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Can shower curtain really work at standing shower ?

6 years ago

Hi All, I am finishing my standing shower as shown in the picture. I am debating between glass door VS shower curtain. I like the shower curtain for its simplicity but I just don't know if it will be able to prevent water from coming out of the shower. Below description is just 'one' curtain that stays inside of shower for easy explanation.


Specifically, after shower the interior of the curtain will be wet. While opening the curtain to come out of the shower, the movement of the curtain towards bottom portion will easily swing and thus bring the curtain bottom 'over' the step and therefore spill water all over. Also, it appears that since curtain and step do not overlap much at bottom, water can still very easily splash out of the shower.


I wonder if there are ways to still use curtain at standing shower to prevent water from coming out. Thanks.



Step height on the inside is only a couple of inches.

Comments (36)

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    IMO no they just stick to you .I have no idea how big your shoer is but I like glass shower screens.

    R J thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
  • 6 years ago

    I hate shower curtains. Yes, water goes everywhere. If you move a bit wrong in the shower, it jiggles the curtain, and water ends up on the floor. If you bend over to get the shampoo, it jiggles the curtain, and water ends up on the floor. When you open or close the door, it jiggles the curtain, and water ends up on the floor. When you get out, it jiggles the curtain, and water ends up on the floor.

    R J thanked tangerinedoor
  • 6 years ago

    How high is the curb from the shower floor? Try the shower curtain and if water splashes on the tile and/or the rug in front of it or if it drives you nuts, you can always change to glass.


    There are curtains and liners with weighted bottoms to help, somewhat, keep them from billowing out.


    Disclaimer: I will do anything to avoid cleaning large expanses of shower glass.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Thanks Patricia Colwell Consulting. My shower is not big as shown in the picture.


    Stick to me ? Water spill/slash is my main concern. Shower screens, you mean the stationary type ?

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks tangerinedoor. I am thinking glass doors but I prefer the simplicity of shower curtain if I could really make it work in standing shower. Tub is easy as you know.


    Perhaps there are shower curtains that function similarly to glass doors ?

  • 6 years ago

    Where are you, RJ? If you're outside the US, are you maybe living somewhere where shower curtains/doors are not generally installed because they're unnecessary and get rusty?

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    A waterproof fabric liner like what is used in hotels is longer and heavier if a good quality. With the added weight of the shower curtain on the outside, it won’t easily move. Purchase a high quality curtain with some weight as well.



    R J thanked Maureen
  • 6 years ago


    You don't even need a "curtain" -- just a clear shower curtain liner -- the thicker and more clear the better -- and pay the extra for one that is mildew resistance. You'll want to make sure the bottom end weighted and that it is long enough to rest inside the curb.Also invest in stainless steel rings for holding it on the rod.

    R J thanked suezbell
  • 6 years ago

    As long as you buy a good quality shower curtain you wouldn't have a problem. I had a teenage boy use a shower with a curtain and the water stayed in. I swear people who say they stick to you must buy theirs at the dollar tree.

    R J thanked functionthenlook
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Thanks Maureen. The picture you posted seems to have both curtain and liner. What's in the picture at the curb is exactly what I don't want to happen to the liner as it comes out and over the curb. If the liner is uniformly heavy(VS only bottom is heavy from weight as other suggested), I can imagine it can still easily move over the curb when people get out of the shower. Which liner is in your mind then ?

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks suezbell. Bottom end weighted ? Never seen that. Which liner is in your mind then ? Why the more clear the better by the way ?


    Will bottom end weighted really work if the curb height is only couple inches on the inside ? I would be very surprised that liner bottom won't come out/over the curb.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks functionthenlook. What is your shower curb height on the inside ? What is the liner you have ? I have a nice curtain/liner from Bed Bath Beyond and it won't work in shower as previously explained: The bottom swings and comes out/over the curb while in motion.

  • 6 years ago

    This is a bi-fold door that pivots in or out of the shower. I think Lowe's has them; Aqua-Fold is the brand name.


  • 6 years ago

    Thanks decoenthusiaste. Interesting product. Unfortunately I can't use that as there is a toilet in the way(not shown in my picture since it's not installed yet.) And I prefer curtains over glass doors for being simple.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    why not get one panel, that has frameless hardware?

    basically like this


    you don't have to do the framing.


    get the Starfire glass w/the treated spot option

    R J thanked Beth H. :
  • 6 years ago

    RJ, sorry I can't measure it as we sold that house. Two of the bathrooms had just the showers. The curb was about 3 inches high. I ordered a shower curtain made just for showers. It was longer, but narrower than the average curtain. I believe I got them from Amazon.

    R J thanked functionthenlook
  • 6 years ago

    Thanks Beth H. Nice alternative but I wonder if the water would just splash out from the other side w/o glass. My shower is standard 60" wide. If I do 40" wide glass then I am left with 20" opening for getting in/out which seems too narrow. If I do 30" wide glass then I feel water will easily splash out. I think even with 50" wide glass water can still splash out.

  • 6 years ago

    You could put a few sew-on or clip-on magnets on the bottom of the shower curtain and a narrow magnetic bar along the inside of the shower curb.

    R J thanked felizlady
  • PRO
    6 years ago

    neighbors have a 5' opening. we did a 36" panel. no water gets out.


    see the white arrow:


    R J thanked Beth H. :
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Thanks Beth H. No water ? That's unreal. I'm going to open my curtain at tub for 24" and see what happens. I will say I will see water all over, as I see water all over the tub and curtain when I take shower everyday. Perhaps that's just the way I shower. Another concern I forgot to mention is temperature. During winter it would get cold, for me, without enclosing the whole shower, either via curtain or glass.


