Cleaning clear silicone caulk?

[sa1jzm]

I have a new Freelander and all the mouldings are caulked with a clear silicone that has already turned black from dirt and driving. Anyone know how to clean them or am I out of luck?

[MnTom]

Try a product called Goof Off. It will actually remove silicone if you try hard enough.

[Oldnapapartsguy]

Napha actually should do it. Available at any hardware store.

[Steelsun]

Scraper with odorless mineral spirits. Then go over with pure alcohol (fuel alcohol) to clean off the residue and oils. Both can be bought at HD or Lowe's for about $6 each.

[jay2703]

Use a plastic razor blade to get most of the caulk off. Then remove the rest with Isopropil Alcohol.

[AbdRahim]

Does he want to clean it or remove it? Be careful of the difference.

[D W]

I don't believe what you're talking about is silicone. Instead, it is most likely a sealant called LEXEL, a far superior and more durable sealant when compared to silicone. It can be scrubbed clean with a soft bristled brush and a mild dish soap.

https://www.sashco.com/products/lexel/

Typically, you can find clear & white at Lowe's, ACE, Amazon and Walmart.

[5picker]

I doubt they used silicone or Lexel at the factory.

Typically that is 2300MHRV made by Geocel.

Here is the Literature Link on Their products.

Sometimes the 2300MHRV is tough to find but the ProflexRV is consumer based and often available.

Lexel is a good choice for touch up work but I've never seen reference to it being used at the factory. I use it when I don't have ProFlex RV available.

In any case DO NOT use silicone sealants on a R/V. Nothing will ever stick to it again including additional silicone.

I would think cleaning what you have could be accomplished with any good mildew cleaner or LA Totally Awesome. Be careful of bleach based cleaners on color/paint.

[AbdRahim]

Everybody says that a lot but I have seen the body shop routinely remove silicone and reseal.

[5picker]

I suppose some folks do whatever they feel appropriate.

None of the autobody shops or R/V shops around here use silicone and would reprimand anyone that did so I can only comment on what I see/know.

Spend some time perusing literature on sealants and nearly all of them do comparisons to silicone and it not sealing to itself is always a reference point.