How to Use Caulking in 5 Simple Steps

Caulking is a crucial maintenance procedure that insures that no water seeps into the tiles, joints, between tiles, or any cracks in the bathtub or shower area. Remember: do not take aged caulking for granted. What could begin as an innocent brown color along the edges of the caulk, could lead to brittleness and chips. Water can start to seep in, causing mold and mildew to buildup. It could also loosen tiles in the surrounding surface area. Once it reaches that point, the repair process can become more expensive and it will take more time to fix. It's important to get leaky or aged caulking fixed as soon as possible.

Although you have the choice to use a caulking gun, hand squeezable tubes are much easier to handle and control for the beginner. It would be good to make the tube opening just right, not too large so that you will not waste too much caulking as you apply it. You can always add a small amount of caulking to spots that need it, rather than spread it over large areas.

Caulking is cheap and caulking the tub or shower is not as difficult as you may think. You can do it yourself! With a couple of tools and some materials from the hardware store, you can have brand new caulking in your bathroom.

Here are the five steps to caulking:

1. Remove old caulk. Old caulk can be difficult to remove, but removing it is not hard and you have many choices in how to do it. You can use a heat gun to soften the caulk, but it needs to be water based. You can also use a sharp, plastic razor blade; metal blades can scratch sinks and tubs. There are also caulk removing products like Caulk-Be-Gone and Adhesive and Caulk Remover, but these can harm plastics.

2. Scrub the area smooth and clean. The best material that you can use to remove all traces of caulk residue is a dry, non abrasive scrub. Silicone caulk can be wiped up using a soft rag or towel that is slightly wet.

3. Apply mildew cleaner. Before recaulking, spray the section with a mildew remover to completely get rid of any hints of left over mildew. Once this is finished, dry the area completely with paper towels, a dry rag, hair dryer, or towel.

4. Tape then caulk. For a professional-looking job, put on parallel strips of tape along the length of joint. Use blue painter's tape and set them 3/8 of an inch apart. The caulk should go between the two strips. The tape will help keep the area straight, so the calking will have a more uniformed appearance.

5. Smooth and remove (tape). When finished, dampen a lint free rag or paper towel and put it over your finger, smooth the caulk onto the section with your finger, then pull it along in one fluid movement to have the caulk form into a concave like bead. Remove the tape and take care not to let it touch the fresh caulk. Voila, you are done!

Wait 24 hours before you use your shower or bathtub.