Great tips. A 'slightly' less messy way to get to the good goo in a part cured tube is to just drill through the cured material to create a fresh path, flush the 'kerf' out and fit a new nozzle (and often the cured sealant plug will pull easily out of a used nozzle).
I can't believe a didn't see the diy version! I put kitchen plastic wrap around the nozzle and squeeze a little bit of material from the tube forming a "blob cap" that gets trapped in the film sealing the tube, later I remove the dried top and its ready to use, so far worked fine for me. This is one of my favorite channels on yt, thanks for your content it's really informative and entertaining.
I run a small building team in the NHS where we fit home adaptations including occasional wall mounted shower chairs and grab handles. We don't use enough silicone to warrant wielding a gun and had boxes of spare refills going off in the store or van. We now use toothpaste tubes of sealants - much more easily carried in a tool-bag and our spend has reduced by 75%
@@meetim6271 not theory. I have a team of 6 Technicians using them daily for over 3 years since we switched from the guns ;;; works well for us and saved a fortune. They'd soon let me know if there was a problem
Guys, just throw your opened sealant and adhesives into the freezer! It just works! You don't even need to close the nozzles or use condoms if you don't want to! The sealant/adhesives react with the water (humidity) in the air, not the air itself! A freezer is for the most part a zero humidity(no liquid water) environment. You will lose nothing by trying it! I've got sealant /adhesives in my freezer that is still usable after 7 years! Using the freezer even works for my opened superglue ( cyanocryalate) which is still usable after 3 years! Maybe Proper DiY could do a show and tell on using the freezer for preserving sealants /adhesives and CC!
Thank you!! I just bought an upright freezer, so have extra space. Last time I needed sealant, I cut a used cartridge in half. Do you let it sit to thaw before using, or does it stay pretty pliable? Are there any sealants that get wrecked through freezing that you know of? I know some paints and products say not to freeze. I’m assuming anything with water in it would potentially separate and form water crystals…
Hi Toni. I have only put sealant, sealant adhesive and superglue in the freezer. It is cold coming from the freezer, but immediately pliable and useable on the intended surfaces! It's a nice feeling knowing that the sealant and CC is immediately useable when needed even after a few years! Good luck!
Was going to say the same. If the freezer isn't working out, put the entire cartridge in a bag, put in silica moist absorber pack suck out remaining air and put a tight knot in it. Those rubber caps wont work for years, the seal around the nozzle threads and the plunger in the back of the cartridge aren't perfectly air tight but do seal for much thicker materials. Moist air still gets in and harden the silicone.
I learned the hard way that silicone sealant has a shelf life regardless of the use and closure of the tip. Check the date code stamped on the tube. If the seal and is past its date code, throw it out. When you use old silicone, understand that it may not ever set. I found this out when sealing a new shower cabinet with my son. After four days, the silicone was still wet to the touch. After a little research, I discovered information about the date code. We literally wiped away the old stuff and replaced it with newly purchased silicone. Total success.
Never seen that but handy to know. Often had an old unopened tube set solid. Guess it’s like old plaster that can do the same ( sets very fast or not at all)
Thats a very good point. For most jobs its by far best to use a new tube as it goes off more quickly which is important round sinks and shower trays which have to be used within hours. I tell my customers 'Never wipe it! as it makes ridges which never come out!
@MrJohnnyboyrebel I did the same thing when setting a sink in a vanity. What a mess. If the acetic acid evaporates, it won't catalyze or harden. I had never had it happen before and definitely learned the hard way.
You could as well take the cutoff part and clean that out heat it up a little and put it back on. No need to buy empty cartridges for that purpose. You could also take one from an empty cartridge that you used previously.
The only problem I've found with sawing ends off a tube, is that you get plastic saw dust in the product. A nightmare if it's something you're trying to get a clean finish on. Keep up the good work.
I’ve found a box cutter works best to cut the tube. Press the blade tip to penetrate the tube wall then slowly rotate the tube on the bench holding the box cutter steady. Just toss the dirty blade. Minimal cleanup and zero plastic bits in the caulking.
Take the nozzle off, push a 150mm screw into the bottom to purge the content, wrap in kitchen paper and clean the nozzle. For the tube, I use a hot glue gun to seal the tube, works everytime and takes a couple of mins. Been using this technique for years
How long does the hot glue keep it fresh? Do you make sure there is no air gap between the sealant and glue? Do you put a blob on the end or squeeze some glue in the nozzle and leave it at that?
@@Tonisuperfly ... Hello, Just be sure that the tip of the nozzel screw is clean and rougly 2 mm into the tube. I then set a plug of hot glue on it that looks simmilar to the original tube before one has opened it. It may well depend on what one is sealing, glue, sealant or what ever. As I stated above the last tube I repened was rougly a year old and still good.
@@Tonisuperfly i've had tubes of silicone that are re-usable up to a year later. I didn't do anything particularly special, wiped the top clean and just smother the end with hot glue. The nozzle I try to clean before it sets as best as I can.
Hi Stuart, I’ve been using those caulk cap covers for well over a year. They do “nearly work”. I have had far better results combining taping the end of the tube and then fitting the caulk cap cover over the top. Another thing I do is cut off the ring tab around the tapered tube. This is for transport I think and that then allows the tapered tube to be screwed on more fully. One more thread.
For years now I have dipped mine in candle wax. I keep some wax in a small metal cup and warm it up and tip the tip a few times and I have not had a problem with tubes getting hard anymore. It also peels off every easy.
Great tips thanks Stuart. Looking at that last solution I suppose you could clean out the cut off end and flare that back over the end of the cut off tube for reuse, and just replace the nozzle with a new one, although sometimes the cone of cured silicon will pop out of the old one. Given the mess would be about the same it’s worth a try.
What i tend to do is when I'm finished with the job and there's still adhesive left or silicone I push some out of the end and seal it with the stuff already in the tube. Come back to it at a later date and pull it out. Works for me
I do that with black silicone we use to seal engine housings. Pull out the hard sealer, pump out the dick cheese for a few seconds and you're back in business.
One tip if you have a decent compressor and want to unblock a nozzle, take the nozzle off and press the air blower attachment onto the nozzle end to make a seal and then blow the contents out. Make sure you aim it into a bin as it can make a bit of a mess!
