# Why did I just get attacked by the shower curtain? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404 "2007-11-22T04:58:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/1 "2007-11-22T04:58:20Z")
It’s a hotel room. It’s a shower-tub combo thingie. I arranged the curtain before turning on the water. While the water was coming from the tub faucet, everything was peachy. When I pulled the doohickey to switch it over to the shower faucet, the curtain attempted to eat my face! Okay, I exaggerate. The curtain, however, leapt! yes, leapt! several feet and proceeded to block the spray, redirecting it to the bathroom floor! Now, I’ve had curtains float and drift and even sucker themselves to my legs. But this one wasn’t content with my legs. This one wanted the whole enchilada. I can’t put the curtain outside of the tub. That way lies madness. How can I take a shower in the morning without being groped by the curtain? I did read the [Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_104.html) on the matter, but it can’t protect me from the curtain. Help! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/2 "2007-11-22T05:32:43Z")
Try getting the area between the tub and the curtain wet. It may help the curtain stick to the tub. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/3 "2007-11-22T09:32:26Z")
There was a study done on this not so long ago. [Dr David Schmidt is your man](http://www.ipatrix.com/the-shower-curtain-effect/). [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shower-curtain_effect) has a page on the effect, too, and it appears there are other theories. ---
**Author:** ![sweepkick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@sweepkick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweepkick)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/4 "2007-11-22T10:20:57Z")
What, no faith in Cecil? [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_104.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_104.html) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/5 "2007-11-22T11:17:14Z")
My thoughts fit with Cecil’s. To me it always seemed more like a static cling effect, rather than any principles of airflow. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/6 "2007-11-22T13:19:12Z")
Shot or ball bearings in the curtain hem. Si ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/7 "2007-11-23T04:15:24Z")
It’s in cahoots with [Penchan’s shower door](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=443761). Watchout! ---
**Author:** ![yams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/848f3c/32.png) [@yams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yams)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/8 "2007-11-23T05:32:54Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] I can’t put the curtain outside of the tub. That way lies madness. How can I take a shower in the morning without being groped by the curtain? Help! [/QUOTE] We just did this in physics class!! I am happy to report that, according to my professor, the way to counteract that pesky Bernoulli’s Principle, is to put a fan on the other side of the shower. Can you get a little portable fan from the hotel people? Put it on the other side of the shower curtain. Then you will be able to shower unmolested. love yams!! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/9 "2007-11-23T20:55:39Z")
Was this in the Bates Motel? Showers there can be dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/10 "2007-11-23T21:33:11Z")
[QUOTE=sweepkick] What, no faith in Cecil? [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2\_104.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_104.html) [/QUOTE] What, no reading the OP? :dubious: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-i-just-get-attacked-by-the-shower-curtain/427404/11 "2007-11-28T02:37:42Z")
Magnets. Or leaving a gap in the curtain on both ends and directing spray as far as possible from the curtain. That won’t fix it completely, but it does mitigate things somewhat. I keep meaning to stuff some magnets in the lining of my shower curtain but never do.