Q&A: Non-Vinyl Shower Curtain Liners
by Kara DiCamillo, Newport, Rhode Island on 09.21.05
We received a question from one of our readers, Richard M. He asked, “My wife tends to buy PVC shower curtain liners…do you know of any alternatives to this?” Well this is a great question, and one that TreeHugger hasn’t addressed before so we decided to search. Regular vinyl shower curtains release chemical gases and odors from their ingredients and are manufactured with non-renewable and chemical resources. They are difficult to clean and end up in a landfill where they don't decompose and could release dangerous substances into the ground. The alternative that we liked the best is a curtain made of 100% hemp found at healthgoods.com. Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria and it is also quick drying which means it won’t trap moisture in the tub like those vinyl liners that only add to mold growth (yuck!). This curtain will get wet, but it will not leak through. This means that no liner is even needed. Although these hemp curtains can be pricey (up to $69.95), they don’t even compare with the vinyl ones that need to be constantly replaced. Thanks for inquiring, Richard! ::Healthgoods.com
I have a cotton liner and love it. Yes, it does get wet, but it doesn't go through. It's also nice because it doesn't billow in like plastic.
PVC shower curtains hard to clean?! WTF?
Yeah, real difficult to put it into the washing machine and put it on 'wash' for a cycle. Whew! What a hassle!
Erm,
Have you ever tried to put a vinyl curtain in a washer? If you ever had, you'd realize what a dum bass comment that was....
I wash vinyl curtains in the washing machine. It works surprisingly well. I wouldn't recommend using the dryer though. :)
I've put a vinyl shower curtain in the wash several times and it came out clean every time. What's the big deal and what's with the fish (bass) comment?
The photo shows the lovely hemp curtain hung over the tub, hanging on the outside of the tub wall. The text explains you don't even need a liner. The liner hangs on the inside of the tub (in most homes, at least) because that's the only way to keep water off the floor. Right? So what gives. You still need a liner, or your curtain has to hang inside the tub, which would just look silly.
yeah, it may look "silly" on the inside of the tub, but it seems ya'll are completely missing the point... and let's put the "difficult to clean" comment aside: "Regular vinyl shower curtains release chemical gases and odors from their ingredients and are manufactured with non-renewable and chemical resources...end up in a landfill where they don't decompose and could release dangerous substances into the ground."
I'd say the best solution is a sliding door that lasts for 30 years. If a curtain and liner are the best way to go because the tub is curved, then figure out design life before you buy. A $70 fabric liner better last 10X longer than a $7 vinyl one or its just another niche product and increased material consumption per unit of time.
A real innovataive approach would be to treat the natural fabric to make it water repellant.... use a spray on beeswax emulsion if you want all renewable material... then cut the price in half, and let one sheet carry both the decorative and water containing functions. When you shower, put the down edge in the tub. When you're done and it's dripped dry, hang it outside the tub again so it "looks nice". Half the resources and double the functionality. Let the owner re-apply the emulsion as necessary.
Well, the only viny curtain we ever had was large and fairly thick - it wouldn't have worked in a washer. I got our current ones at IKEA, which are polypropylene - not nearly as toxic, and actually thin enough to try running in the washer. Hmm.... maybe this weekend, as a matter of fact....
My friend got a hemp curtain, and said it started to mildew and stain fairly quickly.
I had a hemp curtain for a few months and it developed mildew pretty quickly (in dry central texas). I have my doubts about the "Hemp is naturally resistant to mold and bacteria" statement....
I also got a hemp curtain and paid an outstanding $90 for it. It was also suggested to spray it with an all natural tea tree spray that added another $15 to the cost. I found that even with being super careful and pulling it straight to dry and washing/spraying with the tea tree solution, that it STILL got all moldy and even holes after only about 6 months. I really wish that it had lasted longer. What a waste!
Yes, Ikea has PVE shower curtains that are more environmentally-friendly than PVC. And they are not expensive. You may be able to wash a woven style vinyl curtain properly in a washing machine, but a slick thick vinyl curtain could not get scrubbed clean in a washer. You could go the difficult route, and try scrubbing it with a kitchen sponge once in a while. that's what I do, and it works just fine.
Regarding vinyl shower curtains. I tend to have a mildew problem, over time gunk begins to pile and pile up until the moss or mildew reach a critical peak. Wherein it all dies, and then starts over again.
I noticed in a previous treehugger post that there is paint created to self-clean. Would that type of paint work on a shower curtain?
I'm not trying to be a troll, but am serious about not having to submerge the curtain monthly in clorox.
Any feedback is appreciated
can the hemp curtains not be washed to rid them of the mold?