Skip Plastic Shower Curtains: There's A Cuter Way To Add Coverage With An Affordable DIY

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Is your plastic shower curtain looking a little dirty, dated, or just clashing with your bathroom aesthetic? Fortunately, slimy shower curtains, even plastic ones, are pretty easy to clean, but that won't do any favors for your shower time vibes or upgrade your bathroom decor. So forget about swapping out your old plastic curtain for another one of the same ilk. There's a cuter way to add coverage to your shower by making your own shower curtain from canvas drop cloth.

The warm feel of canvas cloth wins out against slick plastic every time. And if you're going for rustic farmhouse decor, with distressed chalk paint furniture, soft pastels, and vintage fixtures, canvas should match very nicely. On the practical side, canvas drop cloth is thicker and offers more privacy than many semi-transparent plastic shower curtains. And the best part is you can DIY your own in no time, with no sewing required (unless stitching's your thing).

Start by measuring out your shower space. A common size for drop cloths is 6 feet wide by 9 feet long, which should be plenty. You'll want to do this DIY mostly on the floor where you have a large, flat surface. Lay out your drop cloth and cut it to size if needed. Any pair of common scissors should make quick work of your cuts. You want to avoid picking a heavy-duty drop cloth, which will be harder to cut and possibly put a strain on your curtain rod. A lightweight cloth of 6 to 8 ounces, like this 6- by 9-foot Recycled Cotton All Purpose Canvas Tarp from Amazon for $20, is a workable option.

Fold over the top however much you like to add balance and give your shower hook clips something to grab onto. You can customize the bottom edge of the top fold by hot-gluing a crochet lace border, or any other flair you like. Finally, set your curtain rod down and carefully connect it to the top of your new canvas drop cloth shower curtain using curtain rings with clips. This 16 Pack Curtain Rings with Clips from Amazon for around $8 comes in several colors, including bronze, which should pair nicely with a tan canvas cloth.

Now it's time to mount your curtain rod, but don't throw away your old plastic shower curtain just yet! There are tons of smart ways to repurpose them, or, even better, you can incorporate it as an inner liner for your new canvas shower curtain. A plastic inner liner is a must to keep mold and mildew from slowly getting the better of canvas.

While you can buy canvas drop cloths with a plastic liner side, they might be harder to clean than a separate liner. You should clean your plastic shower liner once a month, and having a separate liner makes it easy to snap off and throw it in the washing machine rather than having to wash the whole curtain every time. Now that you have the skills, if you have any canvas drop cloth left over, you can use it to make some matching curtains for your bathroom windows.