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I did a poor job of applying silicone sealant to the seam between a glass mirror and the splash back below it. I need to clean-up the smears that I got onto the mirror and the splash-back. How do I do this?

Ashley
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3 Answers3

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Wait until it dries and use a razor blade to scrape it off.

RQDQ
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    specifically the flat edge of a rectangle blade – depperm Sep 18 '19 at 13:56
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    The blade won't scratch the glass/splash-back? – Ashley Sep 18 '19 at 14:12
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    @Ashley - it will be fine on the glass for sure. It depends on what the splash-back is made out of... If it's formica, you'll have to be careful. If it's granite, then no problem. – RQDQ Sep 18 '19 at 14:29
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    @Ashley, use a brand new razor blade. If the edge of the blade has a nick in it or the corner is bent it might be possible to scratch the surface. – JPhi1618 Sep 18 '19 at 15:08
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    A holder for the razor blade might help with control and getting the right angle. It isn't that expensive, either. Example: https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/91a0e82d-4c21-4e68-9174-5d398a1a96bb/svn/stanley-paint-scrapers-blades-28-500-64_1000.jpg – computercarguy Sep 18 '19 at 22:10
  • This must be done carefully or you *will* scratch the glass with the corners of the blade. Check often so that you're not; use a flash light. They also make [*4 in. Wide Razor Scraper and Stripper*](https://www.homedepot.com/p/QEP-4-in-Wide-Razor-Scraper-and-Stripper-62900Q/100194275) for the exact purpose of scraping glass. Prob want that little one though for this job, but I'd have both on hand. - **NEVER use a straight razor w/o a handle.** – Mazura Sep 19 '19 at 04:17
  • I've removed dried paint from window panes using a plastic scraper (as sold for removing ice from car windows). Also with a credit card for a small splash. Might be worth a try for silicone. It won't scratch the glass. – nigel222 Sep 19 '19 at 10:50
  • A light touch is enough on glass. You will improve your results if you also use the blade to cut a clean edge into the silicone before scraping. If you cut a clean edge, and depending on the quality of the caulking, you may find that rubbing a pencil eraser or your finger can get some/most/all of it off. – spuck Sep 19 '19 at 18:17
  • You can use a single edged razor blade to clean off the silicone. One tip is to put a piece of masking tape on each corner of the blade to prevent accidental nicks to the surface. – Jason Hutchinson Sep 25 '19 at 14:35
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    Angling a razor blade very acutely along the glass was indeed the solution I needed! – Ashley Nov 21 '20 at 18:47
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On the mirror specifically, you may be able to use acetone solvent, however this may harm the splashback. If you have extra you can test, but it will not harm glass

My go-to solvent for cleaning ANYTHING off of glass is non-chlorinated automotive brake cleaner, which is usually a mix of acetone, methanol, toluene, heptane, and hexane. HOWEVER, this is quite toxic, and will melt most rubber gloves, so you would need to take precautions in an enclosed environment (I use a multigas respirator and double up on gloves). It is also extremely flammable, If you have safer options that work, do that first.

Silicone residue can also sometimes be removed by light friction, like rubbing your finger over it with pressure, since it does not adhere well to smooth glass.

Richie Frame
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Contractor's solvent (a product similar to Goo Gone, but a different formula) does dried silicone on glass, but I wouldn't risk it on the backsplash. I would use a razor blade scraper (carefully) there. The best time to clean up silicone smears is during application, before it is set. A lightly damp sponge works okay, though if you're doing a lot of caulking you may need to rinse it often.

Nate
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