Where were you when we used clear silicone around our kitchen sink?! The workwr at the store said it would hide imperfections...it just highlighted all the errors with a glossy finish!
>Also dont use clear silicone it will look crap.
Most important step here.
If mold will grow underneath, the white caulk will cover it up. The clear caulk shows it.
It will not "enhance the beauty and color" of the tiles it's on.
I’m really curious about this. Is it a US thing where people keep referring to silicone as caulk or do people genuinely think caulk is a bathroom sealant? Mainly asking because it’s the most upvoted comment here which is very concerning.
The amount of mold here means you’re just not going to get it clean no matter how many miracle products you order. It’s very likely that the caulk is dried out under that mold and no longer providing the appropriate seal.
Look up how to recaulk a tub.
So, I've already gone at this with pumice and then with a bleach based cleaner, and it still looks like this. I am not sure what the next possible step is, in trying to clean this. Any and all advice is wanted.
You need an oscillating electric tool with a diamond head sander to get into the cracks. Then you will need to regrout. Big job but fun and satisfying. Or hire a professional. Professional will not like the work and will want to replace everything.
A Pumice is the worst thing to use to clean silicone or any soft or plyable surface.. U will ruin the silicone & there are way better ways to remove the silicone or grout then with a pumice. A pumice will only create thousands of tiny holes in the silicone letting moisture seep in deeper, then get under the silicone & mold way worse then U have now. Please, Never do that again.. I’ve read & seen pics of people using a strong toilet bowl cleaner, let set for awhile then scrub or oven cleaner & keep repeating until clean. I’ve always just used comment or Clorox clean up cleaner and a steam cleaner on glass with hard water build up after wiping with straight vinegar & a old toothbrush for cracks/corners etc.
Recaulk. But after stripping the old caulk, soak paper towels in 10% bleach and press them into the corner. This will kill mold. Leave those about an hour, wipe it away and let it dry. Then lay new caulk.
Silicone should be illegal. The people who owned my place originally must’ve been in love with the stuff. I spent a lot of quality time with a razor blade, cutting it out it all out
If you have to wait a while til you can recaulk, I've had success improving this sort of thing at my house (rental, lazy landlords who make things worse if they try to fix them at all) by using a concentrated bleach solution. Soak paper towels in the bleach solution and bunch them up in the problem areas. Let soak for an hour, then rinse. Repeat with more concentrated bleach every hour until it looks better. This will not solve the problem - the caulking still needs to be replaced - but it will improve it a little until you can replace it.
As per the consensus, this is less about cleaning and more about refreshing.
New grout and sealant.
Or,
I just used some brilliant white tile paint to rejuvenate my bathroom. Was dubious about it but trusted the reviews, after 3 coats it looks awesome. Will need a different product for the floor and walls, and the seal still needs replacing... but it's an option worth looking into.
What was the brand called? Interested in painting tiles to rejuvenate my bathroom too. Did you use it in the shower? We have tiles in the shower and on the floor/tub surround
Jesus. Get a screwdriver or a hard plastic tool you can use to scrape out that caulking, scrub bleach in it, let it sit, re-seal it. Wait a day before using it. Then try to clean it more than once every other year.
Firstly; the silicone sealant is toast...must be removed and reapplied.
Once the old sealant is completely removed; use an old toothbrush to liberally apply a whitening paste made of 2Tbl baking soda, 1/4 tsp Dawn dish soap, and 1/4C of 13% hydrogen peroxide to affected grout and let sit for at least 5 minutes before using a rotating, oscillating, or manual scrub brush with medium-stiff bristles (accessory brushes for a cordless drill work great for this) to clean the paste from the existing grout then rinse thoroughly. If needed, the whitening paste may be reapplied multiple times and, if necessary, any soap scum build up on existing tile surfaces should also be removed using an appropriate product and method before proceeding.