Great tips, thank you. It occured to me that I have some rubber finger protectors, that I use over a plaster when I have cut myself. Thanks to you I have found another use for them.
Thank you for all these tips, very useful, I have thrown so many of these plastic tubes away with at least 75% of the contents still remaining, but had dried out, now I can hopefully keep these much longer and still be useful at a later date !
Some very useful solutions. I knew one guy who always used cling film to seal tubes between uses. He was the one who also wrapped a paint roller tightly in a plastic bag to stop the paint drying overnight. Both ideas seemed to work well.
Love the suggestions. Unfortunately, the best one (replacing the nozzle) is a non-starter in the US as the nozzles are part of the tube and don't come off.
Thank you for your input. I sometimes park a "long nail " (8")(1/8" wire with short slight bend) into end of dispensing nozzle and then tightly tape over all with "real" duct tape (the oowie, gooie type) (kept water & air out of ammo boxes) ...best results --so far.
In the US, most caulk/adhesive nozzles are fixed and not removable. A tip when working with dried caulk is to use isopropyl alcohol. It will dissolve the caulk (even silicon) so it can be wiped away. I put IA into a plastic squeeze bottle with a pivot top (not to be confused with a flip top) for easy application..
That video was worth 3 or 4 months of Patreon. Thunk of all the caulk tubes you will save inthe future. Thanks. I didn't know about the caulk cap (condoms) and the hint to cut the tube was good. I use a drill bit and drill down into the fresh stuff below the plug. And typically waste a lot of time cleaning out old nozzles when I should have spares on hand.
I've been cutting the fingers off latex or vinyl gloves to use as mini-condoms for some time. Results are a bit hit and miss, but definitely increases drying time. I also have an old solid spiral corkscrew which I use to clear out clogged solid nozzles. Good vid!
Now I live in Australia now and yes this has been a problem for me for many years and like you said have thrown away more than I care to think about it. Then researching this situation came up with some pretty cool fixes but my favourite one fix like you showed are those small red rubber condom-like pieces which are so cheap to buy on say eBay and I have not had any problems finding them and keeping my tubes fresh at as I said very little cost. Hmm that replacement tube fix is a great idea too I have never seen this fix before now.
Gosh those are all excellent ideas. Yet more inspired ideas that never occurred to me..... Anyway, re slipping the top of the empty tube over an old tube, I would think these new top parts can be had for free by simply saving and wiping out the tops of tubes which were fully depleted. I will be trying that from here on.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. As your video progressed I got the idea to seal the sealants and then store them nose down in a buckets of water. That would be an additional method keep them from exposure to air.
I bought a pack of the condom style sealers,and so far,they seem to work well. I like the one where you cut off the end of the tube,and place an empty tube end over the end. That is the most common problem I have seen, a tube with dried product down about an inch from the end!
I have a few 'new' now old cartridges that I bought in case I needed them one day a good few years back, I am hoping in spite of the sell by date on them that these will still be as good as new!
Excellent as usual fella , I honestly didn't know any of these products existed , but as ever where there is a problem , someone will inevitably find a solution . So..... after some nice breakfast I shall venture out to the garage and gather up all sealant/adhesive etc. tubes and sort the wheat from the chaff Thank you again Cheers 👊
If you use several tubes all at once, for example when fitting lots of skirting boards then reuse the nozzle from the first tube. That way you collect lots of spare unused nozzles.
I place a piece of thick polythene bag, [compost or dog food bags, even crisp bags will do], over the top and screw the nozzle back on just as demonstrated at 2:54. You might lose the nozzle or have to dig out any set sealant but the tube will remain useful for long over a year. There is some exhaust fitting paste I used to fix fiberglass tape to my woodburner just last week. That tube was bought in 2020 to repair a friend's bus exhaust during the lockdown. The nozzle is set like stone but under the plastic sheet, the tube is fine and probably will be for four more years. There's a tube of Crystal clear Stixall hanging by my bench dated 29th Sept 2022 that I use once every few weeks to seal small solar lights, still fully workable since I opened it back in Feb or March last year. I've done this for decades without it ever failing.
I am just a DIYer. I believe I read somewhere years ago of using the hard contents of an old sealant tube to clean up abrasive belts on belt sanders etc. Maybe someone else has heard of this????? Thanks for the video sir
I wonder if you can re-use the top of the tube you cut off? Clean out the old contents, then heat it up and fit onto the remaining part of the tube. I've never tried that, but it might work. Could be worth a go before buying bare tubes. Might need a new nozzle.
Thanks for all the good tips, as always. You convey great ideas for us mere DIYers, with a touch of welcome humour. Your channel is a fantastic source of knowledge and inspiration 👍
@ProperDIY thanks for taking the time to make the video and the comparison to save us money. I'm thinking if I run a bead of glue gun glue on the tip it should seal it nicely and peel off easy. Have not tried it yet. What do you think? Perhaps we could store leftover stuff in mason jars and used pastry bags would work as well.
Worth hanging onto used silicone tubes and nozzles, if you let them fully cure it's very easy to clean them out for reuse, never needed to buy an empty tube or nozzle this way. I've never thought to cut the top off a tube though, I have in the past drilled a hole in the side of a blocked tube and then squeezed the contents into an empty tube, that works well, just as messy as your method but a little more fiddly maybe. As for sealing nozzles I have also never really found a good method so just use electrical tape and expect to swap the nozzle. Silicone is the worst for clogging, acrylic products seem to keep find for months, maybe years with just tape.
I haven’t tried this yet, but I believe it would work perfectly. Get some beeswax and warm it in your hand and then use that to seal the nozzle. It’s impermeable to air and it sticks to plastic. I bet that works 100% Your tube fix is quite a good idea. Though I would probably use a heat gun
In the States I use a fencing end cap - that happens to be 1 5/8” in diameter- perfect for the back end of the cartridge; which is then wrapped in good ol’ black tape. I also use a “Sharpie” pen to make hash marks on the lower end of said tube to indicate how much product I have left.
In a shed or workshop you could store the tubes with the nozzle ends submerged in water in a bucket or paint kettle. It stops the air getting to it and curing the product. That is how I store my solvent based paint brushes when in use.
That is impressive. For all my years I have been removing the nozzle & putting a plastic membrane in between .... I had never thought of such a simple solution. Thanks.
