Fabric. Cannot stand the smell of plastic liners, and they stick to me and seem clammy (yuck). We don't have problems with water escaping - maybe our shower is wider than yours?

Both, a fabric "drape" on the outside and a plastic liner inside, I thought everyone did it this way.

I have white Nylon one, because I agree about the smell of plastic and do not like the hard water spots. As for mine I give its a shake when I am done showering to get the excess water off it dries pretty quickly.
I wash it every two months in Borax keeping it bright and spotless.

wow I am on an all time typo high today, sorry.

I have a nylon liner with a cotton "outside" shower curtain.

I use plastic liners. They repel the water and keep shower curtains nice and fresh. Also they're very cheap, I think the one's I purchase are like $3 each. I have no problem with the smell of mine, just use them a few times and the smell should fade.

Am I the only one here who grew up in the 60s/70s?
That plastic smell always reminds me of Xmas
morning! I get a mattel-high every time I put up
a new plastic liner.

Can't stand vinyl liners: the smell, the soap scum buildup, the inevitable mildewing and becoming brittle/tearing at the grommets... Vinyl can't be recycled either, can it?

I prefer a hotel-style nylon curtain every time.

i use a translucent nylon liner with a fabric curtain. the fabric curtain never has to washed then (ok, during spring cleaning) and the nylon liner stays pretty clean as long as you shut the curtain after you are done showering to prevent mildew growth. i replace the nylon curtain about once a year for about $5. and it only stinks for the first day or so when you put up a new one.

Plastic liners (especially vinyl) are so bad for the environment. Not only is the manufacturing harmful to the environment, the presence of the plastic curtain in your home creates indoor air pollution. I'd rather pay $10 for a fabric curtain that I can wash and have to replace every few years, than $3 for a plastic one that's harmful to the environment and my health.

fabric. but i dream of an outdoor shower ... just saying

as for the leaks, this will happen if you point the shower head in a way so that the water hits it dead on.

I use a plastic shower curtain on the inside and a polyester one on the outside. The plastic smell doesn't bother because it fades, and it makes me *think* that it's clean. They are inexpensive and if you get a weighted one it doesn't smother your body.

I use a fabric liner too and have had this very problem - water seeping through the weave. It is a bit frustrating but I have found no way around it but to replace the liner every 4-5 years or so. To keep it around that long, my advise would be to stop bleaching it - washing every six weeks should do the trick without bleach. Bleach could be weakening the threads and reducing the integrity of the weave.

Plastic inside, fabric outside. Sorry, but I agree that the new plastic smell reminds me of my youth!
When the plastic one gets mildewy, I throw it in the wash with oxy-clean, and it's fine. After quite a few washes, it then becomes a drop cloth! I use it over and over for messy painting projects, etc.

I have a clear plastic curtain because my bathroom is tiny, and the clear liner helps open the space, both from inside and outside our clawfoot tub.

I cut about a foot off the bottom of the curtain to keep it from sticking to me and feeling claustrophobic. We're in dry CO, so no mold, but I get annoyed by all the hard water and soap spots on the liner. Wish I could clean it simply and effectively. I've thrown it in the wash, but that didn't help much :/

Is there such a thing as a transparent/translucent FABRIC liner? Doubt it...

I use a recycled polyester fabric one--without a liner--that I hang inside when I'm showering, shake off, and dry hanging outside the tub. No problems thus far. I hate the smell of vinyl and all liners, even the non-vinyl ones, do eventually get moldy at the edges.

I think the fabric ones are leak-resistant only on one side (treated or something), so when you put it back up after cleaning, be sure that the "back" is facing into the tub...and the "nice" side is facing outward.

For all using plastic liners... you can wash your plastic liners in the washing machine. This was a fairly recent discovery for us, but it works. And works well. The hope is that we will not be in the "replace once a year camp". We will see if that works out in the long term. Fabric on the inside seems problematic, but go with whatever works.

Dear self,

Read the line underneath the picture which states what you just posted. Idiot.

-Self

hunted- yes and I use the nylon liner with it.

I found a beautiful EVA curtain that's the best of both worlds: lighter/thinner than a plastic liner, matte finish, semi-transparent. It looks just like rice paper and it doesn't smell like plastic
Target: Ricepaper EVA shower curtain

BTW: I use Method shower spray - the curtain is 3 years old and has never been the least bit moldy or slimy.

i use a plastic liner--one of the really heavy-duty ones. it doesn't fly in a breeze, and i haven't noticed the drying issues mentioned. it's also clear and mold-resistant, though i've used this one over a year now, it hasn't grown anything and still looks new. when i clean the shower, i just spray the curtain with cleaner and rinse, no need for any extra work.

my only experience with a fabric liner was in a hotel in italy--the water went right through onto the floor, so everyone would shower in the morning and then we'd all use our towels to mop the floor up.

i would think that the fabric would hold the water longer than the plastic because of the fibers? even polyester is made of tiny fibers with spaces that would hold the water in longer?

