• Home
  • About
    • Personal Posts
  • Privacy
  • Shop
    • My Account
    • Checkout
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Sawdust Girl®

Sawdust Girl®

Renovation, cabinet building and woodworking plans and tutorials. Build like a Girl®

  • My Home
    • Clinton TN House
      • Clinton TN House in Progress
    • Maryville TN House
      • Maryville TN House Tour – Completed Rooms
      • Maryville TN House in Progress
        • Basement
        • Basement Storage Closet
        • Bedroom Office
        • Craft Room
        • Dining Room
        • Entry
        • Garage
        • Guest Bedroom
        • Hallway
        • Jack and Jill Bathroom
        • Kitchen
        • Kitchen Entry
        • Laundry Room
        • Library
        • Living Room
        • Loft
        • Madison’s Room
        • Master Bedroom
        • Master Closet
        • Pantry
        • Porch
        • Powder Room
        • Wes’ Office
    • Illinois House
    • Calderwood Cottage
  • My Workshop
    • Clinton Workshop
  • Build & Breakfast
  • Cabinet Making 101
    • Cabinets
    • Doors
    • Drawers
  • Projects and Plans
    • Countertops
    • Beds
    • Benches
    • Bookshelves
    • Desks
    • Gift Ideas
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
      • Halloween
    • Home Accessories
    • Kids
    • Kitchen Cabinets
    • Lockers
    • Nightstands
    • Organization accessories
    • Recipes
    • Sewing
    • Tables
    • Vanities
    • Wardrobes
    • Woodworking
      • Wood Finishing
    • Workshop
    • Workshop Storage and Organization
  • Remodeling 101
    • Baseboard and Trim
    • crown molding
    • Demolition
    • Door and Window Casings
    • Door Installation
    • Drywall
    • Electrical work
    • Flooring
    • Home Maintenance
    • Painting
    • Plumbing
    • Resources
    • Safety
    • Tile
    • Wall and Ceiling Treatments
  • The Sawdust Diaries
    • Andrea
    • Ava D.
    • Beckie F.
    • Cara C.
    • Courtney B
    • Fawn T.
    • Jenn D.
    • Kelly C.
    • Kristy K.
    • Lara T.
    • Malisa B.
    • Marnie D.
    • Robin C.
    • Val F.
  • Tools
    • Products
    • Tool Reviews & Overviews
    • Inspiration & Ideas

How to Keep your Caulk from Drying out

All Posts

It drives me crazy when I pick up my caulk gun that I know has caulk in it, and nothing will come out because, despite the “Miracle Cap” I purchased and put on it, the caulk has dried out in the nozzle!  Here’s my trick for How to Keep your Caulk from Drying out.How to Keep your Caulk from Drying out

A few times, I’ve tried to force it to come out but instead of pushing the dried caulk out of the nozzle, it squishes out the other end making a huge mess of my gun.  (Like I need any help in that area.)  So I have to go digging around to find a nail long enough or a tiny screwdriver that will fit in the hole without mucking it up so the caulk doesn’t flow out smoothly.

Does this sound familiar or is it just me?

The plug-caps tend not to work properly with the slanted cut nozzle, in my experience.

Doesn’t everyone cut their caulk tube nozzle off at a slant?  That’s “Caulking 101”– basic stuff…  Oh well, this is easier, less messy and cheeper anyway!

When you’re done caulking your project, squeeze a little more caulk out of your gun and don’t wipe it off.

A little extra usually always comes out anyway, even after you release the pressure…so use that.

Then smoosh it into a ball-ish shape, completely covering the hole in the nozzle.

Now let it dry!  When you’re ready to use your caulk gun again, just pull that ball-ishy ball off the end and you’re ready to go!

how to keep caulk from drying out

Simple tips that make work easier are what make my world go ’round!

January 11, 2012 · 22 Comments

« How to Build Drawer Fronts
Building MDF Countertops with Seams »

Comments

  1. Chantelle - ThousandSquareFeet says

    January 11, 2012 at 9:27 am

    We always just stick a long nail with a large head in the hole. The nail seals it and when you want to use it next, just pull out the nail and you are good to go. Works every time!

    Reply
    • Woody Butcher says

      October 22, 2020 at 5:35 pm

      I cut a strip of duct tape about 6” lg then I place it alongside of the nozzle and fold it over the end til it meets the other end then I smooth both sides thus sealing air out of the end . Then with an awl or lg nail make a hole to hang the caulk on a hook until it’s needed again.?

      Reply
  2. Tracy says

    January 11, 2012 at 9:43 am

    I use a 3 inch screw right in the end. Works every time:)

    Reply
  3. katy says

    January 11, 2012 at 9:48 am

    That’s a great tip, I’m going to try that. I’ve got about 6 bottles of caulk with that problem. Sometimes it dries out much farther back than just the tip, and usually I can’t find anything long enough to dig it out.

