What is the proper preparation to re-apply silicone caulk?

Question

We have a Swan Stone shower surround that consists of 3 solid surface panels caulked at the corners with a corner molding them applied and caulked.

The previous owners weren't great at things like caulking so it's a mess and I've pulled off the corner mouldings and scrapped off all the existing caulk to get it ready to re-apply.

I was about to wipe it all down with mineral spirits to remove any remaining caulk residue, but then notice in the product literature is specifically says NOT to use mineral spirits as it will prevent the caulk from adhering and that I should instead use denatured alcohol to prep the surface.

So now I'm confused. Should I used mineral spirits to clean off the old caulk, then denatured alcohol to clean off the mineral spirits? Is there some other product I should be using?

Answer 1

By all means, use denatured or isopropyl alcohol to remove all mineral spirits. Go over the entire area a few times with the alcohol on a clean micro fiber cloth, turning the cloth each time to be sure no spirits are being reintroduced to the surface. The surface should be squeaky clean.