Getting silicone caulk off your hands? (1 Viewer)

[KLF]

I've been doing a lot of kitchen and bath work lately, installed a couple of sinks and counter tops, plus I re-caulked around the tub & surround. I just finished running a 5' bead of silicone along the base of the tub to seal the new flooring. Now my hands are all slimy, and no soap I have tried will get this stuff off. It's really weird how it totally kills the sudsing action of any soap.

Is there something that will take this stuff off, without attacking my skin? My hands are already raw from washing up from painting, so I really don't want to resort to laquer thinner or acetone. Tried GoJo, didn't seem to do much.

 

[-Spike-]

Time. Even acetone or laquer thinner won't do much- the only solvent that seems to work at a decent pace on silicone caulk is MEK, and I wouldn't recommend it on your hands. A few hours from now the stuff will come off all by itself.

-Spike

 

[e9999]

was tempted to joke about wire brush on a grinder, but thought there would be some kid on the Internet that would try it, so there... don't do the wire brush...!

 

[EricG]

Time. Even acetone or laquer thinner won't do much- the only solvent that seems to work at a decent pace on silicone caulk is MEK, and I wouldn't recommend it on your hands. A few hours from now the stuff will come off all by itself.

-Spike

x2 - Silicone is a bitch to clean up. I wear nitril or latex gloves when working with it for that reason.

 

[Rattler]

Not sure how it works on silicone but an issue of Workbench I had laying around recommended baby oil to remove Liquid Nails or other construction adhesives.

 

[Cookiemonster]

Start rubbing your hands together.

 

[john_eckels]

If you think silicone is bad, try the foam stuff in a can.

 

[EricG]

If you think silicone is bad, try the foam stuff in a can.

If you get to it fast, acetone takes it off - though rough on the skin. Just did it actually. But once it cures, forget it - it's on until you shed you skin like a snake or something.

 

[reffug]

Start rubbing your hands together.

and after use gas.

no joke gas works.

 

[bogus one]

Rubbing Alcohol.

 

[KLF]

and after use gas.

no joke gas works.

oof... ya but the stink would be worse than the slimy hands. I hate that smell.

 

[-Spike-]

Yeah, and if you live in California you'll get cancer.

-Spike

 

[webelk6]

Try a hand cleaner known as "Cupran Special." It works great for removing 2 component paints as well as grease, caulk etc.
Cupran. Plus it is made out of walnut shells, and is very kind to the hands.

 

[john_eckels]

If you get to it fast, acetone takes it off - though rough on the skin. Just did it actually. But once it cures, forget it - it's on until you shed you skin like a snake or something.

Thanks for the tip. I made the mistake of using the real cheap plastic gloves and regretted it after I got a rip in one.

 

[GeoRoss]

I just rub and rub and then wait for it to fall off.



The expanding foam on the other hand is the debil!!!

 

[reffug]

oof... ya but the stink would be worse than the slimy hands. I hate that smell.

it works.

good for killing poison ivy too.

 

[dr_claw]

dryer lint. I am not kidding. The sticky stuff in a can or industrial adhesive really doesn't come off.

A little dryer lint, your hands are black or grey, but they are not sticky!

 

[EricG]

it works.

good for killing poison ivy too.

In my experience, the best stuff for poison ivy is a strong bleach solution or lye soap.

 

[Cookiemonster]

and after use gas.

no joke gas works.

Only downside is that you absorb it through your skin.

I only use gas or thinner when using oil base paints sealers. For caulk my skin is so rough & calloused that I just rub it off. Only place caulk remains is right around the nail cuticle and there it just wears off after a few days.

For ABS glue I use Oatey's ABS soap/cleanser, it's the only stuff that works well. Similar to orange base or mechanics soap.

Of course what works best I've found, & the one I prefer most of all is to just simply stay as far away from all of it as much as possible.

 

[AATLAS1X]

Dawn soap and a scotch brite pad....