Removing silicone from the bathtub is a necessary activity, but not always easy or quick. In addition, you need to be careful not to damage the surface of the bathroom furniture. What methods can be used? Do you have to reach for ready-made preparations or can home methods suffice? We suggest.
The main reason for such actions is that sanitary silicone deteriorates after a long time after its application. The sealant loses its properties after years of exposure to water and moisture. It starts with the appearance of dark discolorations, which are particularly visible on white silicone. They look like mold that is difficult to clean. They are also not aesthetically pleasing. Aesthetics in the bathroom is very important and you should take care of it so that you can use this room with satisfaction.
The most instinctive way to get rid of old silicone is to cut or scrape it off. Simplicity is an advantage, but this kind of action also has very numerous disadvantages. First of all, here you need practice, caution and attention, which will allow us not to damage ceramic tiles or quite delicate acrylic bathtub
For the method of silicone removal you need to prepare yourself in the right way. The right tool will be a knife for cutting drywall. It is important that it was sharp and had a pointed tip, which allows you to cut silicone with the necessary precision. Unfortunately, the mechanical method will not be able to remove all the remains of the old sealant. However, it is a good introduction to further attempts to deal with old silicone.
When trying to deal with the removal of old silicone, you can use remedies that you find around the house or garage. The most instinctive step is to try to remove silicone using a traditional solvent. The most common is acetone, which can sometimes handle the residue of old sealant when the largest pieces have been removed with a sharp and pointed knife. Some people apply a little dishwashing liquid without water to the silicone, which softens the surface to be removed. Vinegar also works similarly
You can also meet with interesting, although controversial ideas, which, however, cannot be denied creativity. An example of such action is to remove silicone by covering it with ice cubes. Under the influence of low temperature, the material should harden. Then, the way to get rid of it is to crush it and remove the remains with a razor blade, for example. However, it may smear.
You can buy ready-made products for removing silicone from bathtubs in DIY stores. Unfortunately, the fact that they are not usually environmentally friendly is a disadvantage. Also, we will always pay for them more expensive than it is the case with home methods. However, they are not accompanied by an unpleasant smell, such as in the case of acetone, and they are safe to use. The application is also convenient, which can be done with a small brush – very often available in the sold set. They dissolve the silicone 10 or 15 minutes after application. After this time, the silicone becomes soft enough and can be scraped off the surface of the tub safely and without much trouble.
