I noticed a part of the silicon on the wall to floor joint has come off. Also a small piece of the tile grout near the drain has come off. Given the shower is used everyday, I need a temporary solution to get this under control and then a permanent solution for later. Also there is constant soap build up on the grout, even though the bathroom is cleaned every few weeks. This is a new property that i have been in for 3 years. The bathroom is on the ground floor.
Hi @MSD,
From what you've described and what I can see, I don't think there is much benefit in applying a temporary repair before coming back to do a permanent one. If it is only a small section of silicone at the wall-to-floor junction and a small amount of missing grout near the drain, I'd be inclined to repair these areas properly now as the repair is just as easy to do as a make safe.
For the silicone, you'll need to remove the failed silicone rather than applying new silicone over the top. A silicone remover and scraper can help with this. Clean the joint thoroughly, allow it to dry completely and then apply a quality wet-area silicone. Have a look at How to silicone a gap for some guidance on the process.
For the missing grout near the drain, remove any grout immediately around it that is loose or crumbling, clean out the joint and replace it with a suitable tile grout. You don't need to remove sound grout unnecessarily. The guides How to remove grout and How to grout tiles will take you through the process.
Once the new grout has fully cured, you could also apply a grout sealer. This can help reduce the amount of moisture and staining absorbed by the porous cement-based grout, making it easier to keep clean.
As the shower is used every day, the main inconvenience will be allowing everything to dry before the repair and then keeping the shower out of use for the required curing period afterwards. Just make sure to check the instructions on the products you use for their specific curing times before exposing them to water.
The soap build-up is a separate maintenance issue. Regularly cleaning the tiles and grout with a suitable bathroom and shower cleaner should help prevent it accumulating. You might also find How to freshen up grout useful for ongoing maintenance.
Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Jacob
Hi Jacob,
Will leaving this as is for a week or two cause any issues? Also I saw the video on how to silicone a gap. Given a small piece has come off, I presume it is best to remove the good silicone on either side of the gap area and replace the entire wall to floor join with new silicone?
No, there would be no real issues leaving things for a week or so. Grout and silicone are more about creating a uniform surface than stopping water from getting in behind things. The waterproofing membrane beneath the tiles will still be functional.
Yes, you'd be best removing the whole run of silicone, then applying a new bead across the full join. A single uniform bead will create a better seal and will look much better than one that is done in pieces.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
I managed to remove the silicone on the wall to floor join. I can still see minor silicone in the join and black stains. How do I go about cleaning, drying and replacing th3 silicone. Also can I continue using ths shower for a week or two without the silicone? This shower is in constant use and needs to dry before i can do anything
You've done well removing the old silicone. For the remaining residue, I'd recommend using a silicone remover and plastic scraper to carefully clean out the joint. The black staining could be mould, which can be treated with a suitable mould remover. Just ensure all cleaning products are thoroughly rinsed away and the area is completely dry before applying new silicone.
Given the shower is used daily, I'd recommend avoiding its use until you've completed the repair. Although the waterproofing membrane beneath the tiles should prevent water penetration, leaving the joint exposed for another week or two could allow moisture to accumulate behind the tiles and make it more difficult to dry the area properly.
Once the joint is clean, allow it to dry thoroughly, ideally for 24–48 hours, using ventilation or a fan to assist. You can then apply a continuous bead of wet-area silicone, following the manufacturer's curing instructions before using the shower again.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Hi @MitchellMc,
Once i use the mould cleaner, how do i rinse the area to avoid water seeping though?
MiteMitesh
Some water is going to get in there no matter what you do, so I would suggest simply flushing it with water, drying the area with a towel, then running the bathroom vent, alongside a pedestal fan or an air blower for some time. If you can, 12-24 hours would be ideal.
Once dry, apply your silicone as mentioned above.
Let us know if you have any further questions.
