How to Get Silicone Caulk Off Your Hands

PDF download Download Article
Easy ways to remove wet or dried silicone caulk from your skin
PDF download Download Article

Silicone caulk is a great tool for filling gaps and making the seal waterproof. Unfortunately, these same properties can make it hard to remove when it gets on your hands. Luckily, there are lots of simple home remedies to get off fresh and dried caulk, like rubbing your hands with a plastic bag, rubbing alcohol, or butter and baking soda. In this article, we spoke with home improvement specialists to learn how to get silicone caulk off your hands and prevent messes from happening in the first place. Read on to find out more!

The Best Ways to Get Caulk Off Hands

If the caulk is wet, rinse it with water and rub your hands with a plastic grocery bag. If the caulk is dried, pick it off and scrub your hands with soap and an abrasive sponge or pumice stone. Alternatively, dab the caulk with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar or rub your hands with butter and baking soda.

Section 1 of 4:

How to Remove Wet Silicone Caulk from Your Hands

PDF download Download Article
  1. As soon as you notice any silicone caulk on your hands, go to the sink and rinse off your hands with water. While silicone caulk is waterproof when it dries, it takes several minutes to hours for it to cure. So, rinse off your hands as soon as possible to get off most of the caulk. [1]
    • When caulk is spread thin or in tiny drops on your hands, it typically dries faster. So, it’s important to rinse off your hands as soon as possible.
    • Dried caulk is generally harder to remove than wet caulk, which is another reason why it’s important to act fast.
  2. If there are still bits of silicone caulk left on your hands, grab a paper towel or tissue and wipe it off. [2] Just let the silicone dry and harden on the towel or tissue before you throw it away in your trash can. [3]
    • Don't use a fabric towel (especially one that you care about) to wipe off the silicone. Once silicone dries, it's very difficult to get out. Additionally, it's basically waterproof, so even if it doesn't ruin your towel's appearance, it may make it less useful.
    Advertisement
  3. If you’re still dealing with a few stubborn spots of caulk, grab a plastic grocery bag and rub it over your hands like a washcloth. If the silicone is still slightly wet, it will readily transfer and cling to the bag instead of your hands. [4]
    • If you don't have a grocery bag handy, other plastic bags, like trash can liners, work well.
    • While this trick is a little unconventional, it's cited by many home improvement resources as being effective.
  4. To remove any remaining bits of caulk, scrub your hands with hand soap and water. Feel free to scrub with your fingernails, a sponge, a paper towel, or a mild abrasive (like pumice ). Then, dry your hands with a paper towel or old rag. [5]
    • Examine your hands carefully after drying them to check for any remaining caulk.
    • If you see any remaining caulk on your hands, rub them with the plastic bag again and wash them. You may need to repeat this a few times to get off all the caulk.
    • If the caulk won’t come off of your hands, it’s likely dried. Luckily, we have a list of different methods below to help remove dried caulk from your hands.
    5. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