I do the same. For emulsion brushes and rollers, I use zip-lock food bags, sealing almost all the way and using a cycle pump with a football inflation needle to extract the remaining air before finally sealing the bag. I've found this keeps brushes from drying out for over a week.
@@astrecks as a decorator I can recommend just wrapping them in a normal plastic bag without all the faffing about. They stay soft for at least a month.
One thing to consider with stored/old tubes is any expiry date on the tube. I had the misfortune to use one which was out of date, the sealant line had lumps in which totally ruined the seal.
Here is a tip: try this method . Take the tip of tube dig out a little of the material at the tip fill the tip with vaseline , make sure no air is trapped in the tip when putting the vaseline in it, then cover with electrical tape, now the vaseline will keep the material fresh. This works great, I have been doing this for years. Now when you need it again the material will come out. I did like your idea about cutting off the top of tube and installing a new top, that's a good idea.
I wrap the tip with packing tape and then squeeze out material to fill the gaps under the tape. The material filling the gaps under the tape cure and help seal off the nozzle, and is also easy to clean off. Works well for caulks and sealants that are a bit soft after curing.
What has worked for me so far is to simply remove the nozzle, take a knitting needle and poke around tube until I get deep inside. Once I reach the soft caulk, I just get a new nozzle and away I go on my merry way sealing up gaps again. I like the caulk condoms and will get a pack.
I myself like a DIYer throw a decking screw in the top & I have extra nozzles kicking about but, I way I deal with a dried out tube is a 6 mm drill bit & drill it out. Yes it can get messy but it works
I find a long nail and hot glue to seal the end works very well, I've had a silicone tube lsat over a year, you can still do the same without a nozzle just use a roofing felt nail instead and then the hot glue to cover the nail and seal it up with a good amount of hot glue. just use a pair of pliers to pull the set glue off or if without a nozzle use your pliers to unscrew the glue from the tube.
Over a few decades of using various cartridges, I’ve never had one with a removable nozzle. I don’t recall noticing them or any mentioning of them at the multiple places I’ve shopped in. I’m betting that cartridges with replaceable nozzles are more expensive than non replaceable ones to the point it stays cheaper to just toss the cheap one rather than mess with repairing the more expensive ones.
I tried the small latex 'condoms' as shown at time stamp 7:30 over the end of the nozzle. After two months in storage silicone in the nozzle had gone hard as usual, so I can't recommend those used in that way. It is worth noting that thin latex can be permeable to moisture and silicone RTV cures in the presence of moisture. So it's likely these let enough moisture through to start the curing process.
Hi, I've used the "mini condoms", but they haven't done the job. Leaving the tube for a short while (perhaps a month or so) wasn't too bad, but leaving it any longer has meant that the material has dried. I like the idea of the first two items, though.
Great video. I laughed at myself at one point as I did not even realize the nozzles of those tubes came off. I do have one question though. I know I have had tubes that I did not even open turn hard as a rock because I did not use them for several years. Is there a way to fix those?
I usually stick a long screwdriver in the tube and wiggle it, seems to work for me. With the nozzle, does come out in whole if your careful with it too.
A nozzle that's been ruined previously with sealant/glue gone off in it makes a perfect end-cap for a new tube - just remember to mark it u so you don't try to use it!
The trouble with fitting a new top to the tube is that the empty tubes are quite expensive to buy. If you're cutting the top off, couldn't you clear out the set sealant and reuse the old top?
Exactly what I was thinking. The hardend tuff should be eay enough to pry out and discard, so the empty cut off top portion of the catridge should be re-usable in the same way. Just a thought.
Enjoyed this topic as I hate waste but felt I had to add my own experiences on the subject. Using a screw to seal the nozzle doesn't work too well because all you are doing is changing the open ended tube for a smaller diameter open ended spiral 'tube ' formed by the thread void left by the screw as it sits inside the nozzle. This is why the ribbed (not threaded) plug is more effective. I use the cut-off fingers from old rubber gloves secured with wound on wire. It works pretty well but rubber is still slightly porous and eventually the goo will harden. Great suggestions from others in the comments.
Love those empty tubes. Makes me wonder if you couldn't cut the clogged end off, clean it out from inside, warm it up and put it back over the tube it came off. Don't think boiling water would be enough, need a hot air gun probably and might take too long to be worth it. I'll try it and see.
I'll have to get some of those nozzle johnies, they look really good. I get really annoyed when I come to use the second half of a £20 tube of sikaflex only to find out that it's gone off after a couple of months. A drill will sort the blockage in the tube.
I used to be in the Giant A/C industry and used tons of silicone sealer to store short term we left a small worm of sealer sticking out the nozzle then pull it off when we needed to use it again better than nails and the like also to wipe off excess sealer plastic carrier bag works much better than rags or paper
Good idea. Think I will try it, but using Stanley knife to cut around the tube instead of a saw. Or just using a large diameter drill bit to drill out the plug.
Great video! Love the condom! In the operating room, we use sterile condoms for the light handles above the bed. Even after 40 years, every time a surgery tech asks for one, someone snickers.
12:41 tried something like this before with a heat shrunk 7up bottle. The pressure pushed the caulk back through the seal between the old and new surfaces.
A While back I started removing the nozzel before storing my sealants. I then seal the tip of the nozzel screw with hot wax or hot glue (which ever one prefers to call it). It has the same effect as if the tube was never opened. Just cut it off like you would with a new tube when you need it. The last tube I reopened was closed for approximately a year (I always write the rough date of purchase on sealants, paint, glue and soforth before storing them) and still functioned fine. 😉... Of course all these methods are only worth anything if cleaned properly before sealing the tube.
I use paper to remove the sealant from the cone before coveriing the tube end and screwing the cone back. Also drill a parh through dried sealant in the tube and discard the first few inches which come out.
Lots of people having success with drilling through the solid near the top of the tube. Could you stick a nut to a repair washer and clamp it all in the caulking gun. Then screw a long bolt into the tube until you break through to the good stuff? Let the pressure off before taking the bolt out though, to avoid the money shot.
very interesting. I get to see Showerheads when clicking the 8 pack empty caulking sealant tubes link. Other items either don't exist or are 'out of stock' or do not ship to my country.
