Renew your silicone joints in five minutes
With Pattex’s «Re-New» I’m supposed to be able to refresh my silicone joint in just five minutes. It’s not even necessary to remove the old one. Will it hold what it promises?
The silicone joint in my kitchen is still quite okayish, but it no longer closes flush. It’s so far inside that crumbs get caught in the gap. So «Re-New» by Pattex comes just in time. I can simply smear the silicone from the tube over the already existing joint and close the gap.
Kills even mould
The tube comes with an applicator to smooth the new joint as it’s applied. No need for extra tools. At least that’s what Pattex says. First, I need to clean the old joint so that no dirt gets trapped. Then shake the Pattex tube well – with lid! – so that the air bubbles disappear. The mixture is designed to refresh the old joint and even kill mould.
The nozzle should be at a 90-degree angle to the joint. Then just push and pull evenly. It goes super quick and requires no skills or dexterity. In my case, the old joint is recessed, and the automatic smoothing doesn’t work properly. The angle of the applicator is too shallow and the nozzle too wide to achieve a clean joint.
I have to use an additional putty knife to get a satisfactory result. I wipe away the excess silicone on the tiles and applicator with a sponge. Visually, there is hardly any difference to a completely new joint, but smearing silicone over is just not the same as making a new one. And in the long run, it’s also expensive at 14.50 francs for 100 millilitres.
Works well in the shower
For a fair review, I also tried «Re-New» on the mouldy joint in the shower, where I actually didn’t need any extra tools. All I had to do was run the tube close to the wall to smooth out the mixture. If I hold the tube at a 90-degree angle to the wall, the nozzle doesn’t come close to the old joint.
I’m amazed at how good the joint from the tube is, although in terms of longevity, it probably won’t come close to a completely renewed silicone joint. However, Pattex «Re-New» is ideal for quick touch-ups. Nevertheless, I will remove the joint in the shower in the next few days to install a new one. The brand Sista has released a system for beginners, with which creating a joint is supposed to be much easier than with the cartridge. I’ll try both and report back to you if it really makes that big of a difference.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
