How to Replace the Caulk Around My Sink

Keep the area around your kitchen sink clean and neat with a new bead of caulking.

The kitchen sink is one of the most used workspaces in a home. Little splashes and drips around the sink now can create an expensive bill later if your sink is not properly caulked. Kitchen and bath caulking comes in two varieties: silicone and modified acrylic latex. Either caulking is appropriate for use around sinks and plumbing fixtures. Caulking manufacturers make both clear and colored caulking. Make your color selection to match your countertop or sink, or if you prefer your caulking to be camouflaged, choose clear.

Things You'll Need

• Razor scraper
• Rubbing alcohol
• Caulking gun
• Scissors
• Utility knife
• Rag
• Mineral spirits
• Caulk-smoothing tool

Instructions

1. Remove the old caulking, using a razor scraper. Take care not to damage your countertops as you remove as much caulking as possible.

2. Clean and remove the last traces of old caulking from around the sink by wetting a rag with rubbing alcohol and scrubbing the area gently.

3. Load a tube of caulking into a caulking gun, placing the tip in the open side and sliding the rear into the side with the plunger. Squeeze the handle a few times to secure the tube into place.

4. Trim the nozzle of the caulking gun off at an angle, using scissors or a utility knife. It is better to cut conservatively and widen the tip as needed. Squeeze a few small lines of caulking onto a rag to ensure there are no problems with flow rate or air bubbles in the tube.

5. Place the tip of the tube at a corner of the sink and, in a smooth motion, run a ¼-inch bead of caulking along the joint of the sink and countertop. Create a neat finish by running a caulk smoothing tool along the bead.

6. Remove excess or misplaced caulking before it dries by using mineral spirits if you used a silicone caulking, or water if you used an acrylic-latex caulking.

Tips & Warnings

• Time for the caulk to completely dry can range from 2 hours to several days. Check the manufacturer's packaging for drying times, and follow the manufacturer's directions for care during the drying time.

References

• GE: Caulk Your Home -- How to Caulk in Five Easy Steps
• Dap: How to Caulk a Kitchen Sink
• Caulk Guns: How to Caulk your Kitchen Sink