How to Remove Silicone from Tiles

Silicone sealant doesn't last forever in your bathroom — over time, it yellows, cracks and becomes mouldy. This doesn’t look good, and isn’t great news for your bathroom’s waterproofing system.

Knowing how to remove old silicone helps maintain your wet areas and prevent water damage. This guide walks you through the process step by step.

When will you need to remove silicone?

It’s hard to put a date on how long until you have to redo your silicone. A better way to go about it is to look for signs of damage. Here are a few situations that might mean it’s time to replace your silicone seals:

• Moulding and mildew build-up: Noticing black or brown spots on your silicone? This happens over time, especially in areas always exposed to water, like bathrooms, kitchens and laundries.
• Water leaks or damp patches: If you see water leakage or damp patches around your tiles, it may be time to remove and reseal with a new layer of watertight silicone.
• Damage: Do you see cracking or lifting along the silicone’s edges? This wear-and-tear is common with old silicone, and may mean it’s time to replace it.
• Renovations: Most renovations require removing silicone, especially if you’re applying new tiles or regrouting. You may also want to remove silicone purely for aesthetic purposes (e.g. changing the colour).
• A bad job: If the initial silicone application was poorly done (e.g. uneven or sloppy), remove and reapply it so that your wet rooms are watertight.

Tools and materials to remove old silicone

Yes, you can DIY silicone removal! But first, there are a few tools and materials you’ll need to gather to help speed up the process and make it go smoothly.

Tools

• Utility knife or razor blade scraper: To cut edges off the silicone sealant so you can lift and remove it. Make sure your knife or scraper is sharp so it’s easy to make precise cuts on the sealant.
• Plastic scraper: We recommend using a plastic scraper to remove silicone as it’s less likely to accidentally scratch your tiles if you plan on keeping them. You can also use a plastic putty knife.
• Tweezers: To grip smaller strips of silicone, especially when your fingers or scrapers can’t get a proper hold.
• Caulk removal tool: This tool combines a scraper and hook and is used to dig out and remove silicone joints. It can also be used to remove excess silicone from tiles.
• Cleaning supplies: Paper towels and wet wipes will be helpful when wiping away residue and cleaning your floor.

Materials

• Silicone removal or mineral spirits: You can buy chemical-based silicone removers to make old or cured silicone easier to scrape off and remove. You can usually find these at hardware stores.
• Specialised cleaning products: Used to clean the tiles before and after removing silicone. This is to make the area clear of grime and dust before resealing.

Equipment

• Gloves: To protect your hands from sharp tools and chemicals while removing silicone.
• Safety goggles: These are important if you’re working with a chemical remover, as you don’t want any splashing into your eyes.

Step-by-step: How to remove excess silicone from tiles

Jumping into the actual silicone removal process, below is a detailed guide on how to remove silicone from tiles at home yourself.

1. Soften the old silicone

Apply a silicone removal product and wait until the allotted time, typically one to two hours (usually instructed on the back of the bottle). This will make it softer and easier to scrape without damaging your tiles.

2. Cut along the edges of the old silicone

Be careful while using a utility knife or razor blade scraper to cut along the edge of your old silicone, as you don’t want to accidentally cut yourself or scratch your tiles.

3. Scrape away the old silicone strips

Once you’ve cut along the edges, the old silicone should be easy to remove. Just pull it up with your fingers or a tweezer, and use a plastic scraper to remove any other bits stuck to your tiles.

4. Remove leftover residue

After scraping away the larger strips, you may be left with small amounts of silicone residue between your tiles. Use a small amount of silicone remover to get rid of these bits.

5. Clean the area

Use warm, soapy water or tile cleaning solution on the area to remove any remaining silicone or debris. This will help prepare for your new layer of silicone as well.

Tips for maintaining silicone seals

The job doesn’t just end at removing and resealing. You’ll need to maintain your silicone seals and tiles to prevent water damage in your wet rooms. Thankfully, maintenance is pretty simple. Here are a few tips:

• Keep the area dry: Although this may not be possible in areas like the bathroom and kitchen, wiping down wet surfaces will help prevent mould and mildew build-up.
• Ventilate damp areas: Use fans to reduce humidity and moisture in tiled rooms.
• Check the silicone for damage: Keeping a close eye may prevent damaged areas from becoming worse.
• Clean your tiles regularly: This may also help to prevent mould growth, especially in bathrooms. Check out our tile cleaning guide for the best way to do it.

How to remove old silicone and replace it with TileCloud

With your surfaces now clean and silicone-free, you're all set for a fresh start. Our sister brand Yabby has an excellent guide to siliconing your tiles that covers everything you’ll need to reseal.

Just make sure you invest in the right silicone that matches your grout and aesthetic and actually holds up long-term against damage and mould. Shop our mildew-resistant silicone sealants which come in a range of colours to suit any home.