How do you suggest cleaning shower curtains?

Yeah - I would love to know the best way to clean my vinyl curtains. I hate to ever throw them out, I know they'll never biodegrade.

i have a friend who actually bleaches her vinyl shower curtains and they look amazing.

I have unsealed painted/stained concrete as my shower, any cleaning suggestions for that? I'm scared to rub off the color thats staining it but it needs a good cleaning badly. Thanks!

Oh and the lemon half borax tip is great! Love the whole post.

How can you tell what type of bathtub you have?

For vinyl shower curtains, throw them in the washer with a load of white towels (I put 1 layer beneath the curtain and 1 over it), and wash on hot with bleach. Then hang them back up in the shower to dry.

Put your shower curtains in the washing machine to clean them. I read that somewhere and tried it and it works!

Yes, towels are a must when washing shower curtains. They scrub away all the grime and everything comes out sparkling white.

Speaking of "getting up close and personal with your bathroom," my boyfriend thinks it's strange that I clean the toilet bowl with my bare hands.

Does anyone else do this beside me? I learned it from my mother. I just pour a bit of bleach in the bowl (after having flushed it a few times), and then get on my hands and knees with an old rag and scrub the whole toilet from top to bottom, inside and out, and around the base of the toilet using the bleach water. Then I flush a few times wringing out the towel and scrub again. I do this about three or four times.

The toilet always looks fantastic when I'm done. I've always avoided using wands and other tools because I feel like they don't do as thorough of a job.

Is this strange?

If you're using bleach, you really should be wearing rubber gloves, no matter what you're cleaning. As for the vinyl shower curtains, putting in a cup of vinegar will cut the grime and keep them pliable.

wait you dip the rag in the bowl and wring? eep, I guess I am creeped out like your boyfriend, but I guess with the bleach and the flushing and the whatever, that it isn't...oh, I can't. Sorry, I think it is strange. IMO.

I second sagekitten85. How do you tell what kind of tub you have???

mmelugin- I scrub with a combination of "on my hands and knees" and half with a toilet brush. There's nothing wrong with you!

mm --

if you wash your hands thoroughly a few times after you are done cleaning, then I don't see what's wrong with not using gloves. Germophobes might have an issue with it though. you just have to make sure that while you are cleaning, you don't touch anything else, like your clothes or face.

I think a lot of people use gloves when working with bleach because bleach can be harmful to the skin.

I never use gloves when I clean the bathroom.

Bleach is harmful for you and the environment, I just don't understand why it continues to get used when there are so many other ways to clean. Try Borax 20 Mule Team it cleans everything and non toxic.

LoriSF: Thanks for the tip. I'll look for Borax the next time I'm at the store.

Like Scoot, I prefer to clean with my bare hands, so switching to a nontoxic solution would make sense.

My husband is a germophobe, too. He wears gloves for everything that might be in the slightest bit gross or ucky, even for painting!

Me, i clean the bathroom (and the rest of the house, and our pets' belongings) without gloves, but i make sure not to touch anything else and i wash my hands in hot water afterward. I do wear gloves when i'm using bleach or harsh chemicals, though. Other than a few nasty microbes, i figure it's good to get a little germy, gives your immune system some exercise.

need advice on glass shower doors and how to keep them water spot free.
I've tried - clr, vinegar and mr clean magic eraser, bartenders friend.... plus a good amount of elbow grease
It's not soap scum.. but they just won't get clean!
I spent a good two hours cleaning them this weekend nad they still aren't transparent.

I have these extra thick, heavy duty, clear plastic (vinyl?) shower curtains. Can I still throw those into the washer, or does that only work for the while vinyl curtains?

My grandmother used to clean the toilet with just a rag and Lysol. She'd pour Lysol in the bowl and go at it - but she always wore gloves, and the rag was used just for cleaning toilets.

Worked much better than any brush. The toilets always looked brand new. Spotless. Probably had fewer germs than any restaurant kitchen surface.

To clean vinyl shower curtains, just wash 'em. I used to wash them, even the clear ones, before I switched to waterproof fabric curtains. It helps to have something abrasive in the wash with it, like towels or a bath mat that can handle bleach. I tried using Borax instead of bleach, and also that OxyClean stuff, but it's not strong enough to blast the gunk off a shower curtain. A little bleach isn't gonna destroy the environment.

You can sprinkle Borax on a shower curtain on a regular basis to help inhibit the growth of nasties, though. It also works for keeping mold and mildew from growing on walls and ceilings.

@craftypanks. I have the clear vinyl curtains. I was it and the patterned shower curtain at the laundromat with hot water and a bit of soap. They're going to be drippy after - but you can put the vinyl curtain in the dryer for 5 minutes to dry them up a bit and remove any wrinkles.

huh, i clicked thinking there was an uproar over the use of "spic and span".

mmelugin - I also use a mix of hot water and borax with just a bit of Brommer's soap or dish soap in spray bottle to clean my oven, spray let sit for 5 min,. and all that blacken, greasy mess comes clean.

