One of the simplest and easiest ways to protect your investment in your home against damage from water where it shouldn’t be is to maintain the caulking that seals your showers, tubs, toilets and sinks where they meet your walls and floors. Head off damage from undisciplined water flow as well as mold and mildew by checking often to be sure that the caulking around these fixtures is replaced when necessary. You probably can do it yourself.

Just get the appropriate caulk from your local hardware or plumbing supply store. What you want is silicone-based material for sink and tub, in either cartridges for use with a gun or in tubes for hand-held application.

Remove all the old caulk using a putty or utility knife. Be sure to get it all but avoid scratching the surfaces. Then clean the joints with a heavy-duty household cleaner and scrub away any mildew with a chlorine bleach solution. Dry the cleaned joints thoroughly with clean cloths.

Cut the nozzle of the cartridge or tube at an angle so its opening is a bit wider than the joints. If you’re doing joints of differing widths, start with the smallest and then snip off a bit more of the nozzle as you go along. Apply the caulk steadily. Smooth the bead with a wet finger if the manufacturer’s instructions suggest this, but don’t overdo the smoothing (no joint is ever perfectly smooth and you could over-do it). Again, the secret to a smooth bead is smooth movement as you’re applying the caulk, but there will always be some little bumps you can’t avoid (and needn’t worry about).

Let the new caulk dry and cure for several hours, keeping it dry (again check the manufacturer’s instructions).