How do people tear shower curtains?
Because I’m poor, I’ve spent most of the 30 years of my adult life living with a succession of roommates. Almost without fail, the shower curtain ends up looking like it’s been attacked by feral cats. Usually the grommets at the top are ripped out, leaving the curtain dangling by successively fewer and fewer hooks. I don’t understand it. I’ve never torn a shower curtain. I’ve tried asking them how they manage to tear it, and none of them ever admits to noticing. I am baffled by this. How are they managing to do this, and why is it almost universal? Are they swinging on it like monkeys? How can they not know how they’re doing it?
Shower curtains are not expensive, it’s not something which outrages me. I’m just curious about the phenomenon. Does this happen to any of you? Do any of you tear shower curtains? Does anyone else have this experience where everyone else in the world seems to spend their time gnawing on shower curtains like crazed wolverines?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
22 Answers
Bowie knife!
Seriously, it’s easy to catch the curtain when you turn or grab shampoo or any number of things, and the curtain can hop off the hook. When you see it, you can put it back on and things should be ok. However if you let them stay off, then each hook is holding more and more of the curtain and when you tug at the curtain, it is more likely to tear off the hook.
I know! I have never ripped a shower curtain in my 25 years of life. Someone please give us some answers.
I lost it at: “Are they swinging on it like monkeys?”
LAUGHING! I never ripped a shower curtain because, when I open the curtains before and after my showers, I reach UP to the rings and use my fingers to push the rings or that general area gently in one direction—I move the liner, curtain and rings all in one movement. The curtain shredders are the ones who take their wet clawy paws, grasp the edge of the liner, alone, about halfway down, and yank. The worst ones are the ones who yank with a movement that brings the liner towards them, rather than to the side, and those that reach lower for the edge.
They yank that poor liner right over the rod’s bump and that’s usually the resistance area that causes the liner or curtain grommets to wear down and riiii-iiiiip.
I was married to a liner-yanker, so that’s how I figured it out. He also never pulled the curtains straight after a shower, so mildew would form on the bottom of the closed up ruffles.
Try it… get into the shower, grab the midway or lower edge of a liner, and gently yank to the side. You’ll feel the rings/hooks catch on the rod’s bump, will see the tension between the first grommet and your hand, and hopefully, won’t rip your own liner. I accept no responsibility for liners destroyed in this experiment.
I have never torn a shower curtain, either.
But, I have a few thoughts on the subject.
Soap in your eyes and grabbing for a towel.
A hot date is waiting in the next room and your speedo shower makes you a wildman.
A rabid dog wanders into your house and bites anything that moves.
And of course, two people playing cupid in the shower and it gets out of hand.
I’ve never torn one. Nor have I ever knocked a hole in the wall with a fist or a doorknob. I lead such a sheltered life.
@linguaphile A “liner-yanker”, huh. Do you think that characteristic is indicative of other less than desirable traits in a housemate? Maybe online dating services should include “Shower curtain opening and closing method” as one of their 40 levels of compatibility. It might actually prove to be more significant in a marriage than “Likes walks in the park.”
@worriedguy I was trying to be funny, but truly… if you put it that way, actually, yes I do think “liner-yanker” is more significant than a “park walker.”
It could be that being a “liner-yanker” is indicative of someone that doesn’t see, understand or care for the relationship between his cause (yanking) and the effect (costing money on a new liner and the time to replace it), and doesn’t put forth the effort into changing that cause-effect. Not being willing to adjust the cause to improve the effect, yes, is a big-big thing in a relationship—it shows that person isn’t responsive or interested in maintaining/improving their environment.
It’s a slippery slope reasoning but would make me wonder if that lack of awareness or responsiveness would show up in other areas of his life.
Could I at least have a little “ha-ha” on the fact I was trying to be funny? :D
I have seen a lot of ripped ones, but I have never ripped one. The grommets are a natural stressor point though.
I was really really really drunk one time and I was stumbling around someone’s bathroom and I fell and grabbed the shower curtain for support (not a great support btw) and down it came. Result: torn shower curtain.
I haven’t ripped one yet. Dancing in the shower might get me close.
Okay, I have to stop.
I’m like you. I never managed to ruin them. I live alone so I never have this problem but when I visit friends I always notice their curtains are looking like they were used in a war or something.
I have the same problem. I believe it must be because they grab it by the handfull and pull it closed or open rather than simply pushing it. The tearing has gotten better since I changed to the roller-type of curtain hooks, which slide along the pole on little ball bearings. They are more expensive, but worth it in fewer replacements.
Oh, and I also reinforce every curtain and liner before installing it by folding a strip of duct tape over every hole.
Is your roommate Janet Leigh?
@linguaphile OK Here it is… ha, ha!
I was semi-serious, too. I figure a “liner-yanker” will have certain traits that are not conducive to a good marriage. For example: never replacing the empty toilet paper roll, not buying groceries when needed, not helping around the house, never doing the dishes. Can not caring about his partner’s needs be far behind? It might even indicate a hidden violent streak where the person tends to use force rather than compromise or negotiation.
A torn liner or shower curtain might be something for women to check for when they first go to guy’s apartment. I used to look in the woman’s car ashtray. If it was dirty or had butts in it – forget it. My ideal mate kept change in her ashtray.
Of course it would be more important that walks in the park. Last year, how many times did you actually take a “walk in the park” with your mate? 2? 3? 6? How many times did you use the shower. 365? There you go.
I think it’s rough heels. Many people don’t keep their heels baby soft and the resulting calluses can get very hard and abusive. One step on the curtain and it starts to rip. What follows is a slowly cascading series of rips from those callused heels holding the curtain down too fiercely and without thought. Of course the culprits don’t know it’s happening. Can you feel anything when you touch your calluses? The solution is to keep those thick calluses under control. You could put up a sign in your bathroom: Do you know where your calluses have been? Watch them!.
I don’t really know but on every episode of Cops they go into homes with torn shower liners and dishes stacked to the ceiling.
Shower curtain shredders… I have no idea how that happens. I have often buggered up the glass sliding shower doors though. I think that’s about the ministry of crap design more than me. I hope the secret to this problem is discovered.
Answer this question 
Composing members:
0
