Bathroom caulking makes your sink, shower and bathtub impenetrable to water, but over time, it deteriorates and needs to be replaced. When this happens, you could end up with a moldy mildew situation due to water damage. Caulking your bathroom prevents this from happening, and makes everything look fresh and new. Here’s how to do it: Get rid of the old caulk Take a close look at the caulk in your bathroom. Check especially for places that get wet often, like the corners and base of the shower. Also, look at the end of the bathtub, where the water lands from the shower head. Use a razor blade or knife to remove the caulk. If you have trouble, you can purchase a caulk softener product to help the removal happen faster. Don't rush the process. You want to make sure you remove it all, even if some caulk spots still appear to be in good shape. Everything must go, because it is tough to combine old and new caulk. Clean up To dispose of any extra remains, you can use a little vacuum. You can also use a paper towel with a little rubbing alcohol on it. The alcohol is very useful for getting rid of residue on tiles that are in areas where more caulk is needed. This step is necessary to make sure the new caulk is applied to the tile just right. Apply the caulk Trim the edge of the caulk. Then, get a thin, long nail and poke a hole in the foil that seals the tube. Next, use a caulk gun to stimulate the tube, and allow the caulk to be released. In one very quick movement, at the same speed that the caulk is coming out, drag the tip of the gun. Don’t worry if you end up having too much caulk in one area, or if the line of caulk is not thin, because you can easily clean that later. Don’t move too fast. Take your time during this process. After every length, wipe the end of the caulk. Keep following this process around the perimeter of the bathtub and shower, until all areas are re-caulked. Wipe away extra caulk and level it out It is likely that you will have an excess of caulk left in certain places, and will need to even things out. Take your finger, and put it in some water. Then run it down the caulk line to make everything smooth. The caulk will have no choice but to go into whatever open gap is between the tiles when you wipe all the lengths of the wet caulk. Be sure to keep wiping your finger off, and re-wet it often while doing this. If caulking your bathroom is not enough to give your bathroom a much-needed upgrade, gives Genie Bath Systems a call. Not only will we remove the deteriorating caulking, but we’ll also replace the bathtub as well.
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