Great idea! That's all they are good for. You'd be better off with the tape. This guy must be making some money promoting these products. None of them will stop the curing in the nozzle. Almost all of his tubes have the removable nozzle option. Why not do what he suggested in the first place? It must be standard across the pond, cause here in the US the nozzles cannot be removed. So I just put a cut off piece of coat hanger with a wrap of duct tape at the top and it keeps a pathway for the good caulk to travel. I do have 1 or maybe 2 Male friends that could use those "condoms " on a hot date though!
@@dalehunt8191 I put a screw in and then tape that. Have yet to have even a nozzle I can't just use like I just cut it. (tip, once the screw is in place, I use one piece of tape sealed against itself that does the bulk of keeping the air out. I use a second longer piece of tape on top of that, mainly just to ensure the first piece does its job. I just use blue painters tape).
No mention of how easy it is to remove the solidified sealant from the nozzle? No need to buy new nozzles. Just cork screw into the fat end then pull out. Works ever time 👍
Good idea but as you said cost over mess and it too much faffing about I would just replace, however the plugs are a good idea but i find that a new top is my best option
Two or four layers of clingfilm over the screw fitting, replace the nozzle screwing firmly tight. Sealant will not go off. I’ve got a bag full of old, unused nozzles, so replacement of clogged is not a problem.
The best result I've achieved so far was with høt glüe gun. After half a year only an inch of silicone at the nozzle's top was dried. As for getting the material out from deep in the tube, just drill a hole through the nozzle outlet with a dril las wide as you can fit in.
i used those blue stoppers before, ended up getting stuck and when i pulled it out the inner piece stayed in the nozzle (which most of the tubes i get here in the states dont have replaceable nozzles), for your last tip i found something similar that you basically cut off the dried end of the tube and place it over it, acting like a new end and nozzle. Although i also run into issues where the back of the tube leaks so it squishes everything out the rear and nothing out the front lol
Left me a bit puzzled at first. If the bit in the nozzle dries up but the rest is useable when you remove the nozzle, what's the point of sealing the tube with a piece of plastic? You still lose the bit in the nozzle so you haven't achieved anything. But it's a good idea if you remove the nozzle and clean it out first, a bit of old cloth wrapped around a thin screwdriver clears most of it. Then using the plastic seals the main tube and the nozzle is already clean for the next use. But to prevent it clogging in the first place, to be honest I just use a large enough screw to make sure it's a tight fit, even cutting into the nozzle with the screw thread and it pretty much always works perfectly. It's only using too small a screw that fails completely. Alternatively, wrap some cling film around the nozzle tip and secure it with something like duct tape and it has the same effect as the condom. No need to buy anything. I must admit I didn't know you could buy extra nozzles and tubes, but to free a blocked up tube I would remove the nozzle then drill into the top of the tube. Cut the top bit of dried up product off with a stanley knife to get a flat surface so your drill doesn't slip, then use any 10-12mm drill bit and slowly drill down into the tube through the top opening. As soon as you stop feeling any resistance you're through the dried up bit and into the usable product, and you've now made a hole through the dried up bit for it to come through. Put the nozzle back on, or a new one if required, and you're good to go.
Some good ideas there, that I will be trying. . I use an old 8mm long Brad point drill , and drill through the blockage below the cap , give it a pump to push the stuff out and fit the nozzle. I normally get away with it. Cleaning the drill is a pig.
Great video! Love these ideas. Unfortunately, my garage in Phoenix is hot as he** in summer and dries up these products, opened or not. I'll still try some of these. Thanks!
Great ideas, what do you think about expiry dates on tubes of mastic? I always throw them out as I don’t want to tidy up the job if the out of date sealant doesn’t work.
Great tips. A 'slightly' less messy way to get to the good goo in a part cured tube is to just drill through the cured material to create a fresh path, flush the 'kerf' out and fit a new nozzle (and often the cured sealant plug will pull easily out of a used nozzle).
That's how I have always done it, and then cleaned the bit with acetone or Isopropyl alcohol (Whichever comes to hand first)
Snap. Cheapest easiest way to do it
Me too. Can really fuck up the tube though but works.
I have a dedicated drill bit just for this 😉.. don't even need to fully clean that one.
That is a good one, never thought of that.
I can't believe a didn't see the diy version!
I put kitchen plastic wrap around the nozzle and squeeze a little bit of material from the tube forming a "blob cap" that gets trapped in the film sealing the tube, later I remove the dried top and its ready to use, so far worked fine for me.
This is one of my favorite channels on yt, thanks for your content it's really informative and entertaining.
I run a small building team in the NHS where we fit home adaptations including occasional wall mounted shower chairs and grab handles. We don't use enough silicone to warrant wielding a gun and had boxes of spare refills going off in the store or van. We now use toothpaste tubes of sealants - much more easily carried in a tool-bag and our spend has reduced by 75%
Great in theory. I've found that the tubes are devilish hard to squeeze the stuff out. I bought them once or twice, never again.
@@meetim6271 not theory. I have a team of 6 Technicians using them daily for over 3 years since we switched from the guns ;;; works well for us and saved a fortune. They'd soon let me know if there was a problem
And they are very expensive too
@@Zuludarkthirty nu
The tunes are too expensive in my country.
Guys, just throw your opened sealant and adhesives into the freezer! It just works! You don't even need to close the nozzles or use condoms if you don't want to! The sealant/adhesives react with the water (humidity) in the air, not the air itself! A freezer is for the most part a zero humidity(no liquid water) environment. You will lose nothing by trying it! I've got sealant /adhesives in my freezer that is still usable after 7 years! Using the freezer even works for my opened superglue ( cyanocryalate) which is still usable after 3 years! Maybe Proper DiY could do a show and tell on using the freezer for preserving sealants /adhesives and CC!
Thank you!! I just bought an upright freezer, so have extra space. Last time I needed sealant, I cut a used cartridge in half.
Do you let it sit to thaw before using, or does it stay pretty pliable? Are there any sealants that get wrecked through freezing that you know of? I know some paints and products say not to freeze. I’m assuming anything with water in it would potentially separate and form water crystals…
Hi Toni. I have only put sealant, sealant adhesive and superglue in the freezer. It is cold coming from the freezer, but immediately pliable and useable on the intended surfaces! It's a nice feeling knowing that the sealant and CC is immediately useable when needed even after a few years! Good luck!
