How to Remove Excess Caulk From a French Door

Draw a straight line over the caulk to mark its desired edge. Line up the straight edge to the caulk, laying it over the excess caulk. Draw a straight line with a pencil. This mark makes it easier to concentrate on the line instead of the caulk while trimming away the excess.

Continue the line around the French doors, over every part that has excess caulk. Skip over sections of the caulk that are neatly done.

Cut through the caulk with a utility knife. Line up the straight edge to the pencil line to guide the blade through the line. Using the straight edge also prevents the blade from slipping and making undesirable cuts through the caulk or wall.

Score the bond between all the excess caulk and the wall. Lay the utility blade as flat against the wall as possible, just above the caulk, and cut down into the caulk. Be careful to not cut into the wall itself; place just enough pressure to get behind the caulk and release it from the wall.

Peel the caulk from the wall. Using the utility-knife blade again, stick the point of the blade into the caulk, cut through it and pry it from the wall. Grab the caulk and pull it with your hand. Continue removing all the caulk this way until all the excess is gone.

Clean up the wall and the mess. Scrape away small fragments of caulk with a utility knife, and wipe away the remaining caulk residue from the wall, using a dry cloth.