How to Remove Caulk From Every Nook and Cranny of Your Home

Before you get started, clean the caulk and surrounding surface with mild dish soap and water to rid the area of dirt, dust, or grime. Dry the area with a cloth. This step will give you a clean slate to work with for removing old caulk.

There may be some caulk that’s already loose or flaking off. Use a flexible putty knife to loosen the caulk’s edge. You can then use the knife to pull the caulk off in strips. 

You’re just trying to remove what easily peels away. You don’t need to scrape too hard, which can potentially scratch the surrounding surface. The caulk remover you’ll apply in a later step will loosen the remaining caulk. 

Use a utility knife and a steady hand to create a gap in the seal between the caulk and the surrounding surface. Scoring the edge of the caulk helps to break the bond between the two. Be careful not to score any nearby surfaces, like tile or laminate. 

Give the caulk remover product instructions a quick read before spraying. If you want to be extra careful, slip on some rubber gloves to protect your hands from chemicals in the caulk removal product.

Completely cover the caulk with the removal product according to the manufacturer's instructions. Now, it’s a waiting game. Your caulk removal product will advise you to wait a few hours, with three to four hours being fairly average. Depending on the condition of the caulk, you might want to leave the removal solution overnight to fully soften it.

The longer it sits, the easier the caulk will come off. This method is especially helpful if you’re dealing with aged, hardened caulk or caulk that’s several layers deep, a remnant of a past project.

Once the caulk has softened, you can get to work. Scrape away the old caulk using an angled caulk-removing tool. The caulk should come off fairly easily, thanks to the remover product. In fact, some pieces of the softened caulk might peel off in different-sized strips.

Needle-nose pliers will come in handy for stubborn or hard-to-reach areas. Grab a piece of the softened caulk with the pliers and gently pull. If stubborn caulk won’t budge, use a utility knife to cut the material away from the sides. Be careful not to nip any sensitive areas, such as tiling or countertops. Lastly, scrape away residual caulk using a plastic putty knife.

For the final step, wipe the surface with a cloth drenched in rubbing alcohol. Once dry, clean the area with a solution made of 1/3 cup of bleach and 1 gallon of water. This step will kill any mold, mildew, or soap scum left lurking behind—an essential step if you plan on re-caulking your bathtub.

Use a paintbrush or old toothbrush to get into tight areas or gaps left by the removed caulk. Rinse the area thoroughly. Let the area air dry before re-applying caulk to the surface.

"When removing mold or mildew, bleach is a necessary component of the solution,” said Asya Biddle, Angi Expert Review Board member and manager of The Dustbusters, a family-owned and operated janitorial company in Williamsport, PA. “It will be efficient in the buildup removal and in preparing the surface for further processes or use."