How do I remove mold from silicone caulk?
Hello folks, we get a couple hundred emails per week asking questions about mold and mold removal. I unfortunately cannot answer them all but I am going to post some answers here on the website to hopefully help others out while I answer the emailed question.
Question #1 – How do I remove mold from silicone caulk?
The best way to remove mold from silicone caulking is to remove the caulking and replace it with a fresh bead of caulking. Yes this is harder than simply cleaning it it but it is the best way to do it and ensure it does not come back.
You should also remove any sources of dampness that is is causing the caulking to get wet (if possible).
A second option is to clean the mold off of the caulking. This is only recommended if the mold is very limited in size and growth. I would say anything that is less than five or six inches in length can be cleaned, then monitored to see if the mold comes back. If it does come back I would remove the silicone caulking and replace it with fresh caulking.
When you replace the caulking you should investigate the type of caulking you use. There are some new brands of caulking that are mold resistant or are treated with a chemical that kills mold.
As always if you are not comfortable doing the job yourself call a local contractor that has experience in removal and or working with mold. They will often know how to control the issue, remediate it and fix the ongoing issue that caused the mold.
How To Remove Mold Between Silicon Sealers?
If you have silicon sealers around your shower that have mold behind them then again you need to remove teh silicon sealant, clean up/remove the mold. Finally ensure the surface is clean and dry then reapply the silicon sealant to the surface.
In: Mold Removal · Tagged with: how to remove mold from caulking, mold removal from silicone caulking, mold removal silicone caulking
on December 16, 2010 at 7:16 pm
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What do you recommend to use to clean the calking? I tried bleach and several other cleaners such as CLR, etc. Nothing seems to even lighten the mold. Our contractor did not use a mold resistant silicone caulking because w/in 6 months to 1 year the mold was terrible.
Thanks
Larain
on December 16, 2010 at 9:21 pm
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Hi Larain,
Usually when it won’t come clean like that the most likely cause is mold under the caulking. The only way to remedy this is to remove the old caulking and replace it. You can use a razor blade or scraper to remove the old caulking. Be sure to not scratch or damage the surface under the caulking.
After you replace the caulking, hopefully with a mold resistant kind. Try to limit the moisture that sits in that area, i know it is a bathroom but mold loves moist, humid areas. If you take away the moisture that is half the battle.
on April 14, 2011 at 9:42 pm
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I have used a 33% solution of bleach to water, sprayed down the silicone caulk with black mold and left to dry. Two or three applications and the mold is gone. Reapplications have kept it clean.