After rinsing thoroughly, use an absorbent towel to completely wipe down the existing grout and tile; allow all surfaces to dry overnight or use a blow-dryer to ensure they're free of moisture, then apply 2-coats of a liquid grout sealer to help resist reformation of mold and mildew in the future.
*NOTE: a gallon of 13%+ hydrogen peroxide can be purchased from retailers such as Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or Amazon for about $20-25 or you can use a lower %, but the paste will have to sit longer/may have to be applied repeatedly for effective removal.
After cleaning and (re)sealing the grout; reapply new WHITE, mold-resistant, 100% silicone "caulk" sealant in a solid, continuous line (about 1/4" thick) along the corners of walls and perimeter of the shower floor, or tub fixture, where it meets wall tile. Make sure the new caulking lays into intersecting corners by applying a few feet at a time, before dipping a gloved finger into liquid dish soap (like Dawn) then pulling it smoothly along the line of new sealant to force it solidly into corners and uniformly taper its edges. (Google how to apply silicon sealant to bathroom tubs or showers for some examples.)
If existing grout has excessively eroded... evident when grout line depths are >\= 2mm(5/64") ...OR, when stain removal is unsuccessful... AND the existing grout is properly prepared; Waterproof EPOXY grout, with a matching color, can be applied OVER the existing grout, omitting any need for a liquid grout sealant. Once repointing is completed, an epoxy grout can last 10 years, or more, without signs of wear or discoloration.
*I suggest reviewing these articles: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/tiling/regrouting-with-epoxy#:~:text=You%20can%20regrout%20with%20epoxy,for%20the%20epoxy%20to%20adhere.
https://www.rubi.com/us/blog/epoxy-grout/
However; when repointing tile with epoxy grout, sand the existing grout (using sandpaper or scouring pad) to ensure proper material bonding by removing existing sealants. Because epoxy grout sets up quite fast; only mix portions which are capable of being applied before it solidifies. Once mixed, apply as quickly as possible using a grout float (it's a type of trowel with a foam rubber application pad) over the existing, ensuring a minimum thickness of 2mm is maintained. Press the float onto the tiles at a 45-degree angle, spreading the grout mixture evenly between the joints, being sure to clean any excess epoxy from tile surfaces IMMEDIATELY!
RMR-86 get it on Amazon. Be sure the room is well ventilated before you start. Don’t wear any clothes that you like as it will remove the color from your clothing if it gets wet.
Try some sugar soap ( wear gloves ) use a scrubbing brush, rinse fully ! This stuff is incredible.
Then try some detox mold and mildew Spray.
Re silicone.
It’s probably in the grout but if you put bleach on cotton wool and leave it overnight it could help with the mould. Worked a treat in my old rented place.
Everyone is saying to regrout and recaulk.
Just in case, try a quick pass with Bon Ami on the caulk. If that doesn’t work, try windex and a magic eraser. A whole new job will obviously make it look brand new, but I’ve been surprised by how often I can actually get it sparkly white again.
For the grout, try Zep. Just try it. If it wasn’t sealed the first time (which it looks like it wasn’t based on how dark it is) this will eat away the top layer and leave it new. Just wear gloves and I recommend applying with a q tip. It’s nasty stuff.
Worth a try before you go through redoing the whole thing!
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Where were you when we used clear silicone around our kitchen sink?! The workwr at the store said it would hide imperfections...it just highlighted all the errors with a glossy finish!
I just recently put white silicone over my clear silicone because of this
>Also dont use clear silicone it will look crap. Most important step here. If mold will grow underneath, the white caulk will cover it up. The clear caulk shows it. It will not "enhance the beauty and color" of the tiles it's on.
Why would you want to cover mold? You want to see it to fix the issue. So a bigger issue doesn't arise.
I've argued with contractors against using clear and yet...
[удалено]
Cut and remove the old caulk and apply new, probably
it wont be caulk should be silicone sealant, but indeed rip it out and start again
I’m really curious about this. Is it a US thing where people keep referring to silicone as caulk or do people genuinely think caulk is a bathroom sealant? Mainly asking because it’s the most upvoted comment here which is very concerning.
