How to remove sealant from a bathtub at home

Silicone sealant is easy and convenient to apply. It perfectly protects against moisture penetration, but removing it is a real pain. It adheres very well to any surface, and you will have to try very hard to clean the old silicone and leave the surface untouched.

Methods for removing sealant from a bathtub at home

Freshly applied silicone is removed easily and simply. If by chance you stain the floor surface or something else with silicone, it can be easily wiped off with a sponge or a piece of old rag.

The rougher the surface, the more difficult it is to remove the sealant. If it is applied correctly, it will cling to the material with an almost death grip.

If your plans include reapplying silicone, then you must try to clean the old one without a trace. Old and fresh silicone practically do not adhere to each other, so the remnants of the old sealant will create loopholes for water to flow through.

To clean the old layer of silicone, you can combine mechanical and chemical cleaning methods.

Since the silicone will not come off on its own, you will have to work hard. Therefore, you need to start with the mechanical cleaning method. Try to remove as thick a layer as possible - chemicals only remove minor residues.

Mechanical cleaning

To remove the sealant you will need:

• stationery knife;
• razor blade;
• small spatula;
• tweezers;
• flat screwdriver;
• scrapers for removing silicone;
• pumice.

Reference! You may not need any of the above, but it’s better to have everything at hand. Who knows what will work more efficiently.

Sequence of work:

1. Using a knife, cut thin strips of silicone. If the material has not completely hardened, it can be removed in one motion.
2. Using tweezers, grab the cut edge and separate it.
3. Use a spatula to clean up the residue.
4. Silicone should be removed from various cracks with tweezers.
5. The remaining thin layer is difficult to remove; fine sandpaper may be useful here.
6. To remove residue from the tile, the layer must be cut and then rubbed with an eraser or pumice stone.

Chemical methods

Mechanical methods do not allow removing all the old substance; chemistry comes to the rescue.

When choosing a remover, you should determine the type of sealant itself. They are acid-based (determined by the presence of a characteristic odor) and neutral.

You can try to remove the sealant using the means that are already available - use, for example, white spirit.

This is a universal solvent. Wet the cloth with liquid and wipe the necessary areas. Leave for ten minutes to allow the liquid to be absorbed. If everything works out, the silicone will become soft and can be easily removed.

Reference! Industrial preparations destroy the structure of the sealant. They can be found in car stores, in the auto chemicals department, as well as in construction stores.

The principle of working with all compositions is unchanged:

1. After mechanical cleaning, the product is applied over the remaining layer.
2. A certain time is given (read on the packaging) for the solvent to take effect. After this, the soft sealant can be removed further.
3. Most solvents leave traces. These places need to be washed with a soap solution - apply it, wait a while and rinse with water.

How not to spoil the surface

To avoid the need to restore plumbing or replace finishes, remove the sealant slowly and carefully. You need to be especially careful when cleaning an acrylic bathtub: its surface is easily scratched even with an ordinary sponge. Remember safety precautions:

1. Use caution when working with sharp objects. Not only can you scratch the surfaces, you can easily injure yourself.
2. It is better to remove sealant from an acrylic surface with an eraser, wet pumice, or a block of wood.
3. If the sealant is very old and cannot be removed by a blade, it should first be softened with industrial solvents.
4. Don't use brute force.

By following the above recommendations, you can easily and quickly remove the sealant from the bathtub.