Do Curved Rods Solve Shower Curtain Blow-In?

Cause of Shower Curtain Blow-In

• Shower curtains move toward the shower because the jets of water from the shower head create air currents. These currents swirl around inside the shower, like a sideways tornado, producing areas of higher and lower pressure. Low pressure is centered on the inside of the shower, while higher pressure is outside the shower curtain. According to "How Come? in the Neighborhood" by Kathy Wollard, these pressure differences cause the higher pressure outside the shower curtain in the bathroom to push the shower curtain inward toward the shower where the pressure is lower.

Factors in Blow-In

• Numerous factors play a role in how much the shower curtain is blown into the shower. The force of the water determines the intensity of the swirling air currents in the shower. A high pressure shower head will produce a greater pressure difference between the inside and outside of the shower curtain. Lightweight shower curtains are more likely to be moved by the air currents.

Curved Shower Curtains

• Curved shower curtains help to prevent the blow-in effect by holding the shower curtain farther away from the shower. Curving the curtain outward from the edge of the shower increases the space in the shower by 25 percent, according to "Norma Vally's Bathroom Fix-Ups: More Than 50 Projects for Every Skill Level" by Norma Vally. Replacing a straight shower curtain rod with a curved rod holds the curtain farther from the low pressure area, and it can ease the amount of blow-in, but there are more effective ways to prevent the curtain from blowing into the shower.

Solution To Blow-In

• The only real solution to shower curtain blow-in is to replace your curtain with a shower door. Outside of that, combine several means to prevent the problem. Use a low-flow shower head, which do not create air currents that are as strong as high pressure showers. Exchange a straight rod with a curved shower curtain rod, and change a lightweight curtain for one made of heavier material. Sew magnets into the bottom hem of the curtain to weight it down and prevent it from being as susceptible to the air pressure differences that cause blow-in.