How to Remove Silicone Sealant Easily
How to Remove Silicone Sealant Easily
Silicone sealant can develop problems over time. It might grow mould on the surface, it might lose colour, or it might crack, split or shrink. When this happens, it doesn’t just start to look ugly. It might stop working properly as well, and if silicone leaks, you can end up with other problems like water leaking down the side of your bath or shower.
Removing the old silicone and applying fresh, silicone sealant will make your bathroom or kitchen look like new. On top of that, you won’t need to worry about water getting anywhere it shouldn’t.
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Tools and materials for removing silicone sealant
Here are all the tools and materials you need to remove old silicone sealant:
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Silicone removal tool – for scraping off the old silicone
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Sealant remover – a specialist chemical that helps to dissolve and remove old sealant
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Cleaning cloths – for scrubbing off silicone residue
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Methylated spirits – for cleaning the surface after you’ve finished
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Stanley knife – you might need to use the blade from a Stanley knife to scrape off the last pieces of silicone
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Work gloves – to protect your hands while you’re working
Sometimes, people use alternative scraping tools or alternative cleaning products, like WD-40, for removing silicone residue.
If you’re applying new silicone, you’ll need a few more tools and new silicone sealant.
When should you remove silicone?
Normally, when people want to know how to remove sealant, it’s because the silicone in their house is old and needs replacing. Otherwise, another reason for removing silicone sealant is during DIY work like a bathroom or kitchen makeover.
Here are some signs your silicone needs replacing:
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Visible cracks, splits or peeling
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Shrinkage
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Stains or discolouration
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Having to clean mould from silicone too often
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A hard or brittle texture
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Signs of water ingress behind sealant
If you find any of these signs, finding out how to remove sealant is the next step.
How to remove silicone sealant: Step-by-step
Removing silicone can be a tricky job. It’s not complicated, but it’s hard work and it can be fiddly. You need to make sure you get everything off, so the next application sticks properly. You also need to be careful you don’t damage any tiles or other surfaces while you’re working.
In this section, we’ll give you a highly effective guide for how to remove silicone sealant. The steps here will work whether you need to know how to remove sealant from a bathroom, a kitchen or any other surface.
Step 1. Scrape off the old silicone sealant
The first step in how to remove silicone is scraping off as much of the old silicone as you can.
It often works well to work on one line of silicone at a time. If you’re removing sealant around a shower tray, for example, you can remove the silicone on top of one side of the tray first.
Put your gloves on before you start to keep your hands safe.
Take your silicone scraping tool and carefully pierce an entry point into the silicone. Use a knife to carefully make a starting cut if you need to. Be careful not to damage any tiles or other surfaces the silicone is fixed to. Then carefully push your silicone removal tool forwards to remove the old silicone. Apply steady pressure to scrape off as much silicone as possible, but be careful not to damage the surface around the silicone. Use a knife in the corners if you need to.
You won’t be able to remove all the silicone at this stage. There should still be a thin layer left on the surface.
Some people prefer not to use specialist silicone removal tools. Some alternatives are decorating tools and jointing knives. With these tools, you work with an upward and downward motion into the side of the bead of silicone rather than along it. It’s worth having a look at different tools and choosing the working method you prefer.
Step 2. Apply sealant remover
The next step is applying sealant remover to the remaining silicone and then scraping and scrubbing it off.
Make sure there’s good ventilation in the room while you’re working with sealant remover.
Apply a good amount of sealant remover to the remaining silicone, making sure you cover it all with a good layer. Refer to the instructions to see how long you need to leave it, and then wait to let the chemicals do their work.
The sealant remover will start to dissolve and peel away from the surface.
Step 3. Scrape and scrub off the rest of the sealant
The next step in how to remove silicone is to finish scraping off all the old silicone from the surface.
When you’ve waited long enough, take your scraping tool and go back over the entire line of silicone. Work with a steady and even pressure, removing as much of the old silicone as you can without damaging the surface around it. After you’ve scraped it off, take one of your cleaning cloths and scrub the last of the silicone off.
