Saving open caulk

[Borrego Dave]

All of us have had caulk dry up after being opened no matter how we tried to save it. I think it was around 3 years ago someone here posted that he'd sealed the cap and stored it in the fridge and it kept usable. Well as it were, I had just used a little Dap Alex Plus and didn't want to lose the 90% left so I tried it. Took it out yesterday and let it come to room temp, material was still supple but did have to run an awl through the nozzle but it went in real easy. The caulk went on fine, just like a brand new tube. The last 50 % is back in the refer now for the next time. Can't take any credit for this tidbit, just passing on the results of a few years long test. OK, to be honest....I forgot it was in there too .

[Kai in Seattle]

Thanks for this! A person should always give their awl...

[Raspy]

Alex plus is one of the easiest to save. I think it's because it is not moisture catalyzed like urethane and silicone. The older Dap can be saved by adding a bit of water in the tube before capping it. Not sure with Alex Plus.

[Jon Vermilye]

Originally Posted by Borrego Dave

All of us have had caulk dry up after being opened no matter how we tried to save it. I think it was around 3 years ago someone here posted that he'd sealed the cap and stored it in the fridge and it kept usable. Well as it were, I had just used a little Dap Alex Plus and didn't want to lose the 90% left so I tried it. Took it out yesterday and let it come to room temp, material was still supple but did have to run an awl through the nozzle but it went in real easy. The caulk went on fine, just like a brand new tube. The last 50 % is back in the refer now for the next time. Can't take any credit for this tidbit, just passing on the results of a few years long test. OK, to be honest....I forgot it was in there too .

One way to clear the nozzle is to use an air gun to blow the caulk back into the tube. Be careful - too much & you can blow out the back & make a real mess. Don't ask how I know this!

[Casita Greg]

I bought some of these and they have worked pretty well at keeping the caulking and sealant tubes from drying out and hardening.
You can also find them at Ace Hardware and the other "big box" stores.

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Red-Ca...SIN=B000H5S8X4