How to Remove Silicone Caulk from Laminate Floor

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Laminate flooring is often of a higher quality than the regular floating flooring. Because it is glued down, the laminate floor tends to hold up better over time. Even though it is more expensive and time-consuming to install, most people opt for it than the floating floors. Eventually, droplets of glue will always be sprinkled around while laying the floor. But there’s no need to worry because you don’t need to rip off the floor and start over. Removing the caulk is inevitable; hence it needs to be cleaned immediately to prevent the floor from premature wearing. Silicone caulk also discolors the floor and makes it appear hideous.

Silicone caulk is a strong adhesive and sealant that is entirely waterproof. The process of removing silicone caulk may seem hard, but it’s not. With the right products and techniques, anyone can do it. Most products or chemicals are mostly softeners; hence they will just soften it but not dissolve it away. The standard silicone removal procedure involves scrapping, cutting and pulling with the use of a softening agent, a scrapper, pair of pliers and your fingers. However, in this case of a laminate floor, you must be keen because laminates are vulnerable to scratching.

What Can You Use to Remove Silicone Caulk?

You don’t have to purchase specific chemicals from your local store. Most likely, you have all you need in your home—for instance, laminate flooring care. Other methods use regular household supplies to eliminate caulk from laminate floor.

 Silicone caulk contains acetic acid with a scent similar to vinegar when it is uncured. Vinegar not only softens cured silicon, but it also removes hard water stains from laminate surfaces. Once the silicone is cured, it is impossible to dissolve it, so most softeners will only soften it. So you can also use the silicone softeners in the market to ease your work. Once you understand the process, it’s not that tough. So;

What Is the Procedure For Silicone Caulk Removal from Laminate Floor?

Use the following simple and easy steps to get rid of that caulk and get your laminate floor as great as you envisioned.

Before you can get to work, you will need the following items. Some are probably in your home already.

  • A Sprayer
  •  White Vinegar
  • Clean rags or cloths
  • Nail polish remover/Acetone
  • Gloves and Safety goggles
  • A scrapper/ putty knife
  • Alcohol for rubbing

Step 1

Dry the silicon using a hairdryer in very low heat not to melt the laminate. For the weaker silicone, use vinegar and water as the base detergent.

Make a mixture of 0.25:4 cups ratio of vinegar to water respectively. pour it in the sprayer and jet it over the caulk. Let the solution rest for about a minute and then wipe off with a piece of cloth or rag. You might be lucky enough to get the silicone off with the first attempts but if it doesn’t come out with the vinegar and water mixture, don’t give up, move to the next step for removal.

Step 2

Rubbing alcohol is another effective way to clean laminate floors. This helps to pull up any silicone remains.

Rub the cleaned area vigorously with a rag soaked in mineral spirits. Apply more alcohol as necessary and completely saturate the cloth and stain. The silicon should be gone if only the alcohol is concentrate enough. But if it’s not the case, there are still other stronger solutions for cleaning the caulk off. Read on.

Step 3

Be extremely careful not to damage the laminate floor when using the below method as it is the toughest and works on all types of adhesives.

  1. Drench a clean rag into acetone.
  2. Wet the glue spots with the acetone and briskly wipe as you avoid getting the chemical so much on the floor.
  3. The caulk should come off easily now, but if not, then soak it with more acetone and use a scraper or putty knife this time around.
  4. With the help of a razor blade, scrapper or edge of a knife, scrape the dried silicone up moderately. Be careful not to cut, scratch or gouge the laminate. Wipe out the loose silicone while working to avoid it accumulating on your work surface. Clean up the surface when you are done.

This procedure works all the time, but in case of any stubborn caulk, you can look for commercial cleaners. Be careful not to erode the laminate as most commercial cleaners are very harsh.

Laminate Floor Care

The laminate floor is a great investment that lasts long as long as you properly take good care of it. Below are tips for the general laminate floor care.

Dry Cleaning

Clean any dirt and rubbish regularly. Do not give room for dust, sand or any other elements to form on the laminate. These elements can graze the surface easily, causing it to age quickly. To keep the floors always clean and clear, use a vacuum cleaner, sweep or dust mop.

Wet Cleaning

Use a wet cleaning method if the dry cleaning is not enough. Unlike vinyl floors and tiles that can be cleaned with wet mops, laminate flooring should be cleaned with a damp mop.

Cover the Windows

A laminate floor can fade or wear out from extreme sun exposure or UV radiation. Rather than completely blocking the sun from your home, consider using a curtain that is UV resistant. This will prolong the life of your laminate floors.

Conclusion

To preserve laminate floors, never allow silicone caulk spillings to last for long. They may be hard to clean when they dry up, and replacing the whole floor is also expensive. Always clean them immediately. You also don’t need to purchase any special products; you can use readily available materials at home. These materials include vinegar, nail polish, brushes, and alcohol. You can also maintain the floor by dry cleaning, wet cleaning, and using UV resistant curtains to protect the floor from excessive solar radiation.

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AUTHOR

Joe McGuinty
I’ve been working with floors for over 12 years. I started as a flooring contractor, primarily in materials selection. Then, I switched careers into accounting, so my wife and I began buying, renovating, and re-selling homes on the side. You’d be surprised how much value you can add to a home simply by adding new floors.

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