Among the easiest and most affordable are vinegar, alcohol, and WD-40. If you need something stronger, you can use industrial-grade isopropyl alcohol, and we recommend contacting a professional. Once you have the silicone solvent option of your choice, apply the softening agent thoroughly to all areas of the silicone.
Once you're removed most of the silicone use a cloth and some methylated spirits to wipe the remnants off. The methylated spirits act as a solvent in this scenario helping break down the last of the silicone and making it easier to manage and less sticky.
WD-40 is very good at removing silicone sealant but just make sure to completely remove it from the surface before applying any new silicone sealant as they can react. All you need for cleaning up the WD-40 is a clean dry cloth and mineral spirit.
WD-40® is very good at removing silicone sealant, but make sure you completely remove it from the surface before applying any new silicone sealant, as they can react.
If the residue is from a silicone sealant, try UniBond Silicone Sealant Remover. Alternatively, apply a cloth soaked in white spirit or methylated spirit. If in doubt, test the product on a small area of the residue first, and check for any discolouration.
As it contains acetic acid, silicone can be softened with white vinegar.
To remove old silicone, use a sharp knife and then scrape away residual silicone. Clean and dry the surface with mineral turpentine. To ensure a neat finish, tape both sides of the gap before applying the sealant.
Replacing Your Silicone Sealant
Remove tape as soon as possible to before product has a chance to skin. Clean up any residual excess silicone with turps.
Vinegar is safe to use on machines made using natural rubber seals and parts constructed from ethylene-propylene, silicone, fluorocarbon, virgin Teflon, and butyl synthetic rubber seals.
For any remaining strands, use a bit of white spirit to remove them. Simply dab at the leftover sealant with a cloth dampened with white spirit until they dissolve.
If you find there are still bits of old bathroom sealant that won't come away, you can use white spirit to help you remove the old bathroom sealant easily. dab a little bit onto a cloth and rub it over the leftover sealant until they dissolve.
Among the easiest and most affordable are vinegar, alcohol, and WD-40. If you need something stronger, you can use industrial-grade isopropyl alcohol, and we recommend contacting a professional. Once you have the silicone solvent option of your choice, apply the softening agent thoroughly to all areas of the silicone.
For silicone caulks, use a liquid remover specifically formulated for use with silicone. For more sensitive materials, or if a caulk remover is unavailable, try mixing a strong powdered cleaner and warm water into a paste, then apply carefully to the caulk with a cotton swab.
The methylated spirits act as a solvent, breaking down the last of the silicone, making it less sticky and easier to wipe up.
Mineral spirits can break through the tough silicone, making the cleaning process easier.
Softening Solvents
One item you may have on hand that helps soften silicone is mineral spirits, which is suitable to get silicone off of hard surfaces like tile, marble or concrete. For removing it from plastic or painted surfaces, however, you should use isopropyl alcohol, which won't harm the surface.
This can be unsightly, bad for your health and, if left unchecked, can cause damage to the silicone. One problem with trying to clean this silicone though is that the bleach often runs off the silicone and doesn't stay in place long enough to do its job.
To get rid of the final sealant residue use white spirit or undiluted sugar soap with a cloth or kitchen scourer sponge for more stubborn areas.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is another effective method for cleaning silicone. Simply put half a cup of baking soda into a bowl of hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing the item with cold water. This process will help remove any residue left by oils, grease, and grime.
The good news is, in this age of COVID, an abundant use of hand sanitizers and soaps of various ingredients will not damage your silicone ring. Hand sanitizers are comprised mainly of isopropyl alcohol, which will not degrade or “melt” your silicone ring in any way.