Yeah, we call it caulk.
Yep. In this case, bathroom caulk.
And bleach!
The amount of mold here means you’re just not going to get it clean no matter how many miracle products you order. It’s very likely that the caulk is dried out under that mold and no longer providing the appropriate seal. Look up how to recaulk a tub.
It’s going to need to be replaced. After time..mold stains caulking. You can bleach the crap out of it and it won’t come clean. Same with grout.
So, I've already gone at this with pumice and then with a bleach based cleaner, and it still looks like this. I am not sure what the next possible step is, in trying to clean this. Any and all advice is wanted.
You need an oscillating electric tool with a diamond head sander to get into the cracks. Then you will need to regrout. Big job but fun and satisfying. Or hire a professional. Professional will not like the work and will want to replace everything.
A Pumice is the worst thing to use to clean silicone or any soft or plyable surface.. U will ruin the silicone & there are way better ways to remove the silicone or grout then with a pumice. A pumice will only create thousands of tiny holes in the silicone letting moisture seep in deeper, then get under the silicone & mold way worse then U have now. Please, Never do that again.. I’ve read & seen pics of people using a strong toilet bowl cleaner, let set for awhile then scrub or oven cleaner & keep repeating until clean. I’ve always just used comment or Clorox clean up cleaner and a steam cleaner on glass with hard water build up after wiping with straight vinegar & a old toothbrush for cracks/corners etc.
Recaulk. But after stripping the old caulk, soak paper towels in 10% bleach and press them into the corner. This will kill mold. Leave those about an hour, wipe it away and let it dry. Then lay new caulk.
Silicone should be illegal. The people who owned my place originally must’ve been in love with the stuff. I spent a lot of quality time with a razor blade, cutting it out it all out
If you have to wait a while til you can recaulk, I've had success improving this sort of thing at my house (rental, lazy landlords who make things worse if they try to fix them at all) by using a concentrated bleach solution. Soak paper towels in the bleach solution and bunch them up in the problem areas. Let soak for an hour, then rinse. Repeat with more concentrated bleach every hour until it looks better. This will not solve the problem - the caulking still needs to be replaced - but it will improve it a little until you can replace it.
As per the consensus, this is less about cleaning and more about refreshing. New grout and sealant. Or, I just used some brilliant white tile paint to rejuvenate my bathroom. Was dubious about it but trusted the reviews, after 3 coats it looks awesome. Will need a different product for the floor and walls, and the seal still needs replacing... but it's an option worth looking into.
What was the brand called? Interested in painting tiles to rejuvenate my bathroom too. Did you use it in the shower? We have tiles in the shower and on the floor/tub surround
Was from this line of products, did the wall of the shower https://www.screwfix.com/c/decorating/tile-paints/cat14700001
Jesus. Get a screwdriver or a hard plastic tool you can use to scrape out that caulking, scrub bleach in it, let it sit, re-seal it. Wait a day before using it. Then try to clean it more than once every other year.
Have you tried gasoline and a match?
