On May 15, 3:32 pm, wrote:
I planed to re-caulk my bathtub and kitchen sink and came to a
decision which caulk to buy. After searching online to educate myself
(I am totally new to home repair, so please bare with me if I ask
stupid questions), apparently I got confused by some discussions.
Lowe's website has some good advice for caulking. As far as I
understand, acrylic latex caulk is not water resistant while silicone
caulk is. So given my usage in kitchen and bath, silicone caulk seems
to be the choice. However, Lowe's website also gives 2 types of caulk
that seems for my usage:

1. Tub and tile: Acrylic sealant gives a flexible, watertight seal. It
is mildew resistant with water cleanup.
2. 100% silicone kitchen and bath sealant: Has the same
characteristics as plain 100% silicone sealant.

My question is if the first one is acrylic, how can it be used for
tub? that is, how can it be both watertight AND water cleanup?

One such type of product is Polyseamseal® White Tub and Tile Adhesive
Caulk. The description for this product is

Guaranteed mildew-proof
Seals around tubs, showers, sinks and all bathroom fixtures
Resets tiles, fills cracks and joints
Seals around windows and doors
Stays flexible
Won't crack or peel
Goes on easy
Soap and water cleanup

If it can be easily cleaned up by water, then why should it be used to
seal around tubs, showers, sinks, etc in the first place? can anyone
answer the question?

For the same reason that latex paint is widely used for exterior house
paint. As it dries, the molecules link together and it is no longer
the same as it was when it was in the can. I think the silicone
products are more durable, however they are not as easy to work with
as the acrylic.





Another question I have for the job I am going to do is that I have a
vinyl floor in my bathroom, the edge of the vinyl at the foot of the
bathtub is kind of curved upward, i.e. the edge is not tightly adhered
to the floor, how do I caulk the joint between the vinyl floor and the
bathtub in this situation? Do I have to fix the problem of curvature
of the vinyl floor first before caulking?

The vinyl should be secured first, otherwise it will just break away
from the caulk when it's pushed down. Get some adhesive under it,
then put some weight on it to keep it in place.