@@hermanussi well it’s worth it just for adhesives and sealants. Thanks for the reply
Was going to say the same. If the freezer isn't working out, put the entire cartridge in a bag, put in silica moist absorber pack suck out remaining air and put a tight knot in it.
Those rubber caps wont work for years, the seal around the nozzle threads and the plunger in the back of the cartridge aren't perfectly air tight but do seal for much thicker materials. Moist air still gets in and harden the silicone.
Seems a very good tip...I'll give it a go. Did you try with expanding foam?
I learned the hard way that silicone sealant has a shelf life regardless of the use and closure of the tip. Check the date code stamped on the tube. If the seal and is past its date code, throw it out. When you use old silicone, understand that it may not ever set. I found this out when sealing a new shower cabinet with my son. After four days, the silicone was still wet to the touch. After a little research, I discovered information about the date code. We literally wiped away the old stuff and replaced it with newly purchased silicone. Total success.
Never seen that but handy to know. Often had an old unopened tube set solid. Guess it’s like old plaster that can do the same ( sets very fast or not at all)
Thats a very good point. For most jobs its by far best to use a new tube as it goes off more quickly which is important round sinks and shower trays which have to be used within hours. I tell my customers 'Never wipe it! as it makes ridges which never come out!
@MrJohnnyboyrebel I did the same thing when setting a sink in a vanity. What a mess. If the acetic acid evaporates, it won't catalyze or harden. I had never had it happen before and definitely learned the hard way.
Me too it never cured
Depending on brand. I had no-nonsense lasting years. Some ebay ones go solid after 1 year unopened.
I use candle wax, it seals the end really well and is easy to break off when you need it again.
Loads of ideas - do you seal the nozzle or tube?
Same. Light a candle, and dip the open end in a few times to seal it.
Try hot glue. A lot easier
You could as well take the cutoff part and clean that out heat it up a little and put it back on. No need to buy empty cartridges for that purpose. You could also take one from an empty cartridge that you used previously.
Spot on advice.
and do the same with the nozzles - done it many times...no need to buy.
I was about to suggest the same test.. I thought about it watching the video, but have never tried...
Cool tip!
@@tonyharion9816You clearly beat me to it, I just had the same idea myself so I will remove my comment.
why cut the tube at all just drill a hole through the top until you reach fresh silicone
The only problem I've found with sawing ends off a tube, is that you get plastic saw dust in the product. A nightmare if it's something you're trying to get a clean finish on. Keep up the good work.
It does help using a metal blade for finer plastic chips or if you have it, a hot wire cutter (used for cutting insulation).
I’ve found a box cutter works best to cut the tube. Press the blade tip to penetrate the tube wall then slowly rotate the tube on the bench holding the box cutter steady. Just toss the dirty blade. Minimal cleanup and zero plastic bits in the caulking.
@@larryg3038 nice
Take the nozzle off, push a 150mm screw into the bottom to purge the content, wrap in kitchen paper and clean the nozzle. For the tube, I use a hot glue gun to seal the tube, works everytime and takes a couple of mins. Been using this technique for years
How long does the hot glue keep it fresh? Do you make sure there is no air gap between the sealant and glue? Do you put a blob on the end or squeeze some glue in the nozzle and leave it at that?
@@Tonisuperfly ... Hello, Just be sure that the tip of the nozzel screw is clean and rougly 2 mm into the tube. I then set a plug of hot glue on it that looks simmilar to the original tube before one has opened it. It may well depend on what one is sealing, glue, sealant or what ever. As I stated above the last tube I repened was rougly a year old and still good.
@@Tonisuperfly i've had tubes of silicone that are re-usable up to a year later. I didn't do anything particularly special, wiped the top clean and just smother the end with hot glue. The nozzle I try to clean before it sets as best as I can.
I was going to suggest this. I use this method for all my glue dispensers like PVA glues.
I use golf T's which are tapered, work perfectly well.
Hi Stuart, I’ve been using those caulk cap covers for well over a year. They do “nearly work”. I have had far better results combining taping the end of the tube and then fitting the caulk cap cover over the top.
Another thing I do is cut off the ring tab around the tapered tube. This is for transport I think and that then allows the tapered tube to be screwed on more fully. One more thread.
I find it satisfying digging out the hardened stuff from the wide end of the nozzle with a little screwdriver.
Yes same ..I've a specific screw driver for shoving in the top of the nozzle & pushing out the blob .. very satisfying 👌
Superb, it really is annoying wasting part empty cartridges . Decent Silicone isnt cheap either. Thanks Stuart. 👌
For years now I have dipped mine in candle wax. I keep some wax in a small metal cup and warm it up and tip the tip a few times and I have not had a problem with tubes getting hard anymore. It also peels off every easy.
Great tips thanks Stuart. Looking at that last solution I suppose you could clean out the cut off end and flare that back over the end of the cut off tube for reuse, and just replace the nozzle with a new one, although sometimes the cone of cured silicon will pop out of the old one. Given the mess would be about the same it’s worth a try.
What i tend to do is when I'm finished with the job and there's still adhesive left or silicone I push some out of the end and seal it with the stuff already in the tube. Come back to it at a later date and pull it out. Works for me
I do that with black silicone we use to seal engine housings. Pull out the hard sealer, pump out the dick cheese for a few seconds and you're back in business.
Brilliant! Can't believe it's taken this long for someone to show this. Kudos to you Stu.
One tip if you have a decent compressor and want to unblock a nozzle, take the nozzle off and press the air blower attachment onto the nozzle end to make a seal and then blow the contents out. Make sure you aim it into a bin as it can make a bit of a mess!
Great tips, thank you. It occured to me that I have some rubber finger protectors, that I use over a plaster when I have cut myself. Thanks to you I have found another use for them.
Thank you for all these tips, very useful, I have thrown so many of these plastic tubes away with at least 75% of the contents still remaining, but had dried out, now I can hopefully keep these much longer and still be useful at a later date !
Some very useful solutions. I knew one guy who always used cling film to seal tubes between uses. He was the one who also wrapped a paint roller tightly in a plastic bag to stop the paint drying overnight. Both ideas seemed to work well.