I have used canvas or similar all-cotton shower curtains for years, all by itself. I've never had a problem with it letting water through, however I do have to bleach them to keep them white. I suppose if I could stick to a program of laundering them frequently enough this might not be necessary. It's getting time for a new one and I'm considering just getting a canvas drop cloth to do the job - industrial chic?

I thought everyone did the plastic-in/fabric-out thing too.

When I moved into my apartment I purchased the inner plastic one from IKEA. Just their plain color $3.99 one. I let it sit outside for a few hours before installing it to get rid of the plastic smell - which wasn't that bad to begin with, compared to the Target version of the same thing.

I have yet to have any trouble with mildew on it even though the REST of the tub has mildew that I can't budge!

I use a plastic liner and fabric curtain. My liner has lasted for years, and only cost $7. All I do is spray it with vinegar/water, and scrub it with a scrub brush once a week... it looks brand new... takes 10 minutes. And it doesn't smell like plastic anymore. Also, it has a weighted bottom and doesn't touch my skin in the shower.

I also use tea tree soap, and I think that helps keep any mold/mildew growth down... My fabric curtain was way too expensive for me to ever let it get all shower-nasty - plastic liner is a must!

And speaking of health concerns related to plastic curtains... I am much more concerned with inhaling what is growing in the fabric of unlined curtains between washes! Ugh... mold allergies.

I recently converted to a 100% polyester liner and I love it. It can be thrown in the wash with non-chlorine bleach and comes out fresh as a daisy. The non-washability of vinyl/plastic was always frustrating and they were never mold-resistant despite what the package promised. The 100% polyester liners cost more than vinyl, but I'll be able to keep it much longer than the vinyl.

I have a very heavyduty clear plastic liner that lets all of the light in and has suction cups to keep it in place. I wash it about once a month with the white towels.

use plastic, or use plastic with cloth on both sides if you're into that sort of thing.

keep your shower open for an hour or two after a use and crack a door and you should be fine. or just keep it open all the time except when company is over. the last time i saw mold was when i had a shower door.

I use both as well. I bought the inexpensive Ikea plastic liner and have a nice fabric one on the outside. When the plastic liner gets icky looking, either I wash it, or toss it and put a new one in. I hate to be so 'disposable' but, has anybody tried gentle cycle in the washing machine?

We use plastic inside, fabric out as well. Never had much of a mold issue even though we keep the curtain pulled across the shower all the time. But I scrub the bottom of the curtain whenever I scrub the tub, so that keeps any beginnings of mold from working their way up.

One end ring hole is ripped in our curtain, but you can't tell because of the fabric one. I really don't want to replace it, because the initial off-gassing of fumes from the PVC takes a while. I think once I do get another one, I'll hang it outside/in the garage for a couple of weeks and let that stuff work itself out.

I use both. I change my fabric curtain with the ever changing decor of the bathroom. The inner plastic is very heavy and mold free. It's also super easy to clean. I just throw it in the washing machine and use hot water and a little bleach. Always squeaky clean.

P.S. I even throw it in the dryer on a low setting.

I would love to be able to use a grownup shower curtain, but I have this ridiculous garden tub with strangely positioned "steps" on the outside that do not permit a curtain to hang on the outside of the tub. So, because of mold issues on a fabric curtain, I use a plastic, opaque liner as a curtain. I hate it. I hate my bathroom. I really hate the fella who thought that tub was a good idea.

A little OT, but the cause of my shower curtain/shower door dilemma is the size of my bathroom. My en-suite bathroom is so tiny I wish the owner would make it a wetroom to replace the enclosed shower space and shower door. Sufficient ventilation is impossible with the small room chopped up into two walled-off humid spaces. I imagine it's too expensive and difficult to DIY, but I dream about changing this...no more mold and mildew everywhere! Sigh...

i have a fabric outside (pretty for show) and a nylon inside that is water resistant yet washable. Actually have two of those. One goes on the shower while the other is in the laundry and I change them out about once a month. The nylon keeps the water inside and I after each shower, I pull the curtain across, grab both sides and give it a good shake to get rid of the excess water just sitting on it to keep mold at bay.

There was a brief period where I used just a printed plastic liner but I didn't like the way it looked. Now I use a plain plastic liner on the inside (and let it hang inside the tub) and a fabric one outside. I love shopping for different fabric curtains and alternate them for a change of scenery.

I just bought one of these shower curtains.

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl;jsessionid=0a010a5d1f43f1437670a2f2457d8d5dd249e86f7ca8.e3eSc3yQbN0Le34Pa38Ta38Lchj0?c=760822&sc=12

They're supposed to be waterproof. I am so excited to leave the vinyl liner in the past. They never quite looked clean enough when I had guests visiting.

