Preparation

• Before you begin removing the caulk, thoroughly clean the area. Dirt and debris can reduce the effectiveness of chemical treatments. If you're working in a kitchen, you'll want to put all exposed foods in sealed containers and move any food items away from any areas where you're using chemical treatments.
  
  

Scraping and Scrubbing

• Sometimes, you can remove caulk without using harsh solvents or cleaners. When caulk solidifies, it turns into a rubbery mass that is quite malleable. You can try needle-nose pliers to pull away at the caulk, allowing you to pick it out in segments. Combine the use of pliers with a knife or pair of scissors to pry away the caulk from behind. You may want to cut multiple lines into the caulk using your scissors or knife to weaken it on a structural level. Once you have removed the bulk of the caulk, you will likely be left with some residue. Rubbing alcohol and salt--or a mild cleanser coupled with an abrasive scrubbing device--can clear away this residue without resorting to the use of harsh chemical compounds.
  
  

Chemical Removal

• Many times, it's simply impossible to completely remove caulk with scrubbing and scraping techniques alone. When caulk is extremely difficult to remove, the best option is to apply a small amount of caulk remover directly to the caulk, allowing it to sit for approximately 30 minutes. Caulk remover, a very powerful solvent you can purchase at most hardware and home renovation stores, will break down the caulk into a viscous material, which is easy to remove. After applying the remover, you should be able to scrape away the caulk with little effort.
  
  

Precautions

• Even chemical removal methods can leave behind a nasty caulk residue. You can remove this residue using the same methods as described in the scraping and scrubbing section; however, it's important to remember that many caulk remover solvents contain bleach. Combining bleach and ammonia can create toxic fumes. So when cleaning up the caulk residue, make sure you don't use any detergents or cleaning solutions that contain ammonia.