Caulking Your Bathroom Sink in 4 Easy Steps

Caulking a bathroom sink may sound like difficult work, but it’s a relatively simple do-it-yourself repair that can save you thousands of dollars. Worn areas, flaws or holes in your bathroom sink caulking can allow moisture from your faucet to seep into your cabinets and woodwork. Moisture breeds mold, which then spreads and creates a dangerous environment for you and your family. And ridding your house of mold is no easy task – many homeowners spend thousands of dollars attempting to rid their house of serious mold problems, only to have them recur. Needless to say, it’s well worth the small amount of time and money spent in caulking your bathroom sink to prevent these problems.

The Tools You’ll Need:

Tube(s) of Caulking or Caulking Gun with Caulking Cartridge
Masking Tape or Caulk Smoother (optional)
Latex Gloves (optional)
Razor blade in holder or large flathead screwdriver (for removal of old caulk)
All-purpose cleaner and/or soap scum remover

Depending on the amount of caulking work that needs to be done, you can choose to apply the caulk with either a caulking gun and cartridges or a squeeze tube. Find a bathroom or tile caulking for extra moisture resistance. If you’re touching up your current caulking, then a squeeze tube will do; however, the best way to repair faulty caulking is to remove and reapply the caulking, as patching will only fix the problem temporarily. If you choose to purchase a caulk cartridge and caulking gun, the two will probably run you between $10 – $15 combined. Squeeze tubes of caulking usually cost between $3 – $5; the number of tubes you’ll need depends upon the size of the project.

Step 1: Prepare The Work Area

Before doing anything, you’ll need to clean the area that needs caulking or re-caulking. An all-purpose cleaner works well for this purpose – make sure you get dirt and debris out of cracks in the caulking to avoid sealing them in. Use a soap scum remover for hard-to-remove fixture and tile stains. Once you’ve prepared the area, you’re ready for Step 2. If you are not removing the old caulking, and are only patching problem areas in the current caulking, then skip to Step 3.

Step 2: Removing Old Caulk

For removing old caulking, a razor blade in holder or large flathead screwdriver should work. Remember to hold the tool level to the original surface to avoid damage to the sinktop or fixtures. Work slowly and steadily. Once you have loosened enough of it, you may be able to peel it off, depending upon the type of caulking originally used.

Step 3: Applying Caulk

To avoid uneven, ugly caulking, you will need to use masking tape to guide the new caulk and prevent messes. Place the tape on either side of the area needing to be caulked, leaving a gap sized to the strip of caulking you want to use. Once the tape is laid, apply the caulking slowly and evenly down the line. Smooth the caulk with your finger or a caulking tool, pushing excess caulking onto the tape. Once you are done, slowly remove the tape.

Step 4: Allow It To Dry

This step supercedes all others – if you don’t allow the caulking to set correctly, it will allow moisture in and completely defeat the purpose. Be aware that caulking a specific area will, in most cases, require that you not use it for 24 – 48. Follow the time advertisements on the packaging for specifics.

Regardless of whether you patch or reapply your caulking, it will save you time and money later on. Once your caulking job is complete, you can rest easy knowing that dangerous moisture is not seeping into the cracks and crevices of your home when you bathe, shower or wash your hands.