silicone removal

[Sam]

Hello,

I was sealing in the bathroom and put down the cartridge gun but some silicone leaked out the end. I thought I wiped it up straight away but there is a stain on the floor tile. We chose tiles with a bit of a relief so they would not be too slippy in the wet and I think perhaps the silicone has got stuck in the rough surface. I have tried some of the silicone softener removal stuff but it hasn't completely worked. Is this the best answer? Should I persevere with this or try something else?

TIA.

[Andy Hall]

Ms. Beeny would have the authoritative answer to that question.

However,,,,,

Are the tiles glazed? If they are then the removal stuff should eventually work but will take several applications. It's not that great in perfect conditions.

If they are unglazed, the situation will be "challenging" because the silicone will have penetrated into the pores of the surface.

[Lobster]

The so-called solvent stuff isn't great but is about the best possibility... as a scraper's no use here, maybe try it in conjunction with wire wool?

David

[Owain]

I think you're confusing her with Kim and Aggie (Vinegar and Borax), or possibly Anthea "Hide it in some pretty wicker baskets" Turner.

Owain

[Andy Hall]

Careful there. With unglazed tiles, wire wool can mark them irrevocably. A white nylon pot scourer is probably more sensible.

[Andy Hall]

If you're from Stoke on Trent, that's understandable.

[The Medway Handyman]

Spontex tough scourer is a brilliant thing for this sort of job, looks like its made of stainless steel swarf. Buy them in any supermarket.

Also great for cleaning copper pipe, getting dried grout off tiles, silicone residue from baths etc.

[Sam]

I have been using non-stick scourers. Perhaps I just need to keep doing what I am doing but I will look for the spontex cleaner in the shops.

Sorry if this is a dumb question: how do I know if the tile is glazed? To me, glazed implies a gloss finish, like I have on the wall tiles. Would a matt finish tile be unglazed? OTOH if it was unglazed wouldn't I have had to seal it first? I didn't do this so does this mean it's glazed? They were just cheap 12 inch floor tiles from B&Q or somewhere similar.

TIA

[Mary Fisher]

It sounds odd but I use talcum powder. Rub it over the silicone with your fingers and it might well come off. It always has for us. I suspect that almost any powder would do it, I just had talcum powder to hand the first time.

Mary

[Ian_m]

If tiles are porous then its possibly there forever.

When we had our conservatory built 7 years ago the builders dropped some blobs of clear silcone on one of the patio paving slabs. Cut worst off with sharp knife and scraper, tried silicone eater by the gallon but 7 years later the slighty shiny, darker and not weathered the same mark compared to rest of paving stone is still there.

[Bob Smith]

Have you got any left?

Bob

[Fred]

I was ahead of you there (I think) when someone said they might scratch the surface, I thought I could try it on one of the spares in the garage. Is that what you were thinking?

As it happens I dashed to Tesco and bought the spontex scrubber that was recommended and used some of that silicone softener. One or both of those worked because the stain has now gone. Thank you everyone for your help.

I hadn't realised that the silicone "remover" is more of a silicone "softener" and needs repeated applications.

Thanks again.

[The Medway Handyman]

Bloody good those scourers! Always keep one in the plumbing bag.

[Bob Smith]

I was thinking of bashing the tile with a lump hammer and putting one of your spares in the resulting hole.

Glad it worked out.

Bob