    PS: I tried at my "tub" with 24" opening on the curtain/liner. I saw water splashes out of tub within the first 5 seconds of showering...

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Thanks felizlady. That sounds like a promising approach. But how can curtain/liner be opened/closed when magnets are in place ? I would imagine there needs to be some kind of track/channel at bottom. I wonder if you happen to have any links/pics to more info.

  • 6 years ago

    Just like any other magnet - you pull them apart. No big deal.

  • 6 years ago

    My son has a hookless shower curtain on his 32 inch X 60 inch shower(no tub and sounds similar to yours.) It works fine he tells me and the shower liner does not stick to him or leak. His ceiling even short (7 feet)

  • 6 years ago

    We have no problems with the shower curtain. We have a curtain and liner like the picture Maureen showed. The liner stays inside the shower and the curtain stays on the outside. Get a good liner that’s weighted. Don’t let anyone talk you into one of those glass panels, water goes everywhere and it’s cold in the shower as all the steam goes out into the bathroom. Shower doors are good. We have one on the larger shower and it’s wonderful.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Another option for a shower curtain that does not attack you is good old cotton. Vermont Country Store sells them. You wash them occasionally to keep them from growing mildew or mold. I used one for years. The weight of the water on them makes them stay in place even more when they are wet.

    I have a curbless shower with nothing to hold the shower curtain in. In almost two years my bath rug outside the shower got wet once. I think I may have hit the curtain hard with the hand-held sprayer and that is how the water got out. You have a curb to hold it in and there is absolutely no reason for it to jump over the curb. When you leave the shower, you slide it along the rod and make room to exit and don't pull the curtain out with you.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    RJ, I have a large open show w/no doors! I don't get the least bit cold and no water gets out. Of course the pony wall keeps water from getting on the floor, but no water gets past the 36" mark or goes over the wall. It's about 42" wide from the back wall.


  • 6 years ago

    Thanks Karenseb and Nancy in Mich. The curtain+liner I have are from Bed Bath Beyond. They are fabric hookless. For those, when getting out the shower the movement of liner bottom will come out of the curb, unless I open it VERY VERY VERY slowly, and I would say 8 out of 10 times the liner bottom will still come out of curb. I started to feel the bottom needs weight or magnet things as couple others stated. Otherwise I just don't understand why that is possible.

  • 6 years ago

    Thanks L Roberts. Any weighed liners you would recommend ?

  • 6 years ago

    RJ is your shower rod positioned right above the curb, just inside the curb, or outside the curb? If it is just at the edge of the curb or inside the curb, there is no reason for it to billow out if it is a heavy wet cotton duck.

    R J thanked Nancy in Mich
  • 6 years ago

    The "weight" at the bottom end of a shower curtain liner is usually just a few coin sized pieces of metal/magnets that actually do help keep it in place even with a fiberglass tub.


    To get the better quality, get the thicker CLEAR shower curtain liners. I recently bought one at WalMart for about ten dollars.


    Went looking and found the label:


    Better Homes & Gardens Super Heavyweight Shower Liner "clear"

    70" W x 72" L [117.8 cmx 182.9cm]

    100% PVC with "Rust Resistant Metal Grommets"

    "Reinforced Top Hems"

    "Secure Hold Hem & Magnets"

    Bar Code: 73161 09443

    Customer Service 800 468 5277


    Hope this helps.


    R J thanked suezbell
  • 6 years ago

    A clear shower curtain will let in light and they can be cleaned with any bathroom cleaner -- but the stronger cleaners will remove the treatment added to "resist mildew".


    I open mine -- spread it out -- after each use to enable it to fully air dry and try to make a point of not leaving any of it folded or bunched up to give mlldew a chance to start.


    The liner I just took down was literally over a decade old and the grommets were beginning to rust and several of the plastic rings holding it on the shower rod had ceased to stay closed, causing it to droop. The inside surface of it had been spritzed with cleaners as the tub/shower combo was cleaned often enough that the surface of the inside of the liner was "stripped" enough to begin holding the hard water residue from the well water.


    The liner I removed from the bathroom last week wasn't torn and, except for the rust on the grommets, could been cleaned still used. I kept it and will use it to cover certain plants against early frost next fall and then to cover certain roots throughout the winter. Where I live, the roots of my spider plants against the south side of the house will survive freezing in winter if a thick plastic dome is created for them. The anoles will live beneath the plastic dome between first frost and the next truly cold freeze when the days begin to stay cold from dawn to dusk.

    R J thanked suezbell
  • 6 years ago

    Thanks suezbell. I looked up online and found something similar. If the liner comes with magnets, do those magnets stick to anything, or they are simply for weight purpose ? I wonder how high those metal/magnets are above the bottom hem/edge of the liner. Does it matter if those metal/magnets are higher, lower, or in-between curb on the shower inside ?

  • last month

    I assume that magnets are supposed to stick to the stall itself but my bathroom stall doesn't appear to be magnetic. I had to add extra weights but they're not done well so I'm going to buy a more heavy duty shower liner.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    I think glass doors are so much easier than battling shower curtains. They look better, function better and actually are easier to keep clean in my opinion. Using a squeegee for a few seconds after each shower vs having to unhook a curtain and liner to clean multiple times per year is so much easier. I skeeve when a shower curtain touches me so many germs and mold spores in the folds. You spent all that money to update the bathroom, finish it with a glass door upgrade.

  • last month

    Post is five years old.

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