Good points on mineral spirits—I've seen similar issues myself. A tenant once used WD-40 around a toilet seal thinking it'd help with squeaking (don't ask me why...). Ended up swelling the gasket and causing a slow leak. Took ages to figure out what happened. Curious though, has anyone tried silicone grease on rubber seals? I've heard mixed things about it being safe long-term.
"Curious though, has anyone tried silicone grease on rubber seals? I've heard mixed things about it being safe long-term."
I've used silicone grease plenty of times on rubber seals, especially toilet gaskets and faucet o-rings. Honestly, never had an issue with it causing swelling or deterioration. Had one gasket last nearly a decade without problems after applying silicone grease during installation. Maybe the mixed reviews come from people confusing silicone grease with silicone sealant—two totally different beasts. Just my two cents...
I've had similar experiences—silicone grease has always been my go-to for plumbing seals. Never noticed any swelling or damage, even after years of use. I think the confusion might also come from people using petroleum-based products instead, which can definitely degrade rubber over time. Has anyone here actually seen silicone grease cause a problem firsthand, or is it mostly just hearsay floating around online?
Glad to hear silicone grease isn't secretly sabotaging my plumbing adventures, haha. I've been using it for about a year now (new homeowner here, still learning the ropes...) and haven't had any issues yet. Honestly, the horror stories online had me second-guessing myself, but maybe it's just internet plumbing folklore? Anyway, your post gives me hope that my DIY skills aren't completely doomed. Thanks for easing my paranoia a bit!
You're probably fine with silicone grease—I've used it for years on multiple properties without any plumbing apocalypse yet. A few quick thoughts:
- Internet horror stories usually come from extreme cases or misuse (like someone slathering half a tube on one fitting... seen that happen).
- Just keep an eye out for swelling or deterioration of rubber seals, but honestly, that's pretty rare.
- DIY plumbing is 90% confidence and 10% knowing when to call a pro before things get messy.
Sounds like you're doing great so far, keep at it.