TIL that silicone caulk is way harder to remove than I ever thought

I spent 3 hours last weekend scraping old caulk out of my shower in Cedar Rapids. Watched a YouTube guy say to use a specialized tool for like 15 bucks, figured my putty knife would do the trick. Nope, it took a $9 caulk remover tool and a heat gun to finally get it clean. Anyone got a faster method for this stuff?

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laurar385mo ago

Tried the same thing with a flathead screwdriver once. Ended up gouging the tile so bad the landlord made me pay to regrout the whole corner. Learned my lesson. The caulk remover tool is worth every penny unless you enjoy adding home repair projects to your home repair projects.

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wyatt_garcia5mo ago

Watched a YouTube guy say to use a specialized tool" - yeah that's always how it starts. What nobody talks about is that some caulks are actually different formulas, and the cheap stuff from the hardware store can be a lot softer than the pro grade stuff. I've found that hitting it with a heat gun first makes a way bigger difference than the tool you use, especially in bathrooms where the moisture has bonded everything together. Also @laurar38 is right about the tile damage, but another angle is that if you spray some rubbing alcohol on the caulk before scraping, it can soften the edges without melting anything. Just gotta let it sit for a minute first.

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