Here is a tube of caulk that has sat unused for too long and the tip is clogged

First, put the tube on a solid surface. Using a utility knife, cut along the side of the tip of the tube. This is a bit tricky, the plastic is tough and you need to ‘rock’ your knife tip slowly rather than just pull it.  It will tend to want to slip to one side or another and miss the tip altogether.

Once you have a slit in the tip you can pull out the clog.

To prevent the tip from leaking out the slit, use any kind of adhesive tape to wrap around the tip (the stronger the tape the better)

In this case we used painters tape, wrapping it around the tip a few times to cover the slit.

It’s not exactly the same opening that you had to start with but in most cases, it should get you close enough to save you a long drive to the store and $5.00 for a new tube of caulk.

It is always tempting to just shove a nail in the tip to prevent the caulk from drying but it isn’t a good seal and all you end up doing is caulking, or gluing the nail in the tip of your tube.  As an alternative, you can use these little guys; the Little Red Cap Caulking Tube Covers.

Feel free to leave your  comments or questions below.