How To Get Caulk Out Of Clothes? (Step-By-Step Guide)

Caulk is an inexpensive way to deal with several house projects, especially minor repairs. However, if you’re not careful, it could stick to your clothes and create a hideous stain.

If you’ve ever gotten caulk stains on your clothes and wondered how to get rid of them, or you use caulk a lot and want to know how to treat caulk stains, this article is for you.

Wet Caulk On Your Clothes? Follow These Steps To Remove It

There are different ways to remove caulk from your clothes. The first step is to find out the state of the stain. If it is still wet and fresh, it is easier to remove. This is why the earlier you take care of caulk stains, the better.

Blotting is one of the easiest and most effective ways to remove caulk from clothes before it dries. There are different methods of blotting.

Method 1

Wet a cloth or paper towel and press firmly on the caulk stain. Repeat this dabbing process to allow the fabric to soak up the moisture. Change the dabbing cloth or paper towel if necessary. Then gently wipe the spot to let the stain out.

Method 2

Another method is to rinse the stain under running water to remove as much caulk as possible. If the material is heat-friendly, you could use hot water to rinse it out. Be careful with your hands, however.

After rinsing the fabric, get a wet rag to blot out the stain. This rag will absorb the caulk before it can seep deeper into the fibers of your fabric. Make sure to blot out the stain and try not to rub. Rubbing makes it more difficult to get the stain out because you’re rubbing the caulk even deeper into the fabric.

Method 3

The last method is first to rinse the stain under running water as explained in method two. Then, get some rubbing alcohol and dab the stain’s surface to loosen the caulk in the fibers of the affected fabric.

Make sure to dab firmly and not rub. Let the fabric deeply absorb the alcohol. Dab as many times as necessary to remove the stain. Add more rubbing alcohol as many times as you deem necessary to remove the stain completely.

Once the stain is completely removed, wash the fabric with cold or hot water to remove any caulk and alcohol residue. You may also decide to add bleach to the wash cycle if you choose. Finally, after washing, check to ensure that there is nothing left of the caulk stain.

Caulk Already Dried On Your Clothes? You Can Still Get Rid Of It

Sometimes, you may not notice the caulk stain on your clothes on time until it dries. While it is true that getting wet caulk out of clothes is more manageable, it is not impossible to get dried caulk out of your clothes.

Freeze it

1. Fold the stained fabric with the stained area facing out and put it in a plastic bag. You could also decide to place the fabric directly into the freezer. The plastic bag is just an added protective measure for the clothes.
2. Leave this bag in the freezer until the fabric is frozen. Alternatively, if the caulk is already too dry, you could spray a little water on the stained area and place ice cubes on it. This will cause the caulk to harden up enough to be scraped.
3. Once the caulk is hardened, use your fingers to peel it out of the fabric. The caulk loosens, and the largest part of the caulk should come off this way.
4. For the residue, scrape the affected area with a pair of scissors, a butter knife, or any other scraping tool. Be careful not to cut the fabric as you scrape.
5. Finally, after removing all excesses, use rubbing alcohol to dab at the stain till it completely disappears.

Use a chemical remover

If the caulk stain proves difficult, you could revert to using a commercial chemical remover or an antibacterial hand sanitizer.

1. First, test the chemical remover on a piece of old fabric. Apply the remover to the affected spot and let it absorb for about 5-10 minutes. Then use a knife to scrape away any excesses on the fabric.
2. Next, blot out the stain using a rag or a paper towel.
3. Alternatively, you could spritz the antibacterial hand sanitizer on the affected area and use a paper towel or rag to blot out the stain.

Use baking soda

1. To use baking soda to remove caulk stains, spray the tainted area with water. While it is still wet, pour the baking soda.
2. Rub the baking soda with a towel or tissue until the caulk falls out.
3. Repeat this process until the stain is completely gone, then launder the fabric as usual.

9 Tips To Follow When Removing Caulk From Clothes

For blotting out caulk stains, you would need a clean rag or paper towel, rubbing alcohol, bleach, and detergent. Whichever method you choose, you should be aware of the following tips when removing caulk stains from your clothes.

• Once the paper towel or rag becomes saturated, change it. Not changing the rag after it has soaked up too much caulk would only rub the caulk deeper into the clothing fibers.
• Fresh caulk stains or those that haven’t dried completely may come off when laundered with detergent and warm water.
• Ensure that you’re dabbing and not rubbing. Rubbing only makes the stain go deeper into the fibers of the fabric.
• To prevent caulk from getting on your favorite clothes, it is advisable to wear a work apron. This way, you can avoid any unnecessary accidents that may occur when caulking.
• Before placing the stained fabric in the freezer, wet the stained area and place it in a plastic bag. The plastic bag protects the food items in the freezer from absorbing the smell of caulk.
• Let the fabric be in the freezer until it stiffens and even feels crunchy to the hands. The fabric will feel crunchy if it was wet before freezing。 The point of freezing is to harden the already dried caulk and make it easy to scrape off with a knife or a pair of scissors.
• Because scraping can damage the fabric by tearing it, it is best to use a blunt tool like a butter knife. If using a file or scissors, proceed with caution. These objects are sharp enough to get the caulk out of the fabric but not sharp enough to tear the fabric.
• Handle the scraping tool with care so that you do not cut yourself or your fabric.
• When using an adhesive remover, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. These adhesive removers come in different forms: as gel, liquid, or in a spray bottle. So following the manufacturer’s instructions would provide the best results for the adhesive you use.

Summary

Caulk is a tool that, although handy for fixing minor house repairs, can leave hideous stains on your clothes. Because of its sticky nature, the substance can seep into your clothes’ fibers and seal them together. However, you can take care of these stains using the tested and proven methods shared above.