I re grouted my bathroom tile and use a Japanese eraser Light the Magic one to clean the grout, then spray with home made borax spray use a kitchen brush and my white tiles and grout are sparkling. No need for bleach or oven cleaner for that matter.

If you guys are using vinyl curtain liners there is no need anymore. Finally they make nylon ones now that I think attract less soap scum, feels more like fabric and easy to wash. I got mine at ACE hardware for 14.00 I've had it for a year and looks brand new.

@sagekitten85

To distinguish an enamel finish tub vs. an acrylic tub:

An enamel finished tub is formed metal under the finish, sometimes cast iron. Generally speaking, it is cooler to the touch, coller than the air around it that is (like cermic tile is) unless its being hit by sunlight. Alos, it is very hard. One should be able to knock on the tub to get that hollow metal noise. Try sticking a strong magent to it.

an arcrylic tub is, well, plastic. It feels like...plastic. :) If you knock on it it will sound more like a knock on a giant plastic trashbarrel as opposed to a metal one. Hope that helps!

Hope that helps :)

ps. sorry for my subpar typing abilities

anning, I'm guessing the acetone in your nail polish remover is what did the trick. You can buy a can of acetone in the same aisle as paint thinner at your diy or hardware store. I wouldn't want to use it as a regular cleaner but I'm guessing it is picking up some wax or something. I'm sure it is fine as a one time use but don't get it on anything painted or probably any other surfaces. Also you'll definitely want to seal the grout after such a hardcore cleaning. Any place that sells tiles will also sell a tile and grout sealer.

If you wash a vinyl shower curtain, use hot water so it doesn't get brittle and crack. I used to just hang mine back in the shower to drip dry. The wrinkles come out eventually. Now I use a fabric, probably polyester or nylon, shower curtain. Works fine & easy to wash. Vinyl is toxic to make and dispose of.

" Borax instead of bleach, and also that OxyClean stuff, but it's not strong enough to blast the gunk off a shower curtain. A little bleach isn't gonna destroy the environment."

Yes collectively bleach is going to destroy the environment its getting into our creeks, oceans and into the environment in many bad bad ways. I am sorry but bleach it should be avoided period. if you are letting your gunk build up so much that you need bleach then you might want to consider using Borax on a more regular basis. I use it to clean the oven with a bit elbow grease and an old rough sponge it can take anything off.

I've always washed my shower curtain by itself in the washing machine. Detergent and nothing else special. Comes out clean every time.

To wash vinyl curtains, I use half and half bleach and water combination in a bucket. I fold the curtains neatly and place in the bucket for a couple of hours. You much fold neatly because if you don't the curtains will come out wrinkled and crinkles everywhere.

I love that scene in Singles - one of my favorite movies of all time! I think of that scene every time I clean my toilet :)

www.mydesigndreams.com

Respectfully to LoriSF, I've recently been educated by a biochemist, who also happens to be very active re: environmental issues, about the effects of bleach on the environment. Yes, it is overused, but most of my environment-based concerns turned out to be unfounded. Here is an example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.greenoptions.com/wiki/bleach

I minimize use for health reasons primarily.

Okay so i'm currently living in South Korea - is Borax a product name or what it's made of - awful bathroom situation to fix!

I'm with the group that washes their shower curtain with the towels & my towels aren't white but it's never been a problem. I add about 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle, no need to use bleach.

Anning,

Even with the windows open, if you're going to clean your tiles with acetone, please use a good mask meant to protect you from chemicals, not just a dust mask. You're going to have your face right there in it so you might not get enough fresh air even with the windows open.

Also, since the nail polish remover you used was actually acetone-free, it would be a really good idea to first test the acetone on one tile in the corner to make sure it doesn't adversely affect the finish. Do this a few days in advance, just in case.

Good luck!

I never buy bleach so trying to get that scummy feeling out of the bathtub without spending ages scrubbing was an awful lot of trial and error - mostly error!

I tried baking soda and vinegar... that didn't help much. Your standard bathroom cleaner didn't have an effect either. But those magic erasers! WOW!

I know they're full of horrible chemicals, but I got the bathtub squeaky clean just with a gentle rub. I was amazed and may never go back.

This is my first post @ AT as you will realize at my amateurish question:

How do i know if my bahtub is porcelain enamel or acrylic?

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Bon Ami. It works great in the bathroom and it's non-toxic. I use it on my tub all the time because I'm a bit neurotic about it and need it to really FEEL clean. Bon Ami makes the enamel (or porcelain, I don't know) super smooth and clean. It doesn't get a stained tub white the first time, but over time it becomes gleaming white. Mine has, anyway.

@ melle

I don't believe there are any particularly harmful chemicals in a magic eraser. in fact I think the eraser itself is non-toxic if ingested, but it can clog the throat. the eraser is just a melamine pad, and they have been around for a while.

I have an acrylic tub and it used to be very difficult to clean since you're limited to the types of cleaners you can use. I read somewhere (maybe on the manufacturer's website) that regular dish soap would work. I tried a bit of Dawn and the soap residue came right off. Now it's the only thing I use to clean my tub (and a few minutes with powdered dishwasher detergent once a month for the jets).