Clear plastic inside, fabric outside. The plastic ones are cheap ehough to replace as needed, but if you need a replacement before you have time to run to the store... just toss the plastic liner in the washing machine, use a bit of bleach and hot water and wash it as you would clothing. You can even toss it in a cool / slightly warm dryer for a few minutes. My aunt gave me that tip years ago and it works!

FYI Ace Hardware for those that live near one have a great selection of nylon and fabric waterproof liners..I got mine from there a year or so ago and have been very happy they run about 14.00. Really no need to have plastic ever again not to say throw yours out if you have one but if you are in the market for one they are much better. Plus they carry some hard to find sizes.

I use a liner made of PEVA on the inside and a fabric liner on the outside. The plastic liner I had before would have mildew, the new one sheds water and dries easily. I haven't seen any mildew yet.

Use a vinegar solution in a spray bottle to keep mildew at bay.

Another bather with a fabric curtain outside and a plastic liner inside.

A decent (weighted, of course) plastic liner can be machine-washed. Mine have lasted years.

I'm in the desert, so no mildew. Since installing shower head water filters, the liner stays cleaner longer.

Heavy canvas, no liner. No water gets through, goes in the wash. I alternate with a replacement weekly, these should last for 10 years.

I took out an old door (with tacky fish etched into it) over a year ago with the intention to get a nice door replacement. In the meantime (ahh, the pace of home improvements!), I've been using the same high-quality vinyl one and it has stayed quite clean with just a little vinegar and scrubbing every once in a while. After showering, I try to make sure that it isn't stuck to itself anywhere, and that both sides are away from the walls a little to allow air in.

@baba yaga: I'm totally with you on that one. LMAO!!!

Nylon on the inside, linen on the outside. The nylon liner dries quickly, and I've never had a problem with the linen curtain getting wet during a shower.

after many yucky experiences with plastic, i find paying 9.99 every now and then for a brand new fabric one (once we've washed the crap outta it) is not so bad in the long run..whatever makes you feel clean and fresh is best.

Oh, I thought the fabric ones are supposed to go on the outside because they are decorative? I don't really know how a fabric one is supposed to work as a proper shower curtain...

Not sure how the water gets onto the floor... when the curtain is inside the tub, there's now where else to go but in the tub.

I have two nylon fabric curtains that I've traded off for about 6-8 years. I admit that I am not the cleanest person so the pink molds develops before I wash them. I have had to soak and scrub them several times. They lasted several years before they started to allow water through (severely). I use a re waterproofing wash from REI meant for outdoor gear. It's pretty spendy though. I am going to buy a new curtain this week actually.

I use plastic. what I do is I make sure my bathroom window is open before I take a shower. When I finish I hose off the inside off the shower curtain fully to get all the soap off. Then when I step out of the shower. I turn around and stretch the shower curtain out fully so that it dries. I have never had a soap scum or mildew problem.

Fabric. Plastic gets mildewy, smells, it's hard to wash, and feels clammy to touch. It also smells really bad!

I'm not sure if someone already said this, but when you bleach something as often as you do you ruin the integrity of the fabric. It's no wonder you're getting water through your shower curtain. My suggestion is to buy a colored fabric curtain. That way you won't see the hard water stains. Follow the washing instructions. Also, you could have your water check and get a filter. Hope this is helpful and not redundant.

I use a white one I got at Kmart. It is antibacterial and I have to keep reminding myself to clean it when I clean the bathroom, because it is a wee bit heavy but repels water and dries quickly and there is NEVER any soap scum or anything. $6 and I love it.

It's horrible for the environment but plastic - I'd rather not have mold growing outside the tub. If the liner gains mold, I can simply trash it.

I have a thick vinyl one that I've had for a few years now that I just wash it every so often. I want to switch to fabric for environmental reasons, but until this one dies, it's vinyl for me...

Fabric liner inside, fabric curtain outside. Looks better and doesn't have that plastic odor.

However, I do get some water on the floor and have been wondering why. Perhaps it's b/c my fabric liner isn't doing it's job!

Plastic. I get cheap clear plastic ones at the dollar store and toss them out every 6-8 weeks. They protect my fabric shower curtain and the floor....Easy Peasy!!

I just despise shower curtains, clammy and just discusting, so for us it is glass shower screen and luckily we have soft water which means minimal amounts of limescale and not too much cleaning.

wow. all this plastic tossing surprises me. i mistakingly thought everyone used a washable liner. it just doesn't make any sense to throw things away that frequently and unnecessarily. buy something you can wash and use for years.

Ick I hate the fabric ones. Nothing like a wet bathroom floor to invite an accident...

