How to Get Caulking off of Glass
Caulking is an effective way to keep windows and doors made of glass sealed from the weather and other elements. However, sometimes in the process of sealing your glass windows and doors, you may have got some caulking on the glass or you may need to remove old caulking in order to re-caulk. Here are some simple steps to remove acrylic/latex (water-based) and silicone caulking off of glass.
Acrylic/latex (water-based) caulk
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Dampen a sponge with water and wet the caulk that you want to remove from the glass.
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Take your razor blade (or glass scraper or putty knife) and, keeping it as level with the glass as possible, scrape the caulk from underneath and push towards the window frame (or towards the edge of the glass) in short, even strokes. Be sure to keep your caulk damp as you continue to scrape.
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Wipe up the remaining caulk residue with a cloth or cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Silicone caulk
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Heat up a small area of the silicone caulk you want to remove with a hair dryer.
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Scrape the silicone caulk from underneath with your razor blade (or glass scraper or putty knife), keeping the blade as level with the glass as possible. Continue to heat up your caulk sections as you scrape with your razor blade.
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Cut small sections with your razor blade if you are attempting to remove long strips to make it easier to peel the caulk off the glass once it is heated and scraped up.
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Wipe up any silicone caulk remnants from the glass with a cloth or cotton ball soaked with rubbing alcohol.
Tips
- You can also use a chemical caulk remover for any stubborn silicone sections on the glass.
Warnings
- Scraping glass with a razor blade can scratch or damage the surface, especially if the glass has a special finish.
Writer Bio
Belle Armiche has been writing and editing professionally since 2004. Her work appears on eHow, covering topics about pet care and household cleaning tips. She holds a Bachelor of Science in English from the State University of New York at Oneonta.
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