Resealing of Shower cubicle

Hello, You can buy silicone removal tool which comes with smoother to help get a good finish when re sealing. In regards to keeping the cartridges you can put a screw in the end which will stop it leaking and keep it good for a period of time.

I use a chisel or Stanley blade to remove old silicon. There are silicon removal tools available. But with a chisel or blade you can remove the silicon right down to the base. And makes resealing a lot easier and cleaner. As for preventing the silicon setting, I remove the end cap and seal the end with duck tape, and due to the silicon setting in the end cap. I allow it to set and screw a screw in the end and pull it out, if that is not successful try pushing it out from the end that has been cut.

Before I share with you how I do it, I'm going let you know what you shouldn't do. 1. DO NOT use your finger to flatten and smooth your new silicone, doing this will give an untidy finish, the silicone bead will be weak because too much will have been pulled off by your finger and also your fingers carry bacteria thus causing the silicone to develop unwanted early mold/fungi. 2. DO NOT use the washing up liquid water mixture in a spray bottle method to help smooth the silicone. The mixture creates a slippery non stick coating on the surface its sprayed on which is bad for the silicone if the spray gets behind the silicone you have just laid around the bath. The reason being is that when the silicone is smoothed down the washing up solution will cause air pockets and also areas the silicone wont be able to grab old off, the result is short lived silicone. 3.DO NOT use just any silicone, there are two main silicone's used around the home. One is called a Low modulus sealant - These sealants are stretchy but not very hard-wearing, great in places which don't get much activity like perimeter sealing, sealing round windows/glazing etc. The next is a called a High modulus sealant - these sealants are less stretchy but are far more hard-wearing, so are especially good for around baths, sinks, showers, kitchen worktops and any over sanitary areas. Most silicone's now especially in screwfix will tell you exactly what application they are for so this makes it alot easier to make sure your using the right silicone. Now this is how I do it... 1. Remove the silicone using a silicone remover tool (usually a black tool found in most DIY shops) keep using the tool until all the large pieces are removed. Then using a silicone sealant remover paste (screwfix sells this) apply this to all the small excess pieces that are still stuck around the joint, wait for the required time for it to work then with a little bit of elbow grease remove the paste and the the rest of the silicone. 2. Using white spirit or acetone clean the joint to be siliconed, make sure all sealant remover residue is removed too. 3. Using the right type of silicone, guide your silicone across the joint, don't rush and try not to drag the silicone its self (a nice equal size bead your aiming for). 4. Using a silicone sealant smoothing tool (screwfix sell a good one) in small sections, smooth the silicone and wipe the excess of the tool as you go. 5. A nice, professional, hard-wearing new silicone sealant to be proud of!

Rozzi2k, Make sure you remove all the old silicon and make an effort to get rid of all the residue ( a removal tool is good ) if not the old silicon will show through the new silicon and this will look a mess. I put two small pieces of masking tape over the cut tip of the silicon nozzle and it seems to stop the end sealing up.

You can buy a silicone removing tool from most diy and tool shops or plumbing supplies shop. To remove the last of the residue, either a tube of "mastic eater" or try solvent cleaner. Just check that either are compatible so the surfaces needing cleaning. Thinners may also be an option. The nozzle issue I normally wind a screw into place, but lacking that, wrap the cut nozzle in cling film.

I think the actual silicone answers have already been addressed bt with regards to your silicone setting in the nozzle, here is how I deal with this. Once finished using the silicone, just wipe off the excess from the nozzle and LET IT SET. Once the silicone is set in the nozzle, this actually creates a good barrier to stop the remaining silicone setting. Once you come to use the tube again, simply screw off the nozzle and put a new nozzle on, they are cheap and you can get them here - https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonsense-multi-nozzles-5-pack/6830x The above link shows you what I mean but I buy mine from ebay in batches of 50 and they work out at about 10 pence each. Hope this is of some help to you. Regards BCA

You can get a silicon removal tool from most good diy stores, ensure you clean well afterwards to allow a good application of new silicon. To stop silicon tube curing before you next use it I normally just stick a screw in the nozzle. Never had one dry out on me yet