The summer months are full of outdoor ongoings and we find ourselves at picnics, parties and big events such as firework displays and concerts.
To ensure your trusty picnic blanket doesn't get wet from the grass, try tossing a shower curtain in your bag as well. They're inexpensive and will make sure everyone goes home clean and more importantly dry!
If you're headed to a place that won't allow in chairs, a blanket is a great substitution, but after a full day of hanging out on one, the bottom can become stained or overly wet if the friendly patrons behind you spill their drinks. Keep a shower curtain handy to act as an additional layer of protection.
You could of course skip the blanket all together and just carry the plastic which in a pinch could also double as a killer poncho! Check out more ideas for reusing a shower curtain over at Woman's Day.
(via: Woman's Day)
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This may be a good solution for picnic-ers but it's not good for the grass underneath...
great idea! amazing how even dry looking ground always has those damp spots.
svkilaru - is it bad for the grass even if it's just for a couple of hours?
my picnic blanket has a tarp like material on the bottom... and grommet holes too if you need to peg it down.
I think it was called a Picnic Rug on the tag.
cgups - It won't be a problem if you're using a blanket with it, but if you use the shower curtain liner alone at say an outdoor all day concert where it stays put, it can dry the grass out. Otherwise, you'll be just fine!
These plastic shower curtains contain PVC/phthalates/VOCs. Not good for anyone. Even if you think it doesn't matter because you are outside and there is a blanket between you and the curtain, you have still bought this product, increasing the demand and ensuring the continued production of a not-so-great product.
We never had these problems with our wool picnic blankets...
...and when the first person spilled a drink, that was the clue that it was time to go home.
(Whatever happened to folks being arrested for "Drunk and Disorderly in Public"?)
leeler - They do make eco-friendly versions of your traditional "harmful" shower curtain liner. You can find them most places these days and would be a great option if you foster concern for this issue!
Of course I know that -sarahrae- what do you think I use in my shower? :) Though they are definitely not as waterproof as the vinyl ones..
I brought it up though because a tradtional vinyl shower curtain was pictured in the post and thought it was an issue that is likely of interest to other readers. i.e. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/towels-bathware/best-non-vinyl-shower-curtains-057588
The only reason it was the one pictured was because it was the easiest to discern. You're right, they aren't quite as water proof, but unless you're sitting in a puddle, I'm pretty sure they'll do alright!
For over 12 years now we have the same transparent plastic cover you may use for doing a painting job without ruining the floor.
We have it in our car and it was used many times. It already caused great fun, when eight people hid under the cover rushing to the car and saving picnic food and themselves from heavy rain.
At a rainy open-air-concert we made several people glad when we offered them shelter under our plastic cover.
Those 5 $ were well invested.
Pendleton carries an excellent roll up blanket that's nylon on one side, wool on the other.
We love ours- worth the investment for hours of park and picnic hangouts.
our picnic blanket is a king size bedspread...I'd love to add a water-proof backing to it, but finding fabric 110x102 has proven a bit difficult! I might check out those paint cloths, though. Hadn't thought to check on them!
My now-husband laughed at me for having a shower curtain in my car...until the Black Friday it rained while we were waiting for a new computer! We stayed dry, everyone else got soaked. :)
Mmm.. nothing says summer like the smell of grilled hot dogs, and vinyl shower curtain.
they make these things called tarps...
My sister has a picnic blanket with an opened trash bag duct taped to the back. She's had it for years and the tape has yet to separate from blanket or plastic. She keeps it in the trunk of her car so she can easily grab it when needed. It's perfect because you can just spread out one layer and it's kept our bums dry on many occasions.
Thanks for the tip. It's a novel use of a shower curtain. I suppose you could get an extra long or wide curtain for a very large picnic. You could even get one with a pattern for a more festive look. Imagine a shower curtain with the statue of liberty printed on it for your next July 4th picnic.