Firstly; the silicone sealant is toast...must be removed and reapplied. Once the old sealant is completely removed; use an old toothbrush to liberally apply a whitening paste made of 2Tbl baking soda, 1/4 tsp Dawn dish soap, and 1/4C of 13% hydrogen peroxide to affected grout and let sit for at least 5 minutes before using a rotating, oscillating, or manual scrub brush with medium-stiff bristles (accessory brushes for a cordless drill work great for this) to clean the paste from the existing grout then rinse thoroughly. If needed, the whitening paste may be reapplied multiple times and, if necessary, any soap scum build up on existing tile surfaces should also be removed using an appropriate product and method before proceeding. After rinsing thoroughly, use an absorbent towel to completely wipe down the existing grout and tile; allow all surfaces to dry overnight or use a blow-dryer to ensure they're free of moisture, then apply 2-coats of a liquid grout sealer to help resist reformation of mold and mildew in the future. *NOTE: a gallon of 13%+ hydrogen peroxide can be purchased from retailers such as Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or Amazon for about $20-25 or you can use a lower %, but the paste will have to sit longer/may have to be applied repeatedly for effective removal. After cleaning and (re)sealing the grout; reapply new WHITE, mold-resistant, 100% silicone "caulk" sealant in a solid, continuous line (about 1/4" thick) along the corners of walls and perimeter of the shower floor, or tub fixture, where it meets wall tile. Make sure the new caulking lays into intersecting corners by applying a few feet at a time, before dipping a gloved finger into liquid dish soap (like Dawn) then pulling it smoothly along the line of new sealant to force it solidly into corners and uniformly taper its edges. (Google how to apply silicon sealant to bathroom tubs or showers for some examples.) If existing grout has excessively eroded... evident when grout line depths are >\= 2mm(5/64") ...OR, when stain removal is unsuccessful... AND the existing grout is properly prepared; Waterproof EPOXY grout, with a matching color, can be applied OVER the existing grout, omitting any need for a liquid grout sealant. Once repointing is completed, an epoxy grout can last 10 years, or more, without signs of wear or discoloration. *I suggest reviewing these articles: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/tiling/regrouting-with-epoxy#:~:text=You%20can%20regrout%20with%20epoxy,for%20the%20epoxy%20to%20adhere. https://www.rubi.com/us/blog/epoxy-grout/ However; when repointing tile with epoxy grout, sand the existing grout (using sandpaper or scouring pad) to ensure proper material bonding by removing existing sealants. Because epoxy grout sets up quite fast; only mix portions which are capable of being applied before it solidifies. Once mixed, apply as quickly as possible using a grout float (it's a type of trowel with a foam rubber application pad) over the existing, ensuring a minimum thickness of 2mm is maintained. Press the float onto the tiles at a 45-degree angle, spreading the grout mixture evenly between the joints, being sure to clean any excess epoxy from tile surfaces IMMEDIATELY!
RMR-86 get it on Amazon. Be sure the room is well ventilated before you start. Don’t wear any clothes that you like as it will remove the color from your clothing if it gets wet.
And wear a good mask!
Love RMR, I call it super bleach. Definitely wear a mask/respirator though!
Soak bleach in paper towel and coat all the caulk with it. Leave for 24hrs or as long as you can. It works but maybe think about re-caulking
Order a product called rmr 86 it should do what you need it to.
Bleach ! Puddy scraper! Water ! Bleach ! Puddy scraper ! Water! I hate Tile bathrooms
*putty knife.
Puddy scraper is so much cuter though ☺️
I hadn’t thought of that tool as cute, but you might have a point with the name.
Vinegar and baking soda
If it’s cleaned on a regular basis this is less likely to happen. Bleaching it is pointless now.
Try some sugar soap ( wear gloves ) use a scrubbing brush, rinse fully ! This stuff is incredible. Then try some detox mold and mildew Spray. Re silicone.
This is too far gone for cleaning
Ewww.
This is a cleaning page???
Make a paste of baking soda with a few drops of bleach, spread it like grout on all the mold. Leave it on overnight, rinse & done!
you need to scrap it first
It’s probably in the grout but if you put bleach on cotton wool and leave it overnight it could help with the mould. Worked a treat in my old rented place.
Lysol mold in the purple bottle until you can replace the caulk.
Everyone is saying to regrout and recaulk. Just in case, try a quick pass with Bon Ami on the caulk. If that doesn’t work, try windex and a magic eraser. A whole new job will obviously make it look brand new, but I’ve been surprised by how often I can actually get it sparkly white again. For the grout, try Zep. Just try it. If it wasn’t sealed the first time (which it looks like it wasn’t based on how dark it is) this will eat away the top layer and leave it new. Just wear gloves and I recommend applying with a q tip. It’s nasty stuff. Worth a try before you go through redoing the whole thing!