What is the best way to seal up an open tube of caulking. I buy one, use it , and have tried various ways to seal the tube up. However, when I put it in the caulking gun to use again, the caulk at the tip has become dried out. When I dig the hardened bit out, the opening of the tip is now too large, and very difficult to caulk a bathtub etc, neatly. Thanks Patt
I always use a long screw.
Short term a nail works well for me. Longer term a wire nut seems the better choice.
Really long term nothing really works, throw it away and buy a new one.
Colbyt
Just saw this on "ask this old house". Besides the screw and nail idea, they also recommended plastic wrap.
They also said that you can buy replacement tips for a buck so you can just let the caulk harden in the tube.. guess it depends on how much the tube costs.
Try Little Red Caps at Ace Hardware. They work better than screws or nails.
Plastic food wrap. Ripoff a piece fold it 2 times (4 thicknesses) put it over the large end and hold it in place with rubber bands. Do the same for the tip. Make sure each is end is sealed tight. When you use the tube again, the tip end may be a bit curdly but not hard. Shove a 16 penny nail (I assume you don't want a hole smaller than a 16 penny nail) back and forth several time, put it in the gun and apply pressure, maybe even shove the nail in and out a couple of time with the pressure on. Should clear up immediately. I have have used the same caulk tube intermittently for over 3 years.
Clean out as much of the caulk from inside the tube as you can. The put some hot melt glue on the tip of opening a little at a time until you build it up and seal the opening. The hot melt will come off the plastic tube with a little force but should seal it up pretty airtight. I tried this on my last tube but have not yet tried to get the glue off. But normally hot melt does not stick permanently and comes off fairly easy.
Sure it does. You've got to seal air from both ends. Sealing just the nozzle end doesn't work.
Same place you buy your caulk probably sells a thing called a "Caulk Keeper". Basically just a little plastic cap that pops onto the end of the nozzle and seals it. If you don't see them, ask.
Couple wraps with duct-tape around tip, then into refrigerator. Don't use on salad, though.
HTH, J
Good grief. Throw it away and buy a new one when it's needed.
Finger COTS. Available at WalMart pharmacies by the band-aids. Look like small condoms and applied the same way.
My caulk hardens whenever I see a sexy woman !!!! I never had to buy any replacement tips. Mine has a lifetime warranty. :)
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