Ways to Remove Dried Silicone Caulk from Your Hands

PDF download Download Article
  1. If there are any large pieces of caulk on your hands, simply use your fingers to scrape them off. You might not be able to get every bit of caulk off, but removing the large pieces can help make the other removal methods below more effective.
  2. Scrub your hands with soap, water, and an abrasive, like pumice . Another way to get dried silicone caulk off your hands is to scrub them. Start by lathering your hands with soap and water. Then, use a mild abrasive, like a pumice stone, kitchen sponge, or piece of fine-grit sandpaper , to gently rub off the caulk.
    • Alternatively, use a pumice soap to scrub your hands.
    • Be very gentle with the abrasive to avoid rubbing your skin raw. Use a light touch and stop scrubbing if your hands start to feel irritated or sore. Remember, the caulk will eventually fall off on its own, so there's no reason to hurt yourself trying to get it off.
    • Do not use a harsh abrasive, like steel wool, to remove the caulk; it can be too tough on your skin.
  3. Cut off a few slabs of butter and work them into your hands until they’re evenly coated. Then, pour a heaping spoon of baking soda into your hands. Simply rub the baking soda into your hands to lift off the caulk. [6]
    • Once all the caulk is gone, wash and dry your hands.
    • The butter helps loosen the caulk while the abrasive baking soda scrubs it off.
  4. Rubbing alcohol is a mild solvent that can dissolve sticky residue like silicone caulk. Simply soak a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and dab it into the caulk on your hands. It may take a few applications to remove it all. [7]
    • Wash, dry, and moisturize your hands once all of the caulk is gone.
    • Alternatively, use an alcohol, like vodka, in place of rubbing alcohol.
  5. Vinegar is acidic, which makes it great at dissolving dirt, grime, and grease. [8] Dampen a cotton ball, soft cloth, or sponge with vinegar and use it to scrub your hands. You may need to wipe the caulk several times to completely remove it.
    • Wash and dry your hands after applying the vinegar.
  6. Apply acetone-based nail polish remover onto the caulk. Acetone, an organic chemical that’s frequently used in nail polish removers, can dissolve some plastics with ease (like acrylic nail polish). Just soak a cotton ball or paper towel with an acetone-based nail polish remover. Then, gently wet and dab the caulk spots on your hands until they’re gone. [9]
    • Wash, dry, and moisturize your hands once you’re done.
    • Don't pour the acetone all over your hands. Acetone-based nail polish remover can be tough on your skin and dry it out. It can also produce unpleasant fumes.
    • Check the label on your bottle of nail polish to ensure it contains acetone.
  7. Home improvement specialist Eric Shipe says silicone caulk weakens and melts off surfaces when you heat it up gradually. So, heat may help remove caulk on your skin, too. Turn your hair dryer on low and hold it high above the affected areas so you can feel the warmth but don’t get burned. Simply wave it over the caulk until you feel it start to loosen and melt. [10]
    • Use a sponge or another mild abrasive to scrub off the melted caulk under running water.
    • Stop heating the caulk if the heat becomes intense or painful on your skin. Silicone isn't worth burning yourself over—it will eventually fall off on its own.
  8. Rub your hands with Goo Gone or WD-40 . Goo Gone is a popular adhesive and sticky-substance remover. They make a product that’s safe to use on your skin, which may help remove stubborn silicone caulk. Shipe also says WD-40 can “break down the silicone” on surfaces, “making it easier to scrape off.” So, spray a bit on a cotton ball or paper towel and dab the caulk on your hands.
    • Wash your hands thoroughly after applying WD-40. While WD-40 isn’t considered toxic or harmful, it can potentially irritate your skin when left on it for a long time. [11]
  9. Dab the caulk with mineral spirits . Shipe says mineral spirits (which is a paint thinner and turpentine substitute) can soften and weaken stubborn silicone caulk on surfaces, so it may work on your hands. Just apply some on a cotton ball or paper towel. Then, lightly dab and wipe at the caulk until it comes off.
    • Warning : Thoroughly wash your hands when you’re done. While mineral spirits are usually not dangerous to touch, being in direct contact with mineral spirits for several hours or longer can lead to serious chemical burns. [12]
    • Warning : Do not throw away soaked cotton balls or paper towels in your regular trash, as mineral spirits can spontaneously combust. Instead, allow them to dry. Then, place them in an oily waste container and take them to a hazardous waste disposal facility . [13]
    • Mineral spirits are sometimes called "white spirits" in the UK.
  10. Particularly stubborn spots of silicone caulk might stick to your hands despite your best efforts to get it off. In this case, your best bet may be to simply wait for it to fall off on its own. Your body naturally sheds dead skin cells and once the skin under the dried caulk falls off, it will take the caulk with it.
    • The human body takes about 27 days to completely shed and replenish an entire layer of skin. [14] However, it’ll probably take about 1 week for the silicon caulk to fall off your hands.
    11. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

What to Avoid When Removing Caulk from Your Hands

PDF download Download Article
  1. When it comes to getting silicone caulk off your hands, stick to the safe methods described in this article—don't risk trying anything that may hurt you. Many harsh solvents are noxious or caustic and can be harmful when touched, inhaled, or ingested. Below are just a few of solvents you should not use to get caulk off of your hands: [15]
    • Bleach
    • Drain cleaner
    • Paint thinner (mineral spirits are a less toxic option) [16]
    • Lye
    • Strong acids or bases
  2. Never use a sharp tool or a harsh abrasive to physically remove silicone caulk from your hands. While it may be tempting to use a knife or steel wool to cut or scrub off dried-on caulk, these methods run a high risk of injuring your hands.
    3. Advertisement
Section 4 of 4:

How to Prevent Caulk Messes

PDF download Download Article
  1. The best way to avoid getting silicone caulk on your hands is to wear nitrile gloves . Then, put on a long-sleeved shirt and pair of pants that you don’t mind getting dirty to prevent the caulk from getting on your arms and legs, too. [17]
    • Remove caulk on your clothes by rubbing the spot with a damp cloth. If that doesn’t work, freeze the caulk and scrape it off with a spoon or butter knife. Or, dab the stain with acetone.
  2. If you don’t have gloves, wetting your hands with water is a simple way to prevent the caulk from sticking to your skin. Just keep a wet sponge or rag with you to ensure your hands stay moist as you apply the caulk. [18]
    • Professional handyman Barry Zakar suggests using “the wet finger technique” to smooth the caulk after you apply it. He says you just “wet your finger and run it along the bead” to “get a nice, smooth even result.”
    • Alternatively, use a putty knife or caulk finishing tool to smooth the caulk. This way, you don’t have to worry about your hands getting dirty.
  3. Protect your floor, wall, shower, or other work area from caulk messes by laying down a drop cloth, tarp, or pieces of newspaper. This helps make clean-up a breeze when you’re done caulking, too.
    • If you do get silicone caulk on your work area, don’t worry. There are lots of easy ways to remove caulk from surfaces like tile, glass, metal, and wood.
  4. When applying caulk , Zakar advises only cutting the tip of the nozzle so you produce a small bead; cutting the tip too large can create “too much excess” and “it makes a mess.” Then, he suggests you “take your time” and “maintain an equal, even pressure on the gun as you move along and place the caulk.”
    • Professional handyman Kevin Turner agrees and says, “When you apply [caulk]...you want to try to use it as thin as possible. The more you use, obviously, the harder it is to keep clean.”
  5. Instead of using your finger to smooth the caulk, home renovation and repair specialist Art Fricke says to “use masking tape.” He suggests placing the tape in a straight line next to the area you’re caulking. Apply the caulk and then “mash in the silicone” to “get it nice and smooth.” He just says to “pick up the tape before the silicone gets tacky” to reveal the “perfect caulk line that goes exactly where you want it to go.”
    6. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Reader Videos

