shower

The 5 Best Shower Curtains

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:00:10 +0000

Shower curtains don’t last forever. If your curtain is covered in grime, or just doesn’t match your bathroom decor anymore, we’ve found some of the best shower curtains on the market so you can update your bathroom without spending much.

With the right curtain, you can prevent bathroom floor messes and completely change the look of your bathroom. Shower curtains are available in endless colors and designs, so you can easily choose the right one to match your personal style.

What Is a Shower Curtain?

Shower curtains are essential bathroom items, typically made from vinyl, fabric, or plastic. They prevent water from spilling onto the bathroom floor and provide privacy while you bathe or shower. They typically are hung with hooks or rings from railings or curtain rods.

If you choose a fabric curtain, you may need to purchase a shower curtain liner to help protect your new curtain. Fabric curtains are usually machine washable, while plastic and vinyl curtains can be wiped clean. After each shower, make sure to close the curtain completely to prevent mildew and allow it to dry more quickly.

Top 5 Shower Curtains

Mildew Resistant Fabric Shower Curtain

Amazon’s #1 best-seller in shower curtains, the Mildew Resistant Fabric Shower Curtain can provide your bathroom with an upscale look. The polyester curtain is mold- and mildew-resistant, water-repellent, antibacterial, and has no chemical odors. It features reinforced ring/hook holes and a weighted hem to help reduce curtain billowing and ensure better hanging. The high-quality, durable polyester shower curtain has a firm, yet smooth texture. The reliable curtain is also machine washable for easy cleaning. It has outstanding online reviews and is backed by a 90-day money-back guarantee and 12-month warranty against mold, mildew, and tears.

Currently $8.99 on Amazon

InterDesign Thistle Fabric Shower Curtain

Amazon’s #1 best-seller in shower curtain sets, the InterDesign Thistle Fabric Shower Curtain is water-resistant, soft to the touch, and features 12 rust-resistant metal grommets with a reinforced top-header. The modern design and beautiful print will add a touch of class to any bathroom. It is machine washable for easy cleaning and can be used with any standard liner (not included). It is available in a wide range of colors, designs, and sizes. It has outstanding online reviews, including nearly 1,400 five-star reviews on Amazon.

Currently $14.95 on Amazon

Maytex Mesh Pockets PEVA Shower Curtain

If your shower doesn’t have space for a shower caddy, then the Maytex Mesh Pockets PEVA Shower Curtain is perfect for you. It can help you stay organized by providing the additional storage you need in your shower. It features nine mesh pockets to organize kids’ toys, sponges, or other personal care items. You can use the curtain with the pockets facing in or out, so you can easily reach everything you need while you shower. Each pocket holds no more than one pound. You can simply wipe the clear chloride-free PEVA vinyl curtain with a damp cloth to keep it clean. It features 12 rustproof metal grommets and can be used with standard hooks and liners (not included). This is an Amazon best-seller and has nearly 400 five-star reviews on Amazon. If you don’t want pockets, consider the Maytex No More Mildew 10-Gauge Shower Curtain Liner with Rustproof Metal Grommets, which is another highly-rated option.

Currently $16.84 on Amazon

Madison Park Essentials Merritt Shower Curtain

If you are looking for a simple, modern curtain, then the Madison Park Essentials Merritt Shower Curtain is perfect for you. The quality microfiber cloth curtain features a classic fretwork design and eye-catching colors and patterns. It is machine washable for easy cleaning and is available in a range of colors and designs. If you need a new shower curtain liner for your new curtain, consider the highly rated LiBa Mildew Resistant Anti-Bacterial PEVA Shower Curtain Liner.

Currently $19.99 on Amazon

InterDesign Mildew-Free Water-Repellent Fabric Shower Curtain

The InterDesign Mildew-Free Water-Repellent Fabric Shower Curtain can be used as a liner or on its own. It is water-repellent, mold/mildew-free, PVC-free, chlorine-free, and has no scent. It features reinforced button holes and a weighted hem. The high-quality polyester curtain is durable, soft to the touch, and machine washable for easy cleaning. It is available in a wide range of colors. It is an Amazon best-seller and has outstanding online reviews, including more than 900 five-star reviews on Amazon. If this doesn’t work for you, consider the InterDesign Mildew-Free PEVA 3 Gauge Shower Liner, which is Amazon’s #1 best-seller in shower curtain liners.

Currently $14.99 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best shower curtains. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 Nasty Bathroom Items You Should Throw Out Now

Amanda Meadows — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:01:43 +0000

Your bathroom is a sacred place. It's also a very dirty place, with lots of tools and implements that are covered with grime, but also really easy and cheap to replace. Look around and find these seven nasty bathroom items you should throw out now.

1. Toothbrush Holder (And Your Toothbrush!)

Odds are you haven't changed your toothbrush in more than the recommended three to four months, which is bad enough. But odds are you're even worse at cleaning or replacing the toothbrush holder! The kind that acts as a cup with holes on top are the grossest off all — they trap moldy water inside, letting bacteria festoon below.

2. Loofa Sponge

We use our loofahs for too long. You're cleaning your own dirty body with them, so of course they get filthy from soap scum, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Tip: have a newish sponge you want to keep a little longer? Lightly dampen the sponge and nuke it in the microwave for three to four minutes on high. It'll feel a little crispy to the touch for a bit, but it will have killed much of the burgeoning bacteria.

3. Bath Toys

Yes, those rubber duckies and squeezable action figures eventually will attract lots of black mold. And the little hole on the bottom of the toy? That means there is even more mold and mildew on the inside. Be sure to give your kids' bath toys a long disinfecting soak every week, and when they get those little black specs, just toss them and replace with new ones.

