Two things:

1) Procedure. I just don't accept this "take the breathers loose, clean the mating surfaces, re-RTV them and put 'em together". I really do think that the only way is to remove the valve covers and breathers as an assembly - THEN separate and clean them up once they are off the engine. I have issues with dropping debris into the engine and I question just how clean you can get the surfaces with the covers on the engine.

2) TIME. I cleaned the livin hell out of all four pieces. Let them dry out (mostly the breathers) in front of a fan and dehumidifier overnight. THEN, when I re-RTV'd them and put them together, I tightened the bolts finger tight and let them sit 1/2 hour. THEN I tightened the bolts to specification - letting the assemblies sit in front of the fan and dehumidifier again. After a long time sitting there drying (5 days but only cause I had to leave on a business trip), I then put the assemblies back on the engine.

I do not expect everyone to go thru all of this and CERTAINLY no garage is going to do so.