Ask Sara question: This question comes from a very stylishly, frugal friend. Bridget asks, “What do you suggest for a shower curtain that lasts? Do you use a cloth one so it can be washed? I despise the plastic ones that you have to throw away after a while!”
For shower curtains, I use both a fabric cover and a plastic shower curtain liner, from Ikea. Ikea’s are BPA free. They’re inexpensive and if sprayed after a shower with white vinegar, they stay clean longer. I like to keep a spray bottle filled with white vinegar in the bathroom for a daily cleaner.
For the fabric covers, measure and sew to the size of the plastic liner. Most fabrics are 45” wide so take into account that you’ll need to piece together a seam to make the curtain wide enough to accommodate the standard size of the shower curtain liner. Our bathroom has double sides of shower curtain, since it’s an old claw-foot tub.
For holes at top, where the clips get placed through plastic and curtain, you can do either button holes or grommets. Flat sheets make an inexpensive and simple shower curtain cover. Larger size flat sheets will mean no piecing together of the curtain.
Keep your old shower curtains around for other projects. They can be used as drop cloths for painting projects. They can also be used underneath a small tent while camping. We’ve also used several to protect firewood from getting wet. The “Robot Man” fabric is in our basement bathroom. It’s my favorite fabric!
What have you used your old shower for around your home?
I’m sure the old shower curtain that came with the house 6 yrs ago when we bought it is not BPA-free and way beyond needing to be changed. But I can’t get myself to get rid of things that are still perfectly functional. (read: I’m cheap.
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Emily, I don’t think that’s cheap, that’s smart. There’s a big difference! Agreed about not getting rid of something that is functional…we just fixed our 16 year old washing machine ourselves for the 3rd time. Fixing and re-using is the way to go!
I feel claustrophobic in plastic shower curtains or liners; nylon or nylon/polyester liners breathe better and don’t rip through the hanger holes like plastic. I like to use plain polyester liners and fabric shower curtains, which I recycle into other stuff when and if I get tired of them. They make clothes (if not too ancient), shopping bags, potato storage sacks, gift wrap, plant ties, lunch sacks, pet cushions, pillow cases, stuffed animals…anything you can sew.
Kristina – great ideas – all of them! I love to sew things into other items also. Thanks for leaving a comment.