Silicone and goo b gone removal
 

My husband and I put down some vinyl flooring in a very old home where the floors were very uneven which made it difficult to get the vinyl tiles matched up. We used a colored caulk to fill the spaces. To clean up the excess caulk we used goo b gone. The caulk in the tiles needed 3 hrs to dry, so we never cleaned up the oily residue. My sister was going to do that later last night. However, she was unable to get the tacky, oily residue up. She took a rather hard fall this a.m. We returned to her house with Goof Off but it didn't help. We tried: hydrogen peroxide, liquid detergent with bleach, and rubbing alcohol with little or no change. I was able to scrape off some excess caulk but it's the oily reside that's the problem. Please give me a clue as to what I can use to restore the vinyl tile to safety while walking on it. It's the peel and stick type. I've used it in an old house next door and had no problems. I did remove all the old flooring before placing down the tile pieces. I need some quick help or answers as she is alone and on a fixed income. She really needs some help.

Just a guess: I'd use a heat gun (carefully applied to prevent bubbling of the vinyl) and a razor scraper to remove the excess caulk. Acetone for the residue.

Edit: I would try the acetone on a scrap piece of vinyl to make sure that it doesnt destroy it.

It depends on the caulk. Read the tube for clean up instructions. Some will come up with Dawn dish soap, other require stronger chemicals. Acetone, turpentine, paint thinner are a few that work. I would avoid the heat gun, it'll make the adhesive on the back of the tiles release.

Not to be a dick, but next time. Level the floor with 1/4" Luan plywood first, then lay the tiles and everything will go much better for you.

A little known secret of good builders and remodelers. The difference between a hack job and a pro job is the prep work. It's an 80/20 split. If the 80% is in the prep, you'll get pro results. Everything should be perfect before any finish product is applied. Finish product doesn't cover issues, it highlights them.


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You might try some brake cleaner, I don't know how it does on wood but I use it on metal. It doesn't leave a residue but it will take paint and grime up completely, so if you try be careful and try a small area first.