Silicone caulk is a remarkable product. It’s water- and air-tight, extremely flexible and mold resistant, with fantastic adhesion qualities. That’s why it’s ideal for your kitchen, bathroom and other wet areas of your home.
It’s no secret that, over time, silicone tends to pick up dirt and grime, especially around sinks, bathtubs and showers. When this happens, you’ll need to carefully remove the old silicone with sharp blades and putty knives, then clean and reapply a fresh bead.
Recently, I learned that GE, a leading manufacturer of silicone caulk, had developed a product that could be applied directly over worn out silicone. Curious, and with a bathtub in need of silicone refresher, I grabbed a tube of GE Re-New to test it out.
What Is GE Re-New Silicone Caulk?
GE Re-New is a specially formulated white silicone caulk that adheres to existing 100% silicone sealants. Offering the same properties as ordinary silicone, it’s suitable for sinks, tubs, showers, backsplashes and countertops.
The GE Re-New caulk comes in 9.5- and 2.7-ounce cartridges that work with standard caulk guns. Both sizes feature an easy-to-apply, self-tooling nozzle that produces a precise, seamless bead over your existing caulk joint.
How We Tested It
With my caulking gun loaded with a full 9.5-ounce tube of Re-New, I got to work retouching the silicone around my upstairs bathtub and basement bathroom sink. I expected this to be a fast project with minimal cleanup.
I noticed Re-New has a thinner consistency than silicone. It went on easily, and the self-tooling nozzle made the project lightning quick.
One downside: GE Re-New is not a standalone product. It’s supposed to be paired with existing silicone; it doesn’t replace the caulk or silicone itself. So if there are sections of silicone missing from around your kitchen or bathroom fixtures, don’t use this product.
That brings me to another issue — not all kitchen and bathroom caulks are 100% silicone. It’s common for some “kitchen and bath” caulks to be siliconized, which means they contain some silicone. Re-New, on the other hand, only bonds with 100% pure silicone. If you’re not sure what caulking material was used in your home, or if you know it wasn’t caulked with pure silicone, this product will not be suitable for you.
In my case, after the recommended twenty-four hours of drying, GE Re-New worked great. My bathtub and sink look clean and rehabilitated, and in only a fraction of the time it normally would have taken.
Ease of use
Caulking is not an easy task. Even some professionals have trouble laying down a neat, consistent bead of silicone.
That’s less of a problem with GE Re-New. The self-tooling nozzle applies, trowels and sculpts the bead in one fell swoop, though it needed some old-fashioned finger-smoothing in 90-degree corners. If you mess up, just wipe it off with a wet towel and try again. It’s one of the easiest and most user-friendly caulking products I’ve ever tried.
Pros
- No need to remove old silicone;
- Self-tooling nozzle works great;
- Flexible
- Waterproof;
- Mold and mildew resistant;
- User friendly.
Cons
- Not a standalone product;
- Only works with 100% pure silicone.
FAQs
Q: Is it possible to paint GE Re-New?
A: No. GE Re-New is not paintable.
Q: Is it available in any other colors besides white?
No.
Q: If GE Re-New is a silicone product, why can’t I use it like regular silicone?
A: Because GE Re-New is a coating over unsightly silicone caulking, not a caulk itself.
What Other Reviewers Had to Say
HomeDepot.com verified purchaser Eddie writes, “Application and clean up [was] easy. Wish I had more of it.” Another verified purchaser, Rebecca, encountered an issue. “I’m sure it’s great, but it only works on silicone,” she writes. “I had acrylic caulking.”
Final Verdict
Re-New made the aged silicone around my tub and sink look new again. It’s perfect for renters trying to recover security deposits or homeowners preparing to put their house on the market.
The nozzle made it easy to apply a consistent bead. Cleanup was just as simple, a quick wipe with a wet towel. The job only took only half the time since I didn’t need to remove the old caulk. GE Re-New is a simple, quick and affordable way to make your bathroom shine.
Where to Buy
Article source here: Make Dirty Silicone Caulk Look New Again Without Replacing It
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