How to Caulk a Bathtub
Homeowners need to add how to caulk a bathtub tips to any list of to-do items. This is a maintenance chore that needs to be every so often for every bathtub in the home. After a while, even the best caulking job wears out, sometimes harboring unsightly mold and mildew.
The Price of Not Re-Caulking
Knowing a few caulk a bathtub tips can also prevent some major disasters. If allowed to go too long, a bad caulking job, one in which the caulk has come off or is loose, can even cause tile to come completely off a bathroom surround. Water becomes trapped between the tile and the wall and eventually causes the glue to lose its adhesiveness. If the problem has been ignored up to this point, it is very likely the walls behind the tile will need to be replaced as well due to rotting.
Getting the Old Stuff Off
The first of a homeowners caulk a bathtub tips needs to be how to get old caulking off. There are a number of products available that you can apply to the old caulking that help to soften and further loosen it from the edge of the tub and the tile. Many people swear by these, but many insist you can do just as good a job without using them.
Even with the use of these products, you will still need good old-fashioned elbow grease and the help of a putty knife to get the old caulk off. If your bathtub surround is one of those types made of fiberglass, you need to use a plastic implement, such as a scraper, to avoid scratching up the surface of the surround.
Dealing With Mold
After removing the old caulk, you may still need to do something to get rid of any mold or mildew that is remaining on the walls and/or tub edges. This part of your caulk a bathtub tips entails mixing up a solution of one part bleach to two parts water in a spray bottle and apply it directly to the affected areas.
Be sure and wear gloves and eye protection, and make sure open windows and doors adequately ventilate the bathroom. You may even want to set a fan to blow through the area to prevent bleach fumes from building up. Wait a few minutes, and then thoroughly rinse the molded and mildewed portions of the tub and walls.
Use the Right Caulk
The next step in your caulk a bathtub tips includes using the correct type of caulk. Make sure you buy a silicone-based kind of caulking that repels water. This is the only kind of caulk that will work properly in wet areas such as a bathroom. Silicone caulk can be found in any home improvement or hardware store.
It must be applied on a thoroughly dry surface, so prevent anyone from bathing or showering in the bathroom at least one full day before application. Even the humidity caused from shaving or running hot water in the sink can cause caulk to fail, so just shut off the bathroom from all use (except for the potty!) until the caulking job is complete.
These caulking a bathtub tips are simple, but oh-so-important for a successful job. It does not take long and can save you from a disaster in the making. So take time to take care of your bathtub caulking. It is then done and out of the way for at least another year or so and you can relax, or take care of some other necessary household chore.
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