate on both, and when dust accumulates, it provides a sort of magnet on which deposited mold spores can land," he wrote.

How to get rid of existing mold

If your shower curtain was relatively cheap and moldy, you'd probably be better off throwing it away, then starting over with a new one and using the tips above to prevent mold from growing in the first place. But if you want try to clean it, Rubino recommends using this product.

Another option comes from The Maids website. They recommend spraying your moldy shower curtain with a solution of two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part water, letting it sit for five to 10 minutes, then cleaning it. scrub with a solution of equal parts baking soda and water. Because you are dealing with mold, ideally this is something you would do outside, but if that is not practical or possible , you can also clean it in the bathtub itself.