I absolutely HATE wasting these. thanks for awesome tips for my tips!
Love the suggestions. Unfortunately, the best one (replacing the nozzle) is a non-starter in the US as the nozzles are part of the tube and don't come off.
Thank you for your input. I sometimes park a "long nail " (8")(1/8" wire with short slight bend) into end of dispensing nozzle and then tightly tape over all with "real" duct tape (the oowie, gooie type) (kept water & air out of ammo boxes) ...best results --so far.
In the US, most caulk/adhesive nozzles are fixed and not removable.
A tip when working with dried caulk is to use isopropyl alcohol. It will dissolve the caulk (even silicon) so it can be wiped away. I put IA into a plastic squeeze bottle with a pivot top (not to be confused with a flip top) for easy application..
Unbelievably simple but so worthwhile, now I can see how to use my old silicon tubes. Thank You
🎉🎉🎉
That video was worth 3 or 4 months of Patreon. Thunk of all the caulk tubes you will save inthe future. Thanks.
I didn't know about the caulk cap (condoms) and the hint to cut the tube was good. I use a drill bit and drill down into the fresh stuff below the plug. And typically waste a lot of time cleaning out old nozzles when I should have spares on hand.
I've been cutting the fingers off latex or vinyl gloves to use as mini-condoms for some time. Results are a bit hit and miss, but definitely increases drying time. I also have an old solid spiral corkscrew which I use to clear out clogged solid nozzles. Good vid!
and how many kids do you have.....😅🤣😂🤪😝😜
Now I live in Australia now and yes this has been a problem for me for many years and like you said have thrown away more than I care to think about it. Then researching this situation came up with some pretty cool fixes but my favourite one fix like you showed are those small red rubber condom-like pieces which are so cheap to buy on say eBay and I have not had any problems finding them and keeping my tubes fresh at as I said very little cost. Hmm that replacement tube fix is a great idea too I have never seen this fix before now.
Hi Stuart. This video was very helpful many thanks. I have used tape in the past to seal my tubes without much success.
Gosh those are all excellent ideas. Yet more inspired ideas that never occurred to me.....
Anyway, re slipping the top of the empty tube over an old tube, I would think these new top parts can be had for free by simply saving and wiping out the tops of tubes which were fully depleted. I will be trying that from here on.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing. As your video progressed I got the idea to seal the sealants and then store them nose down in a buckets of water. That would be an additional method keep them from exposure to air.
Thank you for raising awareness of Micronozzle ✊
Does it fit
I bought a pack of the condom style sealers,and so far,they seem to work well. I like the one where you cut off the end of the tube,and place an empty tube end over the end. That is the most common problem I have seen, a tube with dried product down about an inch from the end!
I have a few 'new' now old cartridges that I bought in case I needed them one day a good few years back, I am hoping in spite of the sell by date on them that these will still be as good as new!
Would be interested if you came back to this in say 12 months & see which of the closures did best.
Excellent as usual fella , I honestly didn't know any of these products existed , but as ever where there is a problem , someone will inevitably find a solution . So..... after some nice breakfast I shall venture out to the garage and gather up all sealant/adhesive etc. tubes and sort the wheat from the chaff
Thank you again
Cheers 👊
Great tips, thanks a lot. I do very little DIY and it always seemed such a waste to throw away unused tubes.
If you use several tubes all at once, for example when fitting lots of skirting boards then reuse the nozzle from the first tube. That way you collect lots of spare unused nozzles.
I place a piece of thick polythene bag, [compost or dog food bags, even crisp bags will do], over the top and screw the nozzle back on just as demonstrated at 2:54.
You might lose the nozzle or have to dig out any set sealant but the tube will remain useful for long over a year.
There is some exhaust fitting paste I used to fix fiberglass tape to my woodburner just last week. That tube was bought in 2020 to repair a friend's bus exhaust during the lockdown. The nozzle is set like stone but under the plastic sheet, the tube is fine and probably will be for four more years.
There's a tube of Crystal clear Stixall hanging by my bench dated 29th Sept 2022 that I use once every few weeks to seal small solar lights, still fully workable since I opened it back in Feb or March last year.
I've done this for decades without it ever failing.
I am just a DIYer. I believe I read somewhere years ago of using the hard contents of an old sealant tube to clean up abrasive belts on belt sanders etc. Maybe someone else has heard of this????? Thanks for the video sir
I wonder if you can re-use the top of the tube you cut off? Clean out the old contents, then heat it up and fit onto the remaining part of the tube. I've never tried that, but it might work. Could be worth a go before buying bare tubes. Might need a new nozzle.
Thanks for all the good tips, as always. You convey great ideas for us mere DIYers, with a touch of welcome humour. Your channel is a fantastic source of knowledge and inspiration 👍
For latex caulk, I use The caulk cap, CCY-2. Ad a little water into the tip before putting on. Going on 10 months & still works.
@ProperDIY thanks for taking the time to make the video and the comparison to save us money.
I'm thinking if I run a bead of glue gun glue on the tip it should seal it nicely and peel off easy. Have not tried it yet. What do you think?
Perhaps we could store leftover stuff in mason jars and used pastry bags would work as well.
Worth hanging onto used silicone tubes and nozzles, if you let them fully cure it's very easy to clean them out for reuse, never needed to buy an empty tube or nozzle this way. I've never thought to cut the top off a tube though, I have in the past drilled a hole in the side of a blocked tube and then squeezed the contents into an empty tube, that works well, just as messy as your method but a little more fiddly maybe.
As for sealing nozzles I have also never really found a good method so just use electrical tape and expect to swap the nozzle. Silicone is the worst for clogging, acrylic products seem to keep find for months, maybe years with just tape.
"Micro nozzle". "Fits any size". We love your channel.
I haven’t tried this yet, but I believe it would work perfectly.
Get some beeswax and warm it in your hand and then use that to seal the nozzle.
It’s impermeable to air and it sticks to plastic. I bet that works 100%
Your tube fix is quite a good idea.
Though I would probably use a heat gun
I like this idea.
In the States I use a fencing end cap - that happens to be 1 5/8” in diameter- perfect for the back end of the cartridge; which is then wrapped in good ol’ black tape. I also use a “Sharpie” pen to make hash marks on the lower end of said tube to indicate how much product I have left.
