How to remove silicone sealant from hands

Silicone sealant, or caulk, is commonly used to bond or hide joints in bathrooms, kitchens and other plumbing or tile fixtures. It is a highly effective adhesive that prevents leaks, water damage and rusting. Removing silicone sealant from your hands after a messy project may seem difficult, but a common household product can help. Nail polish removers that contain acetone are the safest solution to quickly remove silicone from skin.
1 Wash your hands with soap and warm water two to three times to soften the residue. Carefully peel off any loose pieces to ease the removal.
2 Prepare a ventilated area and dampen a cotton pad with nail polish remover. Make sure it contains acetone, which is the chemical that will dissolve the silicone.
3 Rub the nail polish remover onto the affected areas until the silicone begins to loosen. Roll off the residue with your fingers to help the process along.
4 Rinse your hands with warm water and dry it with a clean cloth once the sealant has been completely removed. Apply a moisturizer to the area, as acetone can be safely applied to the skin but does tend to cause dryness.

The seal of disapproval

We recently had our en suite fitted out with Showerwall shower-lining panels, which we specified on the basis of the company’s sales brochure. A few weeks after the Showerwall was fitted, we noticed swelling on the bottom edges of the panels. I made a complaint and the manufacturer’s representative came to investigate. His report basically said the Showerwall was not sealed well enough with? silicone sealant.
We had read the Showerwall brochure, which uses phrases such as, “waterproof panelling”, “non-porous surface”, “Showerwall comes with a 15-year guarantee that’s as watertight as the panelling itself”. I maintain that without those words and phrases, we would not have chosen this product. To have such an integral part of the structure of a bathroom wholly dependent on silicone sealant, even to a layman like me, seems ridiculous.
I believe their marketing is misleading. I called the company to state my feelings and they drew my attention to the phrase, “waterproof panelling system” (which occurs just twice in the brochure), meaning that from that I should have deduced that the panels themselves are not waterproof.

Clear Silicone Sealant

1 Insert the clear silicone sealant into the caulking gun. The caulking gun is a round, metal cylinder that will receive a tube of silicone sealant. It has a metal rod inside that pushes through the rear of the tube of silicone sealant and forces the butyl sealant out of a tip on the end of the silicone tube. By pressing a handle on the end of the caulking gun, you can control the amount of silicone that is dispensed.
2 Trim a small piece (about 2 inches long) off of the plastic tip located at the end of the sealant tube. The tube is about 1/8 inch wide at the very tip, and it flares out to 1/2 inch at the point where it attaches to the cylinder of sealant. Start with a small piece and then work your way up to the desired hole size as you need to.
3 Poke a long nail up through end of the tip and pierce the foil seal located inside the tip and at the base of the polysulfide sealant tube.
4 Press the tip against the area to be sealed and gently squeeze the handle located at the top of the caulking gun. Once you are done with the application, release the pressure from the caulking gun by disengaging the metal rod at the handle. Failure to do so will result in sealant leakage.
5 Smooth the bead of silicone sealant out with your finger. Clean up any excess silicone with a rag and paint thinner.