It might be a good idea at this point to take the blade out of a Stanley knife and carefully use it to scrape off any difficult pieces of silicone.
Make sure you get all of the silicone off or else the new layer of silicone won’t stick to the surface properly. If you need to, you can apply more sealant remover.
Step 4. Thoroughly clean the area and let it dry
The last step is to thoroughly clean, degrease and dry the old surface so it’s ready for a new layer of silicone.
Take a cloth and use it to apply methylated spirits to the entire surface where the silicone has been removed. Work the methylated spirits into the surface, and make sure you cover absolutely everything. Let it soak in and then use a clean cloth to clean it off.
Make sure you get the surface completely clean and free of all dirt and grease.
When to use a professional to remove sealant
Working out how to remove old silicone sealant isn’t difficult. It’s a job you can do even if you don’t have any DIY experience.
However, there are times when it might be a good idea to call a professional:
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For a large area – Professionals know how to remove sealant quickly on a large area without risking damage. It might be better to get a professional to remove sealant from an entire bathroom, for example.
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If you’re working on a delicate or expensive surface – It’s not always easy to remove silicone and completely avoid scratching the surrounding surface. It’s a good idea to call a professional if you’re working on expensive tiles or other expensive surfaces.
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If there are persistent problems – Call a professional if you’ve already had to replace silicone before. A professional will know how to remove bathroom sealant and reapply it to avoid problems.
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If there’s water damage – If old, degraded silicone has ended up causing water damage, it’s a good idea to get a professional to assess the extent of the damage. It might be a good idea to get a professional to remove bath sealant if you think there is damage underneath, for example.
How to apply new silicone sealant after removal
After you’ve removed your old silicone and cleaned and dried out the surface, you can apply new silicone.
Here are all the tools and materials you need:
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Silicone sealant – for the new application
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Sealant gun – for applying the silicone to the joint
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Masking tape – so you get nice straight edges
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Profiling tool – an optional tool that helps to get a neat finish
Here’s a quick guide to the process.
Step 1. Fit masking tape
Attach a long line of masking tape along the edge of the entire line you will be applying silicone to. This will make sure you finish with nice straight lines of silicone.
Step 2. Load the silicone gun and cut the nozzle
Load the silicone into the gun and attach the nozzle to the tube. Then cut the nozzle so it’s just narrower than the width of the joint you are applying silicone to. Cut it at a slight angle to make application easier.
Step 3. Apply the silicone
Always work backwards with your silicone gun, so you’re pulling it towards yourself as you apply the silicone.
Hold the nozzle against the far end of the joint and squeeze the trigger. When the silicone starts to come out, move the gun towards yourself with a smooth and even action. Squeeze a consistent amount of silicone into the joint. You should end up with an even bead of silicone that completely fills the joint.
It’s a good idea to find somewhere to practice applying silicone that doesn't matter and is out of view before you apply it to a finished surface.
Step 4. Smooth over the silicone and remove the masking tape
Now you can smooth over the silicone with a specially designed profiling or siliconing tool or with your finger.
Finally, remove the masking tape before the silicone has time to harden.
If you can do a good job of silicone application, you’ll be able to do your own caulking as well.
How to remove silicone sealant key takeaways
Old silicone looks ugly, and it doesn’t protect your bathroom or kitchen properly from water damage. If the silicone in your bathroom is shrinking, cracking or peeling, or if it’s fading or mouldy, it’s a good idea to replace it.
This article should have helped you understand how to remove bathroom sealant and all other types of sealant.
Removing and reapplying silicone sealant isn’t a complicated job, but it does take quite a bit of elbow grease. You also need to work carefully so you don’t scratch the surface around the silicone while you’re scraping and cleaning it off. It’s also important to pick the right removal tool and have a good chemical silicone removal product.
Applying silicone is slightly more difficult because it takes a certain amount of skill when you’re squeezing out the new silicone with the silicone gun. Make sure you do plenty of homework on how to apply silicone before you start.