      Tips

      • Rubbing your hands with sand, soil, or cement dust can help remove uncured silicone on your hands.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Rubbing your hands with powdered laundry detergent, baby wash, or eucalyptus oil can help remove caulk on your hands, too.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Applying glass cleaner (like Windex) on your hands can help remove silicone caulk.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
      Show More Tips

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Use cooking oil (vegetable, canola, olive) and a paper towel to wipe silicone residue off your skin. You can also add salt to the oil to create friction.
      • You can also try apple cider vinegar since it's acidic and may help dissolve the caulk.
      • Try Goo-gone, applying a small amount to the dried caulk.
      • Create a sugar scrub with dish soap, water, and sugar.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • Never use your mouth to get caulk off of your hands. Almost every type of caulk used for home improvement projects (including silicone caulk) can be toxic if ingested. [19]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Advertisement

      Things You'll Need

      Ways to Remove Wet Silicone Caulk

      • Paper towels
      • Plastic grocery bag

      Ways to Remove Dried Silicone Caulk

      How to Prevent Caulk Messes

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Fix Nicotine Stained Fingers
      How to
      Remove Iodine Stains from Skin
      How to
      Get Tree Sap Off Your Hands
      How to
      Get Wax Off Skin
      How to
      Remove Permanent Marker & Sharpie from Skin
      How to
      Remove Henna
      How to
      Remove Turmeric Stains from Skin
      How to
      Get Dye off Skin
      How to
      Get Stain Off Your Hands
      How to
      Clean Food Coloring off Skin
      How to
      Get Spray Paint off Your Hands
      How to
      Get a Wood Stain Off Skin
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.poison.org/articles/caulk-164
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/mrKmwoqusvA?feature=shared&t=17
      3. ↑ https://legacy.stclaircounty.org/offices/landfill/adhesives.aspx
      4. ↑ https://homequicks.com/removing-silicone-caulk
      5. ↑ https://homequicks.com/removing-silicone-caulk
      6. ↑ https://itshomeguides.com/how-to-remove-caulk-from-hands/
      7. ↑ https://afmsafecoat.com/files/u/13/a9/7130-sds.pdf
      8. ↑ https://extension.usu.edu/archive/home-cleaning-chemicals
      9. ↑ https://homequicks.com/removing-silicone-caulk
      1. ↑ https://itshomeguides.com/how-to-remove-caulk-from-hands/
      2. ↑ https://files.wd40.com/pdf/sds/specialist/latam/ghs-sds-wd-40-specialist-cleaner-and-degreaser-english-300356-300363-30047-30038.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/poison/mineral-spirits-poisoning
      4. ↑ https://www.mass.gov/info-details/disposing-of-oily-rags
      5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10978-skin
      6. ↑ https://buyat.ppg.com/EHSDocumentManagerPublic/documentSearchInnerFrame.aspx?CodeCondition=IsEqualTo&CodeValue=10106DUX028&Form=62a4e412e3a6926b0000&Language=en-GB&SuppressSearchControls=True&FolderID1=556&SearchAllPublicFolders=False
      7. ↑ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/mineral-spirits-vs-paint-thinner/
      8. ↑ https://buyat.ppg.com/EHSDocumentManagerPublic/documentSearchInnerFrame.aspx?CodeCondition=IsEqualTo&CodeValue=10106DUX028&Form=62a4e412e3a6926b0000&Language=en-GB&SuppressSearchControls=True&FolderID1=556&SearchAllPublicFolders=False
      9. ↑ https://youtu.be/z8tdp0lLfCw?feature=shared&t=149
      10. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002828.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To remove dried silicone caulk from your hands, start by soaking a paper towel in acetone or nail polish remover. Then, gently dab the acetone on spots that are covered in caulk and try to wipe it away. If that doesn’t work, try warming the silicone with a hair dryer on the lowest setting to weaken the plastic in the caulk. Then, use a pumice stone to rub it away. Read on for tips on removing caulk from your hands while it’s still wet!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 745,963 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Hams Aboulkhair

        Nov 13, 2016

        "A good tip is using flour. Once you get silicone on your hands, dip them in some flour then rub them with a towel. ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement