If you have looked at your bathtub or sink and noticed that the caulk has started to peel, it’s time to re-caulk. Caulk is used around bathtubs, showers and sinks to prevent water and moisture from seeping into wood and drywall. The can cause mold and mildew to form, which is a more serious problem. If it’s starting to peel, try to catch it before mold and mildew forms. It is really easy to do and only requires a few minutes of your time and will keep you from having to hire someone to come in to tear out sheet rock, which is an entirely more expensive and disruptive fix.
Scrub around the area to be caulked with a good cleanser that has bleach, like Comet. Pull off any loose caulk, to make the surface to be re-caulked as smooth as possible. If you notice any mold, use a spray bottle and soak with bleach. Allow the bleach to soak in for a few minutes and rinse. After the surfaces to be re-caulked are clean and free of loose caulk and mold wipe down with a dry towel and allow to air dry for a couple of hours.
Get a bucket of warm, soapy water, an old towel or t-shirt that has been cut into rags, a utility knife, a caulk gun and a tube of Dap latex caulk. Look at the end of the tube of caulk where it comes to a point and you will see a 1/8–that’s 1/8 of an inch. Cutting diagonal, like this /, at that point use a utility knife to cut off the tip. Don’t cut flat, because you want to angle the tip into the groove between the wall and the sink, tub or shower. In some ways it’s like frosting a cake with an angled tip.
At the end of the caulk gun, tap with the palm of your hand against the metal bar to get the gun ready to caulk. If caulk starts to come out, press against the metal release bar and it should stop. You will have to press the release each time you get done making a line or caulk will get all over. And each time you press the trigger and nothing comes out you will have to tap the end to get the gun going again.
Working from one corner to the next, using just enough pressure to run a smooth line but not so much that it globs, run a bead of caulk. Press the release to stop. Using a warm rag, wet your finger and run your finger over the bead of caulk you just put down until you get a nice smooth line; wipe the extra on a soapy wet rag. If there’s too much caulk, continue to rinse the rag in soapy water and continue running your wet finger over the line until you get a smooth even line. When you are running your finger down the bead of caulk, always keep your fingers wet and press the caulk into the corners really well.
That’s all there is to it. You can use this same process around windows and door frames to keep out drafts and moisture.
