The greatest danger in the shower these days may not be running into Anthony Perkins with a butcher knife, but your new vinyl shower curtain. The EPA and Environmental Health and Justice have come clean, this PVC product is laden with 108 volatile organic compounds, poisonous chemicals that off-gas into the air and can persist for the first 28 days while the curtain hangs in your home. Nice … that just out of the pack, shower curtain smell can be toxic.
But we’ve got good news. You don’t need to break the bank or pollute your air, water and body while replacing that vinyl, moldy mess.
One great option is a shower curtain made from PEVA. This bath choice is non-vinyl (PVC-free), chlorine-free, biodegradable and affordable. Available from IKEA for only $1.79-9.99 or VitaFutura ($29-44, depending on design). VitaFutura’s wide array includes playful graphics for little kids or mod geometrics for big kids (above). PEVA curtains are also lightweight, easy to clean, and they don’t require a liner.
Other safe and natural shower curtain choices are: organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or linen. Extra perks for hemp, it’s anti-microbial, doesn’t need a liner, and it’s really durable so it’ll last. Even plain old conventionally grown cotton is a better choice than vinyl. At least you can wash any these natural fabrics and keep reusing them for as long as you like. Whereas non-washable, mildewed vinyl needs replacing every year or two and just winds up in a landfill for a very long time.
If you do opt for natural fiber and need a liner – there are your typical synthetic options like nylon (the lesser of 2 evils because at least you can wash it) or polyester, but both are made from petroleum. An even better choice would be a recycled polyester liner (which may also serve as a curtain). But if all of this is just too much – live in a warm climate and hose yourself off outside, (I kid, of course). Or install sliding glass doors in your bath and do away with curtains or liners altogether.
To keep things easy, in addition to VitaFuture and IKEA, here are a few more places that stock good green shower curtains:
- wide selection, hemp/organic cotton/cotton @ pristineplanet
- flax-based linen ($59) @ gaiam
- organic cotton ($44) – online only @ west elm (check out the new ECO liner, $12)
- chlorine-free & PVC-free ($14.99 & up) @ rockcandylife.com
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I went shopping for a new liner tonight. I saw a warning on the liner and went to my smart phone to find out what PEVA is, I’m in shock to learn the dangers of this household item. Never thought this smell was toxins!!! I’m gonna do better to keep me and my husband safe.
I have 2 bathrooms. In the main floor shower I use a fabric liner which I’ve had for years since it’s completely washable in the washing machine. Love it for that! My upstairs shower is my husband’s and he does not like the fabric liners because they “fly around too much.” He insists on using a “vinyl” liner so I started buying the PEVA type a few years ago. It’s nice to not have that awful stink that comes with a new PVC liner but they are by no means any cleaner to use. They mildew just as fast and easily as the cheap vinyls do and the stains are difficult to remove. I replace it at least twice a year. I even spray it down with cleaner right after the shower to try to slow down the process of molding but to no avail. I think that the manufacturers are taking a step in the right directions with PEVA but by no means is it the “be-all & end-all” of eco-safe shower curtains, IMO.
Thanks for the info on PEVA liners. I bought a washable, supposedly quick-drying and mold-resistant nylon liner a few months back, but even with regular washings, it got mildewy in a matter of weeks and is now permanently stained (and pretty gross-looking…). I’m still not completely sold on PEVA, but I think they’re a better bet than fabric liners at this point!
As for PEVA’s biodegradability, that might be more greenwashing than anything. My guess is that it eventually decomposes in industrial composting facilities but would take years and years under normal usage.
I just bought a beautiful light brown PEVA shower curtain at WalMart for 5.97. I’m going to give it a try. The plus is that it does not come with a plastic wrap so I’m hoping the off-gassing is kept to a minimum. I too reuse my old shower curtain liners – right now one is in the trunk of my new car to keep it clean and one is covering the lawn mower under the deck.
i need a clear earth tone shower curtains. can someone help me find it? thanks in advance. boyet
Sounds like you’ve got some good advice for prolonging the life of a vinyl shower curtain; but we still don’t endorse purchasing one in the first place.
Contrary to the info in this article, vinyl liners can be washed. Throw them in the washer with some rags or towels or wash cloths and the fabrics will act as scrubbers. Then either hang the liner back in the shower to dry or if you have to use a laundromat and don’t want to carry it home wet, throw in a dryer for a couple of minutes on the lowest setting possible. Just be sure to monitor it constantly so it doesn’t get too hot. There is no reason to have this in a landfill or the ocean before you’ve gotten every bit of use out of it that you can.
I agree with Julie. I can’t really classify petrochemicals as “green” though I realize some of us feel more comfortable with a waterproof liner. I did just see cute PEVA curtains at Target for $9.99 (much cheaper than a lot of the other stores listed).
“What have we done to the world? Look what we’ve done.” –Michael Jackson
PEVA is still a petroleum product, and even though it biodegrades, there are still untested components in it. so it could be off-gassing bad things as well – especially if it is biodegrading at a faster rate than other non- “biodegradable” plastics. I bought one today and i cannot decide if i should bring it back and spring for a more expensive better option or just keep this one and take my chances. cannot say this is really a “green” product though.
I just saw PEVA shower curtains at Kohl’s department store. I didn’t know what PEVA was so I didn’t buy one. My google search led me to this article. I hope more companies start using PEVA instead of Vinyl.
WalMart has a white opaque PEVA shower curtain liner for about $2.27. I recycle old vinyl shower curtain liners as table protectors under plants on a wooden dining table on our 3-season porch. They protect the table surface from moisture perfectly, but I wonder if the new PEVA type will do the same if they’re biodegradable?
i just bought one of the shower curtains. of course my brother says if it’s biodegradable won’t it break down faster while you’re using it and make you buy more? so what is the life average of them?
The blue fish curtain would be perfect for our bath. Can you tell me where I can find it? I don’t see it on the Ikea or VitaFutura websites.
Thanks,
A
that seems to be a great buy