"Only minor downside I noticed was durability—after about a year or so, it started looking a bit worn around the edges."
Had a similar experience myself... eco-friendly caulk is great for ease of use, but honestly, silicone's durability saved me from another leak disaster. I'd rather deal with fumes once than water damage twice.
Went through something similar last summer—thought eco-friendly caulk would be enough, but ended up redoing the whole thing with silicone after a nasty leak. Curious though, anyone found a middle-ground product that's durable but still less harsh?
I've had mixed luck with hybrid sealants—something like a modified polymer caulk. They're not as harsh-smelling or chemically intense as pure silicone, but still hold up pretty well against moisture and mold. Used one in a client's bathroom about two years ago, and it's still going strong. Not quite as bulletproof as silicone, but definitely better than the eco-friendly stuff that tends to break down quickly. Might be worth giving it a shot if you're looking for that middle ground...
I've had pretty decent experiences with hybrid sealants myself. Last year, my brother-in-law had a similar toilet fiasco—water leaking everywhere, total nightmare. We ended up using one of those modified polymer caulks you're talking about, mostly because neither of us could stand the smell of silicone in that tiny bathroom. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much, but it's held up surprisingly well. No mold or peeling yet, and he's got three kids who splash around like crazy.
You're right though, it's not quite as bulletproof as silicone. But considering how easy it was to apply and clean up afterward, I'd say it's worth the trade-off. Definitely beats the eco-friendly stuff we tried before that started cracking after just a few months. Sounds like you're on the right track—hope your toilet disaster gets sorted soon... been there, done that, not fun at all.
I've had mixed results with hybrid sealants myself. A couple years back, I had a similar toilet leak situation at a client's place—small bathroom, tight space, and silicone fumes were definitely not an option. We went with a modified polymer caulk, mostly because the homeowner insisted on something odorless and easy to clean up.
Application-wise, it was a breeze—no messy fingers or strong smells. But honestly, I was skeptical it'd hold up long-term. Fast forward about 18 months, and I revisited the same bathroom for another unrelated issue. Surprisingly, the sealant was still intact—no mold, no peeling edges. Granted, this was a single-person household without kids splashing around daily, so maybe that helped.
Still, if you're dealing with heavy-duty use or constant moisture exposure (like kids who treat the bathroom like a water park), silicone might be worth the hassle. But for most typical home scenarios, hybrids seem to do the trick just fine... at least from what I've seen so far.