I just spray the shower walls and the plastic liner with the shower spray when I get out. No mold, no problems. I hate all shower liners that blow into the shower and cling to you... but that's nothing that 25 years of putting a shampoo bottle on the ledge, on top of the liner, as a weight hasn't fixed. Not that difficult.

hygebeorht: we have the same dilemma--tiny bathroom, clawfoot tub, pretty fabric curtain for the outside, but b/c we don't want to block the natural light from the window that's beside the tub, we're still using vinyl liners b/c they're the only transparent ones we can find.

at least Target usually has the EVA ones, which are PVC free & don't off-gas so much. still i'd LOVE to find a transparent-ish fabric liner to use instead.

I would love to switch to a fabric liner, but I'm not sure it would work. I have a clawfoot tub with a curtain that wraps all the way around. Does a fabric one offer enough protection? Has anyone here used a non-plastic liner with a clawfoot? I'd prefer not to ruin the plaster walls and wood floor!

Interesting topic, I have often wondered about this. In hotels, there is usually a cloth curtain but I always got the floor soaked and wondered what I was doing wrong! At home we use 2- plastic inside, cloth outside. But I have read how bad and unhealthy that nostalgic plastic smell is. I tried to air out the last cheapie liner on our outdoor washline, but after 4 or 5 hours the thing just shredded! I guess it was a windy day?... We have one of those double curtain rods, we use the outer rod for a towel rack. Got it at B,B&Beyond. Washing the cheapie plastic liners never worked for me but I suspect I had let it get too far gone. Thanks for all the good 'fo on this everyone.

I always use a clear plastic curtain of some kind. Sometimes its just plain clear, but I often find clear plastic shower curtains that have an embossed pattern, which I like. I have a teeny bathroom with a big tub/shower that is the full length of the room and the clear curtain keeps the space open, as someone else said. When the curtain gets spotty I just throw it in the washer by itself and hang it back on the rod to dry. I end up having to change it maybe two or three times a year. Generally the clear ones are very inexpensive, but even the embossed ones are like $28 to $40. I think about getting a cloth curtain with a plastic liner sometimes, but that seems like more trouble (upkeep) than its worth. And of course a clear curtain will also blend in with the bathroom decor.

We got a thick vinyl liner - it has to be the "heavy duty" kind to keep it from sticking to you. Those come with reinforced grommets typically. When it gets coated with soap or the like - you can wash in warm water with laundry soap.

Clean as a whistle. Be careful with the temperature of the rinse - if it gets cold it will tear.

When you're done with your shower for the day - stretch out the liner. Keeps things from growing on it.

I have a polyester fabric one (IKEA TOFTBO) and I feel like it's a good compromise. Since it's fabric, it looks more soft and natural than straight-out plastic, but is basically waterproof as long as you aren't spraying the shower at full blast directly at it. I wish the material was better for the planet, but at least it's durable and low-maintenance, so I won't be buying another one any time soon.

Until 2 months ago, I've always used a plastic liner inside/pretty fabric outside. I periodically threw both the liner and the fabric in the wash and they held up just fine. Then we moved into a new apartment with a clawfoot tub, and I couldn't stand to have my pretty fabric curtain covering the awesome shape of the tub. SO, for the last two months I've been doing a little experiment...I took down the plastic liner and hung a (shortened) version of the fabric curtain on the inside of the tub. It's 100% cotton and seems to dry just fine as long as I pull it shut after showering. So far it hasn't gotten icky, and no water has escaped out onto the floor or walls or anything. I love it!!!

If you must go vinyl, go with an EVA (PVC free) liner.

I throw mine in the wash a few times a year with towels (for scrubbing) and a 1/2 cup of vinegar. Spotless and effortless. My last curtain has lasted over 5 years.

As the above poster mentione3d ; non-PVC liners are definitely the route to take. Upon reading up on problems revolving around PVC based liners at: vinyl shower curtain liner, I immediately went out and made the switch without looking back. They are safe, environmentally friendly, and easy maintenance.

I have a fabric liner inside and thick fabric curtain outside, so far no problems, they're easy to maintain and attractive, but they weren't cheap. I've enjoyed them for about six-seven years now.

I have a solution! My suggestion to stop fabric ones from leaking is to use TWO fabric shower curtains. the first one with the nice side facing the inside of the tub and the other one with the nice side facing the outside of the tub/toilet etc. That way if one leaks the other can catch the rest hopefully. Then for you guys that like a great looking shower, you could put a THIRD shower curtain (or just another fabric liner) on the outside of the tub with the nice side facing the door/toilet etc. I think this should be the final solution for people hating plastic liners.

Cleaning solution! When you need to wash them after 2 months just throw them all in the wash on delicate with normal laundry detergent with some borax. bleach leaves odors. put a downy ball with some vinegar in it to keep them soft. it will release on the rinse cycle and help with that hard water problem too if you have it.

Agreed on all counts.

100%, yes! Love that xmas morning smell. Smells like my Nintendo game watch I got when I was 9.