Why It Might Be Time To Swap Out Your Shower Curtain + 6 Better Options

PVC—or polyvinyl chloride—is a type of plastic used in vinyl flooring, insulation, and, you guessed it, shower curtains and liners. It's strong but also flexible.

Serious doubts about the widely used material started to surface over a decade ago, when people complained of headaches and dizziness after smelling the pungently chemical odor of their new PVC shower curtains.

These complaints are part of what prompted Mike Schade and his team at The Center for Health, Environment & Justice to investigate what exactly was going on. Back in 2008, they set out to buy five different curtains, test them for certain chemicals, and study if and how these chemicals made their way into the surrounding air over the course of 28 days.

"We found that one new curtain on its own can release over 100 chemicals into indoor air, some of them persisting in the air for at least 28 days," Schade, who is now a campaign director at Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, tells mbg.

The shower curtains had low levels of chemicals associated with everything from endocrine disruption1 to respiratory issues. All of them also contained phthalates: hormone disrupters that are known to linger in the environment.

The 2008 study only tested how the shower curtains affected the surrounding air when dry—not when exposed to hot, humid temperatures like they would be in an actual shower. Schade predicts that these conditions could only stir up more toxicity.

"I think there's a very good chance that vinyl shower curtains—even after you've had one in your home for months—continue to off-gas and release phthalates... Research has shown that heat and humidity can increase the release of chemicals from PVC products."

There are also environmental concerns associated with PVC across every stage of the material's life cycle. "When they're manufactured, they can pose significant risks to the workers and communities where they're made. When they're used in homes, they can be a significant source of indoor air pollution. And finally, when they're disposed of in landfills or incinerators, [they can release] dioxins that are considered the most toxic man-made chemical on the planet."

Unlike many dangerous chemicals that go unlabeled on products, PVC is almost always discernible on shower curtains. If you see one labeled "PVC" or "vinyl," steer clear and move on to other options.

Instead, Tasha Stoiber Ph.D., a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group who specializes in environmental chemistry, opts for curtains and liners made from natural materials, or polyesters. PEVA and EVA are two more materials often used as liners. While Stoiber notes these are not a perfect solution (they can still off-gas, as shown by this study on blackworms2), they don't have as many toxicity concerns as PVC.

It's important to clean your shower curtain regularly—especially if it's made from a natural material. And no, the water from the shower doesn't count! You're better off throwing it in the washing machine with a mixture that's equal parts baking soda and laundry detergent.

Once a month, wash your curtain on a high-heat setting and be sure it air dries completely before getting wet again. This will help prevent mold and mildew from forming.