Removal of silicone sealant from a bath, tile, shower cabin

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Removal of silicone sealant from a bath, tile, shower cabin

Silicone is a very common material that is used in the bathroom, pool, refrigerator, oven and other places, but after repair or long service, its surface darkens, collapses, partially peels off the surface, fungus and mold begins to form, the seam becomes non-sealed,passes water, and then the question arises - how to remove the silicone sealant?

Silicone glue in their work is used by builders, aquarists, motorists and many others, since this tool is almost universal.

Contents:

  • A variety of silicone sealants
  • Where is silicone sealant used?
  • Chemical methods
  • Mechanical( force) methods
  • Removal of silicone in shower, bath
  • Removal of silicone from various surfaces

A variety of silicone sealants

To determine how to remove glue, you need to determine what they consist of and what they are.

Specialists divide these funds into two types: one-component and two-component. One-component products are usually used for domestic needs, and the second option is for industrial purposes.

One-component sealants, in turn, are as follows:

  • G Specialty seals.appointments based on amines - alkaline;
  • Acidic sealants - they contain acetic acid. Specific aroma can be heard when working with the product. This is a universal inexpensive sealant, which can be used almost everywhere, except for materials with cement and marble. In addition, this type of sealant accelerates the process of corrosion of many non-ferrous metals, so they should not be used together;
  • Neutral sealants can be used on all surfaces, as instead of vinegar, they contain alcohol or ketoxime.

Where is the silicone sealant used?

Sealants differ in the way they are used and for their intended purpose. Sanitary glue is used for the bathroom, repairing the shower cubicle, sealing the home sanitary ware.

For the production of glass products, for aquariums and stained-glass windows, glue-sealant is used.

This material perfectly glues surfaces, fills voids, withstands heavy loads, is distinguished by high strength.

Aquarists, builders, pool owners use a sealant with antifungal additives, on the surface of which fungus and mold are not formed.

Solvents impart to the silicone sealant adhesiveness and elasticity, thanks to them, the sealant can adapt to any surface of the bathroom, shower and other rooms.

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That's why the old silicone is very difficult, and sometimes it's just impossible to remove from the surface.

Whichever sealant you choose, you should know that this adhesive is attached to the surface almost tight, and it is often very difficult to remove it completely and neatly.

There are several ways to remove silicone sealant without harming the surface.

Chemical Methods

Today, there are many products on the market that remove the old silicone sealant that covers the fungus and mold, from tiles, tiles, glass and other surfaces.

Such products are produced in the form of paste, foam, aerosol and solution.

Before starting work, be sure to read the manual for the chosen product, and also test it on an inconspicuous site in the bathroom or the shower to see if there will be an undesirable reaction to the product on the surface of the shower and other sanitary ware.

It should be ensured that the chemical substance does not dissolve the tile, enamel, paint and other surface.

If you have chosen an aerosol, always wear a mask and gloves when working, to protect yourself from harmful fumes.

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After some time after applying the product, the glue will become soft and its remains, which cover the fungus and mold, can be easily removed from the shower, bath, glass with a blade or other instrument.

If coatings show traces of the product, they can be removed with a solvent. Now wash the treated area with a detergent and wipe dry.

Mechanical( force) methods

This method of removing sealant is suitable only for those surfaces that are not afraid of damage. For a tile, mirror or glass in the shower or aquarium, this way of removing the adhesive is unacceptable.

For work, you need to take a pumice stone and a knife. Large pieces of glue are removed with a knife, and then the remains are removed with a fine-grained sandpaper or pumice stone.

At the end of the work, the surface must be cleaned with a cleaning agent.

If the glue can not be removed, then you can use to remove it available products such as acetone, white spirit and other solvents.

First clean the old glue with a knife or scraper, then wet the surface with a solvent and leave for 30-60 minutes for best effect.

Silicone will look like gelatin, now with a sharp knife remove it from the surface.

If necessary, the procedure can be repeated several times, and if the contamination is very old, you can apply the solvent for a whole night.

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Remove the old sealant, which formed the fungus and mold, can also be used with salt, which is applied to wet gauze and circular unhurried movements, gently clean the surface.

After the surface is wiped with water and soap.

Removing silicone in shower, bathtub

In the bathroom and shower all seams should be sealed, and for this silicone is often used.

Because of the high humidity on its surface, mold, fungus and plaque appear after a time, and the question arises, how to remove silicone from the surface of the bathroom or shower?

Remove the silicone sealant in the shower or bathroom mechanically. Use a spatula, knife or other suitable tool to remove the top layer of glue.

Next, remove the bathroom or cockpit in the shower, if the glue is not completely removed, it must be cut.

With the plumbing removed, the remnants of the glue are removed with fine sandpaper by soft circular motions, so as not to spoil the surface.

The mounting holes are cleaned with a screwdriver, the surface of the walls and sanitary ware is wiped clean with a rag.

It is impossible to clean the enamel surface with abrasive agents, because it will be impossible to restore it after scratches.

For cleaning enameled bathroom use a variety of chemicals, a wide range of which is presented in any construction or hardware store.

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And here with acrylic bathroom you can remove glue both mechanically and with the help of auxiliary tools.

If you decide to use chemicals to clean the acrylic bath, try them on a small area.

Removing silicone from various surfaces

If you need to remove the glue residues from the glass surface of the mirror or shower, first you can do it with a blade.

You need to do this extremely accurately not to scratch the glass, and the whole process will take a lot of time.

In addition, it is possible to remove the sealant from a glass product using gasoline, white spirit and other inexpensive, specially designed products.

To remove silicone remnants from plumbing, use a knife or a blade to gently cut the adhesive layer so as not to damage the surface of the tile, and then apply gasoline or mineral spirits with a cloth.

After a while the silicone will soften and it can be removed with a wooden scraper.

You can also rub the kerosene into the silicone until the glue becomes soft and easily detached from the tile, however this procedure takes a lot of your time.

If you use special tools for tiles, then make sure that after using them, it will not crack and color does not fade, especially for color tiles.

So that after working with silicone, you do not have to remove it from your hands, you should protect them with gloves.

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But if the silicone still fell on the skin of your hands, you should immediately wipe it thoroughly and wash the surface of your hands so that there are no problems later.

If you did not do it immediately, then it is almost impossible to remove glue from the skin of your hands and you have to resort to the help of a doctor.

To remove the sealant yourself, use alcohol or 3% vinegar. Such remedies do not harm the skin of your hands, so keep them ready while you work.

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