How to Recaulk Your Shower Like a Pro (Even If You’ve Never Done It Before)

Chicago’s hard water can wreak havoc on your shower, leaving behind stubborn stains and peeling caulk. Before you call for deep cleaning help, here’s a surprisingly simple DIY solution that’ll save you time and money.

Why Recaulking Matters for Chicago Homes

That black mold or pink bacteria in your shower corners isn’t just ugly – it can cause real damage. When caulk fails, water seeps into walls and baseboards, leading to costly repairs. The good news? With a $15 tool and 30 minutes, you can:

• Prevent water damage
• Eliminate mold breeding grounds
• Make your bathroom look brand new

What You’ll Need

• 5-in-1 caulk removal tool (under $20 on Amazon)
• 100% silicone caulk (look for mold-resistant)
• Caulk gun
• Rubbing alcohol & paper towels

Pro Tip: If DIY isn’t your thing, our Chicago cleaning company handles bathroom deep cleans and maintenance.

Step-by-Step: Removing Old Caulk

1. Clear the Area

Remove all shower products and wipe surfaces dry. This is when you’ll notice if you need help cleaning my place for tougher jobs.

2. Scrape Out the Old

Use your 5-in-1 tool to:

• Gently pry up loose caulk
• Remove all debris (get every last bit!)
• Wipe with alcohol to kill remaining mold

Applying New Caulk Like a Pro

1. Prep the Tube

Cut the caulk tube nozzle at a 45° angle (smaller hole = thinner bead). Insert the nozzle finisher for smoother application.

2. The Magic Technique

• Hold gun at 45° angle
• Pull slowly – don’t push!
• Keep consistent pressure

First time jitters? Our professional home cleaning team can handle this for you.

3. Smooth It Out

Use the tool’s rounded edge (or wet finger) to:

• Create a concave seal
• Remove excess caulk
• Wipe clean with damp paper towel

Aftercare Tips

Wait 24-48 hours before showering! This lets the caulk fully cure. To maintain your shower between apartment cleaning visits:

• Squeegee after each use
• Weekly vinegar sprays prevent mold
• Recaulk every 2-3 years

hi welcome back Today we’re going to remove and reccock my shower This is not as hard as you think it is Okay so this corner of my shower always gets really dirty and like built up with hard iron really and hard water And anyways I’ve scrubbed it one too many times and the cocking started to pop off So what I’m doing is I’m just removing the old cocking and then I’m going to replace it with some new cocking But I have this little handy dandy 5 in1 tool off of Amazon that I got to remove it This it like I’ve done this before in my life but it’s been a lot of years So I’m sure you could probably get this off with like comes with a couple of different things I can link it in the description but it also comes with things we can use to smooth the the fresh cocking when we apply it I’m no expert but things like this don’t intimidate me Like if I want to do something I try to figure out how to do it myself first So that’s why I’m happy to show you guys how to do it So I’ve got all of the debris and leftover silicone completely torn away from this strip that I’m going to reccock I think I’m just cocking it now right i’m well whatever Let me know in the captions Okay Um okay Now it’s time to get out the cocking gun and get to work Okay This thing also comes with this is called a nozzle finisher So I cut it but this is just going to put this little tiny thing in it to make when I squeeze it out it’s probably going to come out nicer and not jagged Now for the fun part So I’ve got my cocking and I’m going to get cocking So you got to kind of got to get the hang of it So I’m pulling the lever and I’m just going for it baby I’ll smooth it out after Now some people just use their finger but that cocking Damn First time So one of the main reasons I wanted to make this video is because people always ask me how to get mold out out of their cocking And sometimes you can scrub it out sometimes you can bleach it out but it doesn’t always work And sometimes you just have to replace the cocking completely So you can have the black like black specks of mold in it or you can also have the pink bacteria in it So once you get to that point and you can’t bleach it out or get rid of it it’s time to reccock Once you’ve cocked your shower remember it’s really important to wait 24 hours And the best is to wait 48 hours before you shower again Like we don’t want to get any moisture or anything Let it fully dry and seal before you use your shower again This was yet another job that was super easy to do that I had been putting off but this is also a job that you should not put off because if your cocking has gone on your shower it can start leaking out of the shower and then into your baseboards and then you know all hell breaks loose So this is one you don’t want to put off and it’s not that hard to do it it feels like it’s a big job but it actually isn’t So I’m actually pretty impressed with myself here