How Do You Remove Silicone Sealant From Clothes?
One method of removing silicone sealant or caulk from fabric involves freezing the silicone sealant along with the piece of clothing and then removing it while it is still frozen solid. Silicone refers to any compound that is composed of repeating units of siloxane. The heat-resistant and rubber-like properties of silicone makes it an ideal substance for a number of applications including caulking, lubrication and for thermal and electrical insulation.
Since silicone is an excellent sealant, it can be quite a pain to remove from fabric. The following shows one method of making the task of cleaning silicone from clothing easier.
- Freeze
- Peel off
- Use a degreaser
Place the piece of clothing with the silicone sealant into the freezer and leave it overnight. If placing caulk-stained clothing in the freezer is out of the question, one can also wait for the caulk to dry naturally.
Once the caulk is frozen solid, remove it from the freezer and start peeling it off the fabric. The bigger chunks of the silicone should easily peel off, while the smaller portions might take a bit of work.
For the smaller, more stubborn silicone on the fabric, use a degreaser to loosen it up, such as WD40. Make sure that the chosen degreaser will not harm the clothing in any way. Soak the silicone with the degreaser and then using a spatula, or any tool with a flat edge, scrape off the remaining silicone sealer. Wash the piece of clothing once the silicone sealant has been removed.
