Shower Curtains

How to Choose Shower Curtains

Would you like to find the best shower curtains for your bathroom but you don’t know where to start? Here’s our easy guide to choosing the best shower curtains.

1. Price

The prices of shower curtains vary a lot depending on the materials chosen – take a look online at the various prices being charged for quality curtains and make your mind up how upmarket you want to go. Cheap shower curtains will probably do the job of keeping water in the bath and off the floor but they won’t do much for your bathroom design.

2. Materials

Shower curtains have to be waterproof in some way to do the practical job they are designed to do and if you want a cheap solution then choose a design you like in a waterproof fabric such as plastic, PVC, Vinyl or Polypropylene PEVA or EVA. If you want something classier for a special bathroom then choose a fabric shower curtain such as linen, hemp, silk or cotton with an additional waterproof liner or inner shower curtain. This increases the costs but gives you a lot more options in the type of look you can achieve. It also means you can replace the liner without changing the whole curtain at a future date.

contemporary shower curtain fabric

contemporary shower curtain fabric
(Image by Elvis Santana)

3. Design

Think about the overall design of your bathroom and choose something on the same theme. If your bathroom is sleek and modern – a shower curtain in plain white or black or black on white might be appropriate. If you favor a fun look (or the bathroom is for kids) choose a shower curtain with a fun design such as ducks or raindrops or cartoon characters (or a million other things you can buy online). If you bathroom is retro, buy a shower curtain in the same theme.

4. Quality

If your curtain has to stand up to daily use be sure to choose a quality product. How do you tell with a shower curtain? Look for

  • high quality (sometimes double) stitching so that the curtain won’t fray at the seams
  • good quality grommets (used to reinforce the holes for the hooks usually made of plastic or metal) – they prevent the curtain tearing as it is pulled open and closed and are the place where the hooks are attached
  • heavy gauge liners (10 gauge or higher) where curtains are in two parts – no point having an expensive shower curtain and a cheap and nasty liner.
  • Liners or curtains with magnets in the hem which prevent the fabric sticking to you when you take a shower.

5. Shower Curtain Rings

Don’t spoil a good shower curtain with cheap shower curtain rings. You can get away with them but great shower curtain rings set off your curtain nicely. As usual in interior design the devil is in the details. Choose rings which blend with the color and thickness of the fabric of your chosen shower curtains and with the rod or rail materials. Match a metal rod with metal rings, and a plastic rod with good quality plastic rings.

How to Buy Shower Curtains Online

When you decide to buy shower curtains online, you are making a very sensible decision. Although you will find shower curtains in local soft furnishings and bathroom stores, discount stores  and department stores there is usual a limited selection available on the shelves.

Once you start browsing online you will be amazed at how many designs are available for every type of décor – you’ll find novelty shower curtains, kids shower curtains, sophisticated designer shower curtains, plain shower curtains, patterned shower curtains … well, you get the idea.

Also you will find a range of materials available (natural materials such as cotton and hemp as well as waterproof vinyl and PVC or EVA  shower curtains) and they come in every color of the rainbow and many designs so that you can make the right choice for your bathroom.

If you’re not sure about which type of shower curtain to choose then see our section on How to Choose Shower Curtains before going any further and then then follow this guide.

1. Set a Budget

Browse a few sites to get an idea of the selection available and the shower curtain prices in the type of thing you were looking for and  then once you have a measure of the amount that seems reasonable to spend set a budget.

funky striped natural fabric shower curtain

funky striped natural fabric shower curtain

2. Book mark a Short List of Shower Curtains

As you browse bookmark the curtains you like (add them to your favorites)

3. See how they measure up against each other by running them by this check list

  • How does the design and fabric fit in with your idea of a dream bathroom (for your, for your guests, for your kids? Or whoever the bathroom is for)?
  • Are the prices reasonable and within budget? Remember to include sales tax (if any) and delivery charges
  • Are the curtains the right size? Do you need more than one for a circular shower rail? How does this affect your budget?
  • Are the hooks included? If not can the company offer these and how much do they cost?
  • Are the shower curtains easy to clean (washable in the washing machine – some cheaper makes are not) ?
  • Are the items in stock and can the company deliver as quickly as you need?
  • What about returns if you don’t like the product?
  • Is ordering secure – do they have the little padlock shown when you get to the payment page? Most companies are secure these days but you want to be happy!
  • Is the shower curtain a known quality brand? This doesn’t always matter but if you know of the brand then this is great.
  • Does the company have a good reputation for customer service if you have heard of them before?

4. Make Your Decision from the Options You have Bookmarked

Decide on your favorite and order your choice of shower curtains. Then sit back and wait for your goods to arrive!

Shower Curtains FAQ : Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the questions we often get asked about shower curtains…

How Should I Care for Shower Curtains?

Avoid mildew by airing off your shower curtain every time you take a shower. This involves nothing more than opening out the shower curtain fully to let it dry rather than leaving it all gathered together at one side of the bath.

If shower curtains start to look a bit dirty and they are washable, take them down and pop them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle with some mild detergent. (Don’t wash them alone or you will get a soaking after you pull them out from the spin cycle – put them in with something like a couple of towels).

If your shower curtain is not washable sponge it down with soapy water and use a little gentle scrubbing to deal with the dirtiest parts.

How often should I change my shower curtains?

Change your shower curtains whenever they start to detract from the look of your bathroom and you have not managed to revive them with a bit of loving care. If a good wash and clean up has not made them look better, nothing is going to work and it’s time to buy a new one.

What is the best material for shower curtains?

It depends what you have in mind for your bathroom and what price you want to pay.

Normal shower curtains  are made from waterproof synthetic material like polyester and vinyl. They are generally cheap and cheerful and not such a big expense that you won’t be able to change them often if you get tired of the design. They tend to last a long time because the material holds up well to getting wet.

The swankiest luxury shower curtains are not made of  water proof material but normal fabric – you keep them outside the bath and have a waterproof inner curtain which keeps the water in the bath as you shower.

Fabric shower curtains need to be washed often to avoid mildew due to the high humidity in the bathroom. They may need to be changed often if the material wears out with frequent washing.

Keep the water in the bath with a shower curtain

Keep the water in the bath with a shower curtain

Do new shower curtains give off toxins?

No, new shower curtains are not toxic, no matter what material the are made of. There is quite a trend in buying natural cotton and hemp shower curtains lately – and they look great – but there’s no need to buy them for safety reasons. Not sure where this myth came from but it is a myth. The PVC and PEVA  (EVA) shower curtain have a slightly chemical smell but that soon wears off in use and that’s about as toxic as you’ll get. Of course plastic and vinyl fabrics and liners are not green – you can’t easily recycle them – but unfortunately these materials are necessary to make the curtain or liner waterproof.

How do I Avoid the Shower Curtain sticking to me?

No one really knows exactly why this happens when you run a shower. Though there are a few theories knocking around no one has the exact answer (yet). Anyway to stop this you can buy shower curtains with magnets sewn into the hem of the curtain (or add your own). The magnets stick to the sides of the bath tub and stop the curtain being drawn in towards you. Or use a double curtain – one inside the bath and one outside to reduce the air flow and avoid the curtain being sucked inwards.

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