How to Re-Caulk Your Bathtub

Bathtub Re-Caulk

TL;DR: 2 hour project; very rewarding; some patience required; manicure will get ruined

Let's face it... bathtubs are disgusting. Especially mine. Gross, peeling, molding, caulk had been an unsanitary eyesore since we moved in. A few months ago, my dad told me I would have to remove the old stuff before I re-caulked. "Dads are always so thorough," I thought to myself, "there's no way I actually HAVE to remove all that stuff." Apparently, caulk will not to stick to itself. You absolutely have to scrape off the old stuff first. Ugh. 

Well, equipped with a razor, caulk remover, painter's tape and determination, I set off to get the job done one snow day in January...and it was AWESOME. The process itself wasn't awesome, it was actually pretty gross, but the outcome was. And the fact that I did this project all by myself (and I have crusty silicone caked on my manicure to prove it - ps, DON'T do your nails prior to this project).

Here's what you'll need:

• a few razor blades (be careful)
• caulk remover (I used Motsenbockers Lift Off)
• painter's tape (I used the blue kind)
• silicone caulk

This is how to get it done:

1. Clean the area. I had huge gaps between my tub and the tile so I knew there'd be mold and god knows what else lurking in there.
2. Spray the caulk remover generously and wait about a minute before scraping.
3. Using the razor (or a specific caulk removing tool) carefully scrape away the caulk. Make sure the tool you use does not scratch or damage your tub.
4. Once all of the caulk is removed, wipe the remover solution off with a rag.
5. Using a bleach-based cleaner, throughly clean and wipe down the caulk free area.
6. Dry off the area with a dry rag.
7. Using painter's tape, tape off the area where you want the caulk to cover the gaps. I left about a 1/4" space above and below the gaps. Once you're done taping, it'll actually look kind of cool: 
   
8. Squeeze the tube of caulk onto the area you have taped off in one clean sweep. Be sure to get into those corners.
9. Smooth the caulk immediately with your finger. Make sure you have a wet paper towel handy to wipe your hands off as you do this.
10. Remove the painter's tape. You want to do this right away, before the caulk begins to dry. 
11. Wait for the caulk to dry, according to the directions on the tube.
12. Admire your hard work, and brag to your husband.