Yup, I just hacked a Bonnie Raitt song to named my caulking post. I know I’m cool, you don’t have to tell me.
Our master bathroom has been grossing me out since the day we moved in. I had to do something about it, at least to make it feel a little cleaner. Please don’t think we are dirty from these photos, I scrub this bathroom once a week. Let me show you what I am talking about. I should warn you if you do not like disgusting bathroom things you should skip this post completely.
![P1070705_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070705_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
This is our gross entrance to our shower.
![P1070707_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070707_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
YUUCCKK!
![P1070706_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070706_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
All of the old caulk is dirty and the shower is rusting pretty bad.
![P1070708_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070708_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
And the inside doesn’t look any better.
![P1070713_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070713_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
The corners seem to be the worst areas.
![P1070709_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070709_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
Eventually we will most likely redo this entire bathroom, which would include removing the tile and shower surround. Since that project is down the line I needed to do something to make this shower feel cleaner. So I got out our razor blade and box cutter and started removing the old disgusting caulk.
![P1070704_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070704_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
![P1070722_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070722_fotor.jpg?w=221&h=300)
I first started scraping what I could off the ledge.
![P1070720_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070720_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
This got off some of the hard water and dirt but did not remove the caulk.
![P1070724_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070724_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=221)
I used the box cutter to slice into the existing caulk, I went back a couple times until some pieces started to come loose like this…
![P1070726_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070726_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
I started peeling the caulk away by hand, and then went back with the box cutter scraping any remaining caulk until I got as much as I could.
![P1070728_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070728_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
Next I hopped in the shower and starting removing the caulk in there the same way.
![P1070735_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070735_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
Inside the shower I did have to use the razor blade a bit to get any caulk that was stuck on the tile.
![P1070738_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070738_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
I then cleaned up all of the caulk pieces that I had removed with the vacuum, then scrubbed everything with CLR spray. This helped remove any hard water or rust that I couldn’t get off with my normal tile cleaner.
![P1070747_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070747_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
![P1070752_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070752_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
![P1070749_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070749_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
I wasn’t able to get all of the rust stains, but it was already looking a ton better.
![P1070760_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070760_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
From there I grabbed my caulking tools.
![P1070767_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070767_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
A tube of caulk, a caulk gun and a roll of painters tape.
![P1070768_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070768_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
I wanted straight lines on the ledge of the shower, so I used the painters tape to mark off where the caulk would go. I didn’t use the tape inside the shower since the tile is white, I didn’t think the caulk would be as easily seen.
![P1070769_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070769_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
I then just snipped the end off of my tube of caulk and place it in the caulk gun. From there I just started applying the caulk in between the taped off areas in a thin bead.
![P1070772_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070772_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=200)
Once I had the caulk down I used my finger to smooth it out into the crevice.
![P1070778_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070778_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=241)
Once I had finished I peeled the tape away immediately. I didn’t want it to dry, then peel it, because I wasn’t sure if the dried caulk would peel away with it.
![P1070779_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070779_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=224)
Ah! Look at those clean lines.
![P1070744_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070744_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
While I was at it I decided to caulk next to the tub as well. I didn’t remove the old caulk from here because it was holding down our beautiful linoleum flooring that I didn’t want to damage with the razor. (In case you don’t get my sarcasm, I hate the linoleum, it will be the first thing to go).
![P1070787_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070787_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
![P1070788_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070788_fotor.jpg?w=225&h=300)
Looks so much cleaner.
I then caulked the inside of the shower the same way. Here are some before and afters…
![picisto-20130811141703-778909_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picisto-20130811141703-778909_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=196)
![picisto-20130811142016-471885_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picisto-20130811142016-471885_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=196)
![picisto-20130811142400-978973_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picisto-20130811142400-978973_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=195)
![picisto-20130811142712-983314_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picisto-20130811142712-983314_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=195)
![picisto-20130811142953-902097_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picisto-20130811142953-902097_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=195)
Yay for new caulk right? Does that not make you want to go caulk your bathroom or kitchen or everything? I now love caulk. Here is the whole bathroom with fresh caulk…
![P1070806_Fotor](https://nessjustinblog.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/p1070806_fotor.jpg?w=300&h=225)
I love little projects that make a big difference. I know it’s not perfect, but it makes me feel better about showering in here. Woo hoo!