To apply caulking in hard-to-reach places, such as behind a toilet, push a piece of 1/4″ I.D. (inside diameter) clear flexible plastic tubing (available at home centers) over the end of the caulking tube nozzle. Position the end of the tubing where you want the caulking, and squeeze the trigger until the caulking comes out.

When you’re finished caulking, remove the tubing from the caulking tube nozzle, insert a 1/4″ diameter wooden dowel in one end of the tube, and push the dowel through the tube to remove the caulking so the tubing can be used again.

Watch the video above to find out more.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Joe Truini: Caulking around a bathroom is a simple enough job until you need to caulk around the back of the toilet. Because the space is so restricted, there’s no way to easily get the nozzle of the caulking gun back behind the toilet. So here’s the trick.

Go out and pick up a roll of tubing. This is clear tubing. It’s 1/4″ inside diameter—that’s what you want, the inside diameter. And cut off a piece maybe 8 to 10 inches long. And then just wedge it onto the end of the caulking cartridge—right on the nozzle—put it on nice and tight. There you go. Just like that.

Now, you’ve a nice flexible tube that allows you to deliver caulk exactly where you need it. Just squeeze some through; here it comes. See that? Nice and easily, right through.

Once you get to the end of the tube, you can apply it where you need it, back behind the toilet. Here it comes. Look at this, it reaches all the way around.

Now, it won’t be too neat because you can’t really see what you’re doing, but it comes out real easy. Then you can come back later and spread it with your finger. And once you get out here, you know, you can pull off the tubing and just apply it with the caulking gun.

Now, if you want to reuse the tube, which is a good idea, all you need to do is pick up a length of wooden dowel that’s about the same size as the inside diameter—in this case, again, it’s 1/4 inch.

Just push it through. Clean out most of it. You’re not going to get it all out, but you get most of it out. There you go. Now you can reuse it for your next caulking job.


Further Information

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avatar for Joe Truini

Joe Truini

Radio Show Co-Host

Joe Truini is a contractor, author, and the host of “Simple Solutions” on Today’s Homeowner TV and the weekly Today’s Homeowner radio show. He has worked on both large commercial projects and residential remodeling, and has written for national publications such as This Old House and Popular Mechanics. He has also written eight books, including three best-selling shed-building books. Joe lives in Connecticut with his family and enjoys hiking, traveling, and baseball in his spare time.

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