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Old 04-18-2013, 07:00 PM   #1
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How to cleanup silicone caulking effectivley

I am a car detail-er who likes my vehicles clean and when the new motor home I just got had silicone caulking a little sloppy over the seams I needed to find a way to trim them clean and tight, but the silicone caulking was stuck good and no way the excess silicone was coming loose without scraping plus the excess silicone was always showing the dirt on that excess silicone.
Then I saw this product McKanica 0351 Silicone Caulk Remover Gel, 8 oz Cartridge on Amazon and read reviews and most seemed to remove silicone from fiberglass very well. So I tried it and experimented with how long to leave it on to remove excess silicone but I did not want to remove all the caulking completely in most areas. Directs say put place gel material from tube over silicone bead and let it sit 2 to 3 hours and scrape off loosened silicone. I had to do one one section that I wanted to remove and redo the caulking on slide out( it was real sloppy)

Yes it worked as directed, kind of turns silicone into a waxy goo that you scrap off with plastic scraper, I found a thin old credit card worked best for me. It took off 90% of old caulk and a 2nd application took off the rest but it was a heavy area of silicone bead that needed 2nd application. After removing excess old caulk I took a terry cloth and rubbed till it was gone off fiberglass finish, then I took sponge with car soap and washed area with hose and it was all gone....... rinsed all away, no residue this stuff totally breaks down silicone it is gone and ready for new caulk. I was really amazed to be honest. It works I am sure great on bathroom tubs and showers which are also fiberglass

What I really like is how this works when you just spread it on sloppy or excess silicone only to devolve just that part of seam without the whole seam and 30 min I found removed thin layer of excess sloppy silicone off without affecting the seam which i did not apply to. I was able to cleanup sloppy excess silicone, wipe it clean off fiber glass and make the motor home look perfect leaving my fiberglass clean and shinny.
I would suggest to experiment on your unit as well and wear rubber gloves it leaves no film on fiberglass but did on fingers. Its kind of a weird solvent, but it works great. After I was done, I waxed areas I completed and am very happy with the perfect detailed look my motor home has now.
It did not effect my decals, fiberglass finish or any of the finish at all just the silicone.It just dissolved the 100% silicone caulking that I placed the gel solvent on and it doesn't have an odor either.
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Old 04-18-2013, 08:26 PM   #2
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Get 1" or wider blue or yellow masking tape. Tape both sides of the groove/channel that is to be calked. After you run your finger or plastic paddle to smooth out the calking, remove the masking tape immediately while calk is still wet. Oh yeah, wear gloves.
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Old 04-19-2013, 11:57 AM   #3
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Better yet, just don't use silicone caulk anywhere. There are very few applications where it is superior to another type that is easier to remove and not repellant to other caulks. For example, Geocel Proflex RV makes an excellent seam sealer and general caulk, is available in several colors as well as clear, and works well on just about any surface except acrylic plastics (it stick to that as well, but the acrylic is weakened). 3M Body Seam Sealer is another superb general purpose seam sealer & caulk.
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Old 04-19-2013, 02:05 PM   #4
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x2 on no silicone caulking on just about anything to do with an RV.
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Old 04-19-2013, 04:56 PM   #5
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NO, No, no to silicone too. Good for a few applications (gaskets).
I use 900 and is great for many exterior applications on RV's. Comes in many colors too. Used for metal building construction, etc.
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Old 04-19-2013, 05:50 PM   #6
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Previous owner used some silicone on mine. Can't remember the name on the bottle but Lowe's sells a silicone remover in a spray bottle that did a good job for me. Silicone is for bathrooms only, as far as I'm concerned.
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Old 04-20-2013, 03:59 AM   #7
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Yes, no no no no to silicone.. ever. Here are some pics of a unit I'm currently re-doing every roof vent, tank vent, skylights, Satellite and edge seams - basically everything except a new piece of EPDM :-)

They used only silicone to install everything on the roof and THEN applied Eternabond OVER the silicone. As you can see it's peeling up all in one piece very easily. Unit is 2 yrs old and customer is having me start over. As mentioned, silicone anywhere but in a shower enclosure is frivolous.
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Old 04-20-2013, 04:43 AM   #8
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No silicone here I've been using proflex for many years and seen units done 5yrs ago and it's still stuck and in good shape
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Old 04-21-2013, 05:34 PM   #9
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Gulf stream used it on my unit

Man the unit I used that product on to trim down silicone was not that bad at all. Gulf stream used it on fiberglass seams and its held up perfect for 9 years and was not letting go of its bond that easy anywhere, so I dont think silicone was a problem that it was used by factory on seams.

The roof was done with self leveling roof product and has held up perfect. Nothing that a rag and some lacquire thinner cant clean the self levelin caulk surface from black grime to back to white again.

The tech at Gulf Stream put it on my a little sloppy for my taste... but not that bad.

I am just perticular and like things to be trim and neat though the motorhome is 9 she still shines and looks like new stitting in her garage.

Most people would not even thought it an issue with caulking as most RVs are as it was on mine some use silicone some use other type caulking. The product worked to breakdown the excess silicone and literally wash it away with soap and water after 3 hours and minimal scraping as I explained, worked great.
Man you have tons of silicone on that roof and its a super nice looking unit. Some people need to go on line and read about what product the RV has on it and either add the same product to fix or pay someone who knows what they are doing. What a shame to see those pictures.
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