When the silicone sealant is used for a period of time, it will become moldy and yellow due to moisture, making its function invalid, especially for kitchen and bathroom. It is necessary to remove the old silicone sealant and apply a new one.
We will show you how to remove old silicone sealant from undermount stainless steel kitchen sink without using chemical remover step by step. This method is also suitable for removing silicone caulk from fiberglass tub, shower, glass, wood, tiles and windows and so on.
You need to prepare some tools as below before we start:
The whole project will take about 20-40 minutes. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Heat the old sealant by hair dryer or heat gun
Use a hair dryer to heat the old sealant about 30-40s and soften them on the surface. When the silicone on the sink becomes soft, it can be removed more easily.
Step 2: Use a sharp knife to cut and remove the majority sealant
Use a single-sided blade or utility knife to gently cut the sealant along the edge of the sealant, so as not to scratch the glazed surface of the stainless steel sink and affect the appearance, and same on the other side so all we are doing is just separating the silicone from the sink at this point. And you will get majority silicone off.
.jpg)
.jpg)
Step 3: Use the plastic scraper to remove silicone residue
Use the plastic scraper to scrape off and clean up the old silicone caulk residue from the sink
Step 4: Clean and dry the surface by a wet rag with rubbing alcohol and hair dryer
That’s it and hope it will help.
Tips:
A heat gun, quicker than the hair dryer but be careful around any kind of acrylic or plastic.
Avoid metal-tipped tools and instead stick with plastic- or wood-tipped scrapers, especially plastic or acrylic surface maybe use a plastic scraper
Being careful not to scratch the surface as you run the knife or scraper along
FAQ:
1.How can we clean up the residue left behind after removing old caulking or silicon sealant around bathtubs/shower doors/sinks etc.?
-Remove silicone caulk residue with a rag dipped in gasoline, and then wipe it with warm water
-Wipe off the old caulk with nail polish
-Sprinkle some vinegar on the sealant and soak it in hot water after 5-10minutes
-Soak the old sealant in white vinegar for a few minutes, then wipe with rubbing alcohol
2. What chemical will dissolve silicone sealant?
We suggest to use organic solvent such as alcohol, gasoline, etc. to dissolve the silicone sealant. That’s the easiest way to remove caulk
If it is difficult to remove the silicone sealant, or it has been stuck for a long time, you can also use industrial alcohol, or high-concentration wine to wipe the surface
Note:
Before proceeding with any method of sealant removal, the surrounding surfaces should be protected from unnecessary damage. If you are not sure how to remove the sealant, consider consulting a professional repairman or relevant technical support. JOINTAS is a lead sealant manufacturer with over 33 years of experience and we offer free technique support for customers, welcome to consult!
3. How to remove black mould from silicone sealant?
Mildew can be removed very effectively by folding up toilet tissue (or cotton balls that unravel) and placing it along the mildew line then carefully pour bleach onto the tissue, leave it overnight and remove it the next day, all the mildew will be gone so long as the bleach was in contact, that's what the paper is for, this can even save the need to put new caulking in at all.
.jpg)
.jpg)