In a shed or workshop you could store the tubes with the nozzle ends submerged in water in a bucket or paint kettle. It stops the air getting to it and curing the product. That is how I store my solvent based paint brushes when in use.
That is impressive. For all my years I have been removing the nozzle & putting a plastic membrane in between .... I had never thought of such a simple solution. Thanks.
I do the same. For emulsion brushes and rollers, I use zip-lock food bags, sealing almost all the way and using a cycle pump with a football inflation needle to extract the remaining air before finally sealing the bag. I've found this keeps brushes from drying out for over a week.
@@astrecks as a decorator I can recommend just wrapping them in a normal plastic bag without all the faffing about. They stay soft for at least a month.
@@6panel300 Cheers, good to know!
One thing to consider with stored/old tubes is any expiry date on the tube. I had the misfortune to use one which was out of date, the sealant line had lumps in which totally ruined the seal.
Here is a tip: try this method . Take the tip of tube dig out a little of the material at the tip fill the tip with vaseline , make sure no air is trapped in the tip when putting the vaseline in it, then cover with electrical tape, now the vaseline will keep the material fresh. This works great, I have been doing this for years. Now when you need it again the material will come out. I did like your idea about cutting off the top of tube and installing a new top, that's a good idea.
I've been using those caulk cap covers for a while now. They are brilliant - none of my tubes have dried up with these on.
The reused cartridge idea is absolutely fantastic . Super cool 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Hello from Brazil 🇧🇷
I wrap the tip with packing tape and then squeeze out material to fill the gaps under the tape. The material filling the gaps under the tape cure and help seal off the nozzle, and is also easy to clean off. Works well for caulks and sealants that are a bit soft after curing.
Every day's a school day. Thanks for tips. Got at least half a dozen of these kickin around.
Brilliant idea I have thrown many a tube away still half full and that transparent tube could be used repeatedly if you clean it out.
Brilliant! I really like the plastic under the nozzle idea. I personally use a 4-6” length of wire as a skewer. 😊
What has worked for me so far is to simply remove the nozzle, take a knitting needle and poke around tube until I get deep inside. Once I reach the soft caulk, I just get a new nozzle and away I go on my merry way sealing up gaps again. I like the caulk condoms and will get a pack.
I myself like a DIYer throw a decking screw in the top & I have extra nozzles kicking about but, I way I deal with a dried out tube is a 6 mm drill bit & drill it out. Yes it can get messy but it works
In the USA, the nozzles don’t unscrew. They are part of the tube. Very frustrating.
Fair dinkum?
That's unfortunate.😂 US capitalism
In south africa they unscrew too.
Not true
I find a long nail and hot glue to seal the end works very well, I've had a silicone tube lsat over a year, you can still do the same without a nozzle just use a roofing felt nail instead and then the hot glue to cover the nail and seal it up with a good amount of hot glue. just use a pair of pliers to pull the set glue off or if without a nozzle use your pliers to unscrew the glue from the tube.
Over a few decades of using various cartridges, I’ve never had one with a removable nozzle. I don’t recall noticing them or any mentioning of them at the multiple places I’ve shopped in. I’m betting that cartridges with replaceable nozzles are more expensive than non replaceable ones to the point it stays cheaper to just toss the cheap one rather than mess with repairing the more expensive ones.
I tried the small latex 'condoms' as shown at time stamp 7:30 over the end of the nozzle. After two months in storage silicone in the nozzle had gone hard as usual, so I can't recommend those used in that way. It is worth noting that thin latex can be permeable to moisture and silicone RTV cures in the presence of moisture. So it's likely these let enough moisture through to start the curing process.
Hi, I've used the "mini condoms", but they haven't done the job. Leaving the tube for a short while (perhaps a month or so) wasn't too bad, but leaving it any longer has meant that the material has dried.
I like the idea of the first two items, though.
Great video. I laughed at myself at one point as I did not even realize the nozzles of those tubes came off. I do have one question though. I know I have had tubes that I did not even open turn hard as a rock because I did not use them for several years. Is there a way to fix those?
I usually stick a long screwdriver in the tube and wiggle it, seems to work for me. With the nozzle, does come out in whole if your careful with it too.
Excellent tips, thanks. Of course the manufacturers could easily add a screw on top to replace the nozzle when not in use, I wont hold my breath!
They do, I have some which I jealously guard! Don't know why they don't all do it.
A nozzle that's been ruined previously with sealant/glue gone off in it makes a perfect end-cap for a new tube - just remember to mark it u so you don't try to use it!
@@sroberts605 Just about conceivable that they realise people buy a lot more of their product when 80% gets thrown away.... 🤔
The trouble with fitting a new top to the tube is that the empty tubes are quite expensive to buy. If you're cutting the top off, couldn't you clear out the set sealant and reuse the old top?
Exactly what I was thinking. The hardend tuff should be eay enough to pry out and discard, so the empty cut off top portion of the catridge should be re-usable in the same way. Just a thought.
Great tips Stuart. I hate sealant… it’s the devils work and so frustrating having to chuck so much away. Will defo try out some of these 👍🏼
2:51 People watching this video in 50-years time thinking WTF is a "plastic carry bag?!?!" 😂
Thanks for the great tips Stu 👍
Enjoyed this topic as I hate waste but felt I had to add my own experiences on the subject.
Using a screw to seal the nozzle doesn't work too well because all you are doing is changing the open ended tube for a smaller diameter open ended spiral 'tube ' formed by the thread void left by the screw as it sits inside the nozzle. This is why the ribbed (not threaded) plug is more effective. I use the cut-off fingers from old rubber gloves secured with wound on wire. It works pretty well but rubber is still slightly porous and eventually the goo will harden. Great suggestions from others in the comments.
Love those empty tubes. Makes me wonder if you couldn't cut the clogged end off, clean it out from inside, warm it up and put it back over the tube it came off. Don't think boiling water would be enough, need a hot air gun probably and might take too long to be worth it. I'll try it and see.
I'll have to get some of those nozzle johnies, they look really good. I get really annoyed when I come to use the second half of a £20 tube of sikaflex only to find out that it's gone off after a couple of months. A drill will sort the blockage in the tube.
I use these condom like things, but I always remove the tip because I feel that screwed on connection is never tight enough.
Good video.