    Reply
  4. Andrea says

    January 11, 2012 at 10:39 am

    Hmmm…interesting. I will try this next time I caulk – which will be never if it is up to me. I hate caulking. We do the nail/screw thing, but sometimes I can’t find one right off the bat, and so this would come in real handy.

    Reply
  5. Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says

    January 11, 2012 at 10:58 am

    The nail trick can be hit or miss, because I’ve used old nails in the past and they rust, which doesn’t make for a clean white line the next time I use caulk 🙂

    I’ve had a lot of success with Dap brand caps (they have a deep well for the tip so angled cuts are fine). They aren’t the cheapest, but they work.

    Surprisingly, simple plastic wrap works well, too!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      January 11, 2012 at 9:14 pm

      Plastic wrap is so handy I should carry it in my tool belt. I just hate having to run around trying to find something – anything to cap that hole. Using the caulk itself solves that problem. 😀

      Reply
  6. elaine says

    January 11, 2012 at 11:37 am

    great tip! Thanks 🙂

    Reply
  7. Dacia @ Lemon Drop Life says

    January 11, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    Great tip!

    Reply
  8. kathleen says

    January 11, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    It is so dry here in Colorado, that everything dries out. I’ll buy glue and if I don’t use it, bang, it’s dead. Even Gorilla Glue and nothing usually gets to that stuff. I’ll try that on everything now. Otherwise, I stuff it in a plastic bag and seal.

    Reply
  9. Amber says

    January 11, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    You do know that there is a long metal “stick” on the caulking gun to do that very job, right? I see it in your photo. Even so, I still do what you do and leave a little spooge hangin’ out to dry.

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      January 11, 2012 at 9:11 pm

      Bwha! That’s too funny! I see it but didn’t know it was there. I’ve never looked at my caulk guns before. Thanks for the heads up…always learning something.

      Reply
  10. Kristen @ Pink Toes and Power Tools says

    January 11, 2012 at 11:04 pm

    Great tips–yours and all the ones in the comments!! I find I have better control with the smaller tubes of caulk that don’t need the gun. It’s more expensive, but it’s less frustrating.

    Reply
  11. Linda says

    January 12, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Now that is a tip I can use!

    Reply
  12. Lucy Designs says

    January 13, 2012 at 8:22 am

    great tip Sandra…thank u…going to try this next time!

    Reply
  13. breanna says

    January 16, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    super smart tip!

    Reply
  14. Stephanie says

    January 17, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    I live in Colorado, too, and do the caulk trick. It works really well. I go through caulk pretty quickly so maybe it doesn’t have time to dry out!

    Reply
  15. Ty says

    February 11, 2012 at 3:31 pm

    I read a tip in one of my woodworking magazines that explains using a wax ring for toilet installation. You push the tip of your caulk container into the wax and then remove the wax plug next time you use the caulk. It has been working for me.

    Reply
  16. Neccia Mayhew says

    April 3, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    Two Great tips to keep caulk from drying out.
    Glad Press and Seal this is great.
    The best I think is Twist on Wire Connectors, inexpensive different colors mean different sizes, used to secure electrical wires

    Reply
  17. D. says

    September 2, 2018 at 11:36 pm

    The long metal stick is used for punching the seal down at the neck of the caulking cartridge not for clearing it. I too will try the forming of a ball like tip…

    Reply
  18. Barb E. says

    June 26, 2020 at 4:21 pm

    I love this! Nail thing rarely works for me so I share your frustration. I’m caulking right now and have spent half the time shoving a metal skewer in and out just to have it plug up again on the next squeeze. Thank you—simple and no opportunity for it to dry behind the plug!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      June 26, 2020 at 10:54 pm

      Sometimes it’s the simple things that make life work more smoothly. Glad to help.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

New Post email notification signup

You Subscribed!

Legal Stuff

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Disclosure

Recent Posts

  • Building and Installing a Giant Faux Beam on the Ceiling
  • White Wash Pine Wood Ceiling
  • Lodge and Life Update
  • How to Choose Which Track Saw to Buy in 2021
  • How to Choose a Paint Sprayer to Buy in 2021

Disclaimer:

Although it is my intention to provide accurate plans and clear instructions, not all plans have been tried and tested. Using plans or information found on SawdustGirl.com indicates that you agree with the Terms of Use policy and will accept full responsibility for the process and outcome of any project you attempt. All plans are for private use only. Plans and information published on SawdustGirl.com may not be reproduced, republished or distributed in any manner without written permission from Sandra Powell, Sawdust Girl. Actual projects built using Sawdust Girl plans may be published on your own site without instructions or "tutorial" as long as you provide a link to my original post with full post title or "SawdustGirl.com" as link title.

Copyright © 2022 · anchored theme by <a target="_blank"