Has your caulking seen better days? If so, we need to talk. When the caulking around your sinks, shower, or tub quits doing its job, then water is able to get behind these surfaces and you can find yourself with severe water damage or mold growth. In case you haven’t heard – that’s bad.
But how do you assess whether your caulking is doing its job or not? Here’s three signs that it’s time for a makeover: 1. Is it cracking or pulling away from the surfaces? 2. Can you see mold or mildew? 3. Is it five years or older?
If you said yes to any of those, then block out an hour or so this weekend… we’ve got a project to do.
What Will You Need?
Before we get started, what are you going to need to get the job done right? Here’s What you’ll need:
- A scraper tool
- Painter’s tape
- Caulk
- Finishing tool
Let’s Get Caulking
First, you’re going to use your scraper to dig out the old caulk. Once you’ve got that cleared out, you’re going to line the edges with painter’s tape. Place about a quarter inch from each side.
Cut off the tip of the caulk can. Puncture the seal. Now apply caulk to your edges. Feather as you work your way down the line, them remove excess caulk with the finishing tool.
Remove the tape immediately while the caulk is still wet. Let sit and dry for 24 hours.
That’s pretty much it! The final step is to watch this video again in five years and do the whole thing again!
So, protect life’s biggest investment with this quick project and we’ll see you again in five years!
Check out this DIY tutorial on YouTube.