Missed a vital top tip in the middle of the video there, always ensure you use a borrowed tenon saw to cut the tube of silicone 😜😂
I used to be in the Giant A/C industry and used tons of silicone sealer to store short term we left a small worm of sealer sticking out the nozzle then pull it off when we needed to use it again better than nails and the like also to wipe off excess sealer plastic carrier bag works much better than rags or paper
Good idea. Think I will try it, but using Stanley knife to cut around the tube instead of a saw.
Or just using a large diameter drill bit to drill out the plug.
Great video! Love the condom!
In the operating room, we use sterile condoms for the light handles above the bed. Even after 40 years, every time a surgery tech asks for one, someone snickers.
I'll try some of these out! The nozzles in the US don't unscrew and are part of the main tube.
12:41 tried something like this before with a heat shrunk 7up bottle. The pressure pushed the caulk back through the seal between the old and new surfaces.
A While back I started removing the nozzel before storing my sealants. I then seal the tip of the nozzel screw with hot wax or hot glue (which ever one prefers to call it). It has the same effect as if the tube was never opened. Just cut it off like you would with a new tube when you need it. The last tube I reopened was closed for approximately a year (I always write the rough date of purchase on sealants, paint, glue and soforth before storing them) and still functioned fine. 😉... Of course all these methods are only worth anything if cleaned properly before sealing the tube.
I use paper to remove the sealant from the cone before coveriing the tube end and screwing the cone back. Also drill a parh through dried sealant in the tube and discard the first few inches which come out.
Lots of people having success with drilling through the solid near the top of the tube. Could you stick a nut to a repair washer and clamp it all in the caulking gun. Then screw a long bolt into the tube until you break through to the good stuff? Let the pressure off before taking the bolt out though, to avoid the money shot.
very interesting. I get to see Showerheads when clicking the 8 pack empty caulking sealant tubes link. Other items either don't exist or are 'out of stock' or do not ship to my country.
Those condoms are a nice novelty gift for friends at Christmas, wrap them up as actual condoms. 😂
Great idea!
That's all they are good for.
You'd be better off with the tape.
This guy must be making some money promoting these products. None of them will stop the curing in the nozzle. Almost all of his tubes have the removable nozzle option. Why not do what he suggested in the first place?
It must be standard across the pond, cause here in the US the nozzles cannot be removed. So I just put a cut off piece of coat hanger with a wrap of duct tape at the top and it keeps a pathway for the good caulk to travel.
I do have 1 or maybe 2 Male friends that could use those "condoms " on a hot date though!
@@dalehunt8191 I put a screw in and then tape that. Have yet to have even a nozzle I can't just use like I just cut it. (tip, once the screw is in place, I use one piece of tape sealed against itself that does the bulk of keeping the air out. I use a second longer piece of tape on top of that, mainly just to ensure the first piece does its job. I just use blue painters tape).
The phrase "small but perfectly formed " springs to mind. Happy Christmas my friend.
No mention of how easy it is to remove the solidified sealant from the nozzle? No need to buy new nozzles. Just cork screw into the fat end then pull out. Works ever time 👍
Even the dried silicone is useful, it’s great for cleaning sandpaper on belt sanders.
Good idea but as you said cost over mess and it too much faffing about I would just replace, however the plugs are a good idea but i find that a new top is my best option
Two or four layers of clingfilm over the screw fitting, replace the nozzle screwing firmly tight. Sealant will not go off. I’ve got a bag full of old, unused nozzles, so replacement of clogged is not a problem.
Stuart, why didn’t you use the metal ‘pin’ attached to the side of your sealant gun to make a hole through ?
That’s what it was meant for.
The best result I've achieved so far was with høt glüe gun. After half a year only an inch of silicone at the nozzle's top was dried.
As for getting the material out from deep in the tube, just drill a hole through the nozzle outlet with a dril las wide as you can fit in.
i used those blue stoppers before, ended up getting stuck and when i pulled it out the inner piece stayed in the nozzle (which most of the tubes i get here in the states dont have replaceable nozzles), for your last tip i found something similar that you basically cut off the dried end of the tube and place it over it, acting like a new end and nozzle. Although i also run into issues where the back of the tube leaks so it squishes everything out the rear and nothing out the front lol
Left me a bit puzzled at first. If the bit in the nozzle dries up but the rest is useable when you remove the nozzle, what's the point of sealing the tube with a piece of plastic? You still lose the bit in the nozzle so you haven't achieved anything. But it's a good idea if you remove the nozzle and clean it out first, a bit of old cloth wrapped around a thin screwdriver clears most of it. Then using the plastic seals the main tube and the nozzle is already clean for the next use.
But to prevent it clogging in the first place, to be honest I just use a large enough screw to make sure it's a tight fit, even cutting into the nozzle with the screw thread and it pretty much always works perfectly. It's only using too small a screw that fails completely. Alternatively, wrap some cling film around the nozzle tip and secure it with something like duct tape and it has the same effect as the condom. No need to buy anything.
I must admit I didn't know you could buy extra nozzles and tubes, but to free a blocked up tube I would remove the nozzle then drill into the top of the tube. Cut the top bit of dried up product off with a stanley knife to get a flat surface so your drill doesn't slip, then use any 10-12mm drill bit and slowly drill down into the tube through the top opening. As soon as you stop feeling any resistance you're through the dried up bit and into the usable product, and you've now made a hole through the dried up bit for it to come through. Put the nozzle back on, or a new one if required, and you're good to go.
The few i use (Sikaflex All in One) in a year, I add a screw, wrap the tube in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Stays fine for over a year!
You can blast compressed air through the nozzle to clear the blockage if it's just in the nozzle.
Brilliant Video, i always put a screw or a nail in mine, but i've seen the light Thanks
Some good ideas there, that I will be trying. . I use an old 8mm long Brad point drill , and drill through the blockage below the cap , give it a pump to push the stuff out and fit the nozzle. I normally get away with it. Cleaning the drill is a pig.
Great video! Love these ideas. Unfortunately, my garage in Phoenix is hot as he** in summer and dries up these products, opened or not. I'll still try some of these. Thanks!
Great ideas, what do you think about expiry dates on tubes of mastic? I always throw them out as I don’t want to tidy up the job if the out of date sealant doesn’t work.