People who own their own homes know that there’s a lot of work that has to be done to keep it functioning properly. Keeping up on maintenance tasks can help eliminate more work and expense later on. One of these jobs is replacing the dry, cracked caulking around the bathtub. Once this seal is damaged, water can seep into joints and cause tile to become loose or allow mold to grow. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who overlook this maintenance job and then much more serious damage will occur. Caulking is used as a flexible sealant and a glue that holds tiles in place and works to keep water from getting underneath them. When caulk gets old, however, it becomes either dry and brittle or soft, mushy, and moldy from being exposed to varied temperatures and moisture in a bathroom environment. Once this happens, it’s no longer an effective sealant, and damage can occur. In order to remedy this problem, you have to completely remove the old caulking before replacing it with new. If you don’t, it won’t seal properly.
Before you begin removing the old caulking, clean the area with a regular bathroom cleaner, then try to determine the kind of caulking that was used. If it’s silicone it will be soft and rubbery; if it was latex or acrylic, it will be hard. You can remove silicone caulk quite easily with a sharp knife. Acrylic and latex caulk are more difficult to remove. Tricks you might try are scraping it out with a screwdriver or softening it with a heat gun or a product designed specifically to do so. Once it’s all been removed, wipe the area down again. You may even want to put on a coating of a product that will resist mildew.
Once you’ve removed the old caulk and cleaned the area, it’s time to start applying the new caulking you’ve chosen. When selecting your new caulk, you need to consider the fact that hybrid, siliconized caulking will work best. It’s easy to use and remove as well as pliable like silicone and has the mildew-resistance of latex and acrylic. Whatever kind of caulking you choose, however, make sure that it says that it’s meant to be used in a bathroom.
If there’s only a small area that needs to be caulked, you’ll be able to get by with a squeeze tube of caulking instead of having to use a caulking gun. Snip a small hole in the end of the tube so that you’ll have control of the amount of caulking being dispensed. Work slowly and carefully to avoid unsightly squiggles and blobs. Although you may be tempted to buy roll caulking thinking that it will be easier to apply, you’ll find that it’s actually very difficult to get on straight. Place a roll of paper towels and a damp sponge where you can get at them in case of spills. Work in small areas at a time, and as you finish each area smooth the caulk with a damp finger.
It’s better to do an entire caulking job at one time, so make sure you have plenty of time to finish the project before you ever begin it. No one will be able to use the bathtub until the caulk cures which usually will mean the tub is out of commission at least overnight. Taking the time and enduring a little inconvenience now will save you a ton of headaches and expense later on.
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The Right Way to Caulk a Bathtub
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