4. Shower Curtain Liner

It's easy to ignore the nasty, slimy film and the black mold forming around the bottom of your shower curtain liner. It's pretty simple: to go your local Bed Bath and Beyond or Target and grab a replacement! Add it to your rotating shopping list. Your life will be better (and cleaner) with a new one.

5. Disposable Razor

We all try to stretch the last disposable razor as long as we can. At this point, the razer is full of flecks of dead hair, mounds of dead skin cells, and bacteria. Even if you clean it up, why keep it? It's too dull to give you a close shave, so throw it away.

6. Toilet Brush

It's an item we'd all rather not think about, right? It's a gross implement used to swipe away at an even grosser fixture. Well, chances are you're not soaking your brush every month to kill extra bacteria and possible odors. And, since toilet brushes are fairly cheap, shoot for throwing yours away every year to avoid a case of the shudders next time you need to use it.

7. Bath Mat

This workhorse is full of filthy secrets. If yours is machine washable, make sure you're washing it every month. If it's not, toss it and get one that is. You'll thank yourself next time you drop a contact lens on the floor.

What old grimey thing will you toss out next?

This article is from Amanda Meadows of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Shower Less (and Still Feel Clean)

Anna Newell Jones — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:36:34 +0000

You might be wondering, "Why in the world would I want to shower less?" Well, there are a bunch of reasons. (See also: Save Hundreds by Getting Yourself Out of Hot Water)

Maybe you're traveling, and you just can't shower as much as you usually do.
Maybe you've decided your hair looks better with a little grease in it.
Maybe it's all about saving a little extra money on your water bill.
Maybe you want to help the environment by conserving water.
Maybe you're too busy to shower!
Maybe you just had a baby and showering has fallen into the "luxury" category of life.
Maybe you work in a cubicle and don't work up a sweat, so you don't really need to shower that much.

No matter the reason, if you want to shower less and still feel clean, this is how you do it.

Do a Bird-Bath

A bird-bath is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. You stand in front of your sink filled with water and soap up your rag and then get to cleaning. You will forgo your shower, and you will feel clean.

Use Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is great because if you have fine or oily hair you can spritz in on your head, and then all the greasiness instantly goes away. There is the added benefit in that it thickens your hair and gives it texture. Plus it smells nice, so that's a treat too.

Take a Dry Bath

Yes, a dry bath. I haven't ever tried this before, but it looks like it might be worth a shot.

Wait Another Day

Extend your showers out an extra day, and gradually try extending them out longer and longer until you can't stand it anymore. You'll build up your tolerance, and you'll shake your shower-a-day habit.

Take Shorter Showers

Pretend you are on a game show, time yourself, and try to beat your best time. Thirty second shower anyone? I challenge you to try it.

Collect the Water

Let the water collect in the tub from your shower and use it for your next bath. It will obviously be cold by then, but since we're coming up on the summer month's, maybe you will be able to get the added benefit of cooling off, too.

Perfume and Deodorant

If you smell clean, you are half way there…at least to some people.

Baby Powder

Douse your stinky (or potentially stinky) bits with baby powder. Be sure to rub it in and shake the excess off before going out in public, so you don't look too powdery or "George Washington-y."

Hang With Stinkier People

If you're the least smelly person in the room then, really, how could you not feel clean?

Have you ever considered showering less for personal, financial, or environmental reasons? If so, what tips do you have for showering less while still feeling clean?

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This article is from Anna Newell Jones of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Low-Flow Shower Head: Get 640% ROI in One Year

G.E. Miller — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 14:00:12 +0000

Bold statement alert: The best money saving device that you may ever purchase in terms of return-on-investment is a low-flow shower head.

Why Use a Low-Flow Shower Head?

One 10-minute shower with an inefficient showerhead uses 55 gallons of water (5.5 gallons per minute, or gpm) on average, while an Energy Star model uses less than half that at 2.5 gpm. Most showerheads made before 1992 have a 5.5 gpm flow.

I specifically purchased an Alsons low-flow shower head on sale for $35, but any Energy Star shower head will do.

Your mileage may vary, but making the switch could save a family of four 27,500 gallons of water and about $260 in energy costs to heat water per year, not to mention saving water, which is relatively small in terms of cost but has huge environmental implications.

That's right: A $35 investment would save you $225 in year one and $260 every year thereafter. Where else can you get a 640% return on investment within just one year while helping to preserve the environment?

Not Sure If You Have a Low-Flow Shower Head?

Take a bucket with gallon measurements and hold it up to your showerhead. Turn on the shower and measure out how many buckets you fill in one minute. Many newer showerheads will actually have their GPM listed on them, while older ones typically do not.

How to Replace Your Shower Head

Swapping shower heads is very easy. Simply take a standard set of pliers and turn the fastener counter-clockwise to remove the old shower head. Next, turn the fastener on the new shower head clockwise to fasten. If you're concerned about leaks, apply a little plumbing tape to the inside of the new showerhead before fastening.

It's literally a two-minute job! If you live in an apartment, simply take off your standard shower head, put on your Energy Star shower head, and when you move, swap again.

What's great about the Alsons shower head that I purchased is, among other things, that it has a switch to flip between 1.85 gpm and 2.5 gpm. I use the 1.85 gpm setting, and it makes for a great shower. My guests are welcome to use the higher setting if they choose. Contrary to popular belief, I don't miss the energy-, money-, and water-wasting old shower head at all. This shower head has a special high-volume spray design that makes for a satisfying shower. Money well spent.

Note: This post contains an affiliate link.

This article is from G.E. Miller of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: