No More Mildew

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

10 Nov 2007 05:49 AM

Want a way to keep mold and mildew off of your shower curtain? Here is a simple way that will help you avoid those harsh chemical cleaners, well cleaning at all, when it comes to your shower curtain.

Isn't it funny how little things around the house bother one person more than they do the other? Any type of mold on the shower curtain is one of those things for me. I can't stand it when there is any form of mold or mildew. For my husband, it isn't as big a deal. I suppose he figures that it is usually on the inside of the curtain where guests can't see it. The shower curtain could grow its own fur coat, and it probably wouldn't bother him enough to do anything about it.

You should read an earlier article I wrote about my battle with mold and mildew here: When Mildew Gets Ugly, just to get a perspective on how things are in my house.

But I like our home to be nice for us, as well as guests. I found that Tilex was one of those cleaners that usually does the trick, but you have to use it in a well-ventilated room, and the fumes are horrible.

When I am pregnant or nursing, (pick almost any time in the last six or seven years), I really want to avoid using those harsh chemical cleaners. I've tried other cleaners to battle the mold and mildew, but anything gentle or natural just doesn't seem to work as well for me. I would scrub and scrub.

The washing machine method worked pretty well, but then I found a real break though. This is a way to keep the mold and mildew away for good. You simply soak the clean shower curtain in salt water and hang it back up. Voila! No mildew. I tried it, and it works. I wipe the curtain down and re-soak it about every three months, and not even dirt will stick to the curtain. A friend of mine has never re-soaked or even rinsed her curtain, and she has had it up with no mildew for seven months now.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

Related Articles:

When Mildew Gets Ugly

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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GooseGirl (5) 22 Nov 2007 10:46 PM

Interesting suggestion...what's the salt to H2O ratio that you use and how long do you let it soak?

Mary Ann Romans (26876) 23 Nov 2007 05:55 AM

The salt solution doesn't have to be very strong. I basically filed the bath tub with a thin layer of water and added a handful of salt to it. It helps if the water it warm or hot, so the salt dissolves quickly. Then I just dipped the shower curtain in for a few minutes before hanging it up. Hope that helps! Thanks for reading!