Does CleanSeal Kitchen And Bathroom Caulk Work, Or Is It Too Good To Be True?
Caulking your home is a pretty standard course of action for a homeowner. It helps to keep the moisture where it belongs — in your sink, tub, shower, etc. — and prevents it from accumulating in nooks and crannies or seeping behind walls where it can cause mold and mildew issues. It's easy enough to caulk a space on an afternoon, and that should leave you set for good, right? Think again. If you've ever seen mold growing on caulk, that means that the sealant is not doing its job of blocking out the moisture. Water has penetrated the caulk and begun to breed, meaning that you need to remove the old caulk before recaulking your bathtub or shower to avoid bigger problems down the road. A new product on the market, however, claims that it will solve your caulking woes with a revolutionary formula that prevents mold from growing on caulk.
Sashco's CleanSeal Elastomeric Acrylic Latex Kitchen and Bath Caulk is formulated with active enzymes that are designed to stop mold growth before it can take off. The company states that it is highly flexible, so instead of cracking after repeated bouts of pressure it will simply bend and move. The active enzymes apparently allow easy-to-use water cleanup and make scrubbing the surface unnecessary. While these accolades sound like a dream come true, the product seems to have mixed reviews from customers.
What customers say
If you're hoping to achieve a mold-free space, CleanSeal sounds like the perfect caulk for any job, whether that's in the kitchen or the bathroom, and many users sing its praises. One 5-star review on Ace Hardware's website says, "So far so good! It doesn't have a strong stinky smell either. I recommend!" Another satisfied customer loves the easy application. "It's exactly perfect and totally beats silicone for bathtub applications," they wrote. "Goes on like butter." While there are satisfied customers who have tried CleanSeal and love it, other customers have a different story to tell.
Customers who are underwhelmed by CleanSeal mention product issues with application and drying of the caulk. Even when following instructions precisely, a 1-star reviewer complains, "Let it cure for three days. After the first shower it was bubbling up on the edges and if you touch it, it smears all over." This customer is not alone in their experience, either. Another buyer who gave CleanSeal only a single star says, "I had very high hopes for this caulk but the problems made themselves known right away. We gave it over 2 days to dry. It felt dry to touch but within a few showers it began 'washing away,' it was more wet and goopy than when I applied it — so perplexing!" The same customer says that the caulk also cracked in more than half of the places it was applied.
What to use instead
Given the average performance of CleanSeal — some love it, others hate it — and its pricing (a 6-ounce tube will cost you $8 at Ace Hardware), you might want to try another easy-to-apply caulk with a proven track record. Perhaps you have a little money to spare and enjoy a good project — in this case, trying out the CleanSeal caulk may be a good idea. Nevertheless, the mixed reviews thus far mean it's performance is probably too uncertain to promise a good experience.
If you favor a mold-resistant caulk, you can expect to pay a little more than one that lacks this credential, but it should be worth the investment if you select a reputable brand. GE Advanced Silicone Kitchen & Bath Sealant ($9.80 at Walmart) has a 4.8-star rating with over 120 reviews. It promises flexibility and durability, as well as 10 years with no mold and no cracking. Just remember: If you want to achieve the most professional caulking job, the trick is heating the caulk tube with warm water.