How to remove STICKY RUBBER COATING from plastic | The BEST + CHEAPEST METHOD!

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In this video, I show the best (and cheapest) method on how to remove that sticky rubber coating from certain old electronics or gadgets from phone covers to power tools.
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2:45 if you want to skip to the best method, watch the full video if you like to know what methods to avoid.
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Many plastics have a soft touch matte coating which over time will become very sticky and oily. I googled how to remove the stickiness and there were a few methods that worked but not very well. Then I found out that the product I'm using in this video worked so much better at a fraction of the price.
This product can be used to remove any rubber coating or adhesive from plastics. Do make sure you use this product in a well ventilated space only!
And be careful as this is a highly flammable liquid!
I can't be held responsible for any accidents or damages, use this method at your own risk.
Next to being a great way to remove rubber coatings that became sticky it can also be used to remove sticky tape residue & glue, clean sticker adhesive super easy. This is a strong DIY cleaner. If you need to remove sticky tape or get rid of unwanted sticker residue or sticker glue adhesive quickly you need to check this method out. It's a good way to remove sticky adhesive label residue from metal, wood, plastic and even wood flooring. Maybe you have some sticky residue or glue left on your glass window from old masking tape or something similar. It will easily remove the sticky adhesive residue left from old duct tape and sticker labels that always seem to stay put. It seems safe enough to use on car paint but I'd be sure and always test a spot so none of your projects and stuff get damaged first. It removed quickly what ordinary cleaners can't handle or take forever. It works faster and better than other removers I have tried.
If you found this video helpful or entertaining please give a thumbs up and be sure to subscribe to the channel.
Thanks for watching!
#cleaning
#stickyrubber
#cleanplastic
#clean

[@walter.bellini]

Thank you for the helpful video, I would always suggest that you used protective gear, something like vinyl or latex gloves as this type of chemical can be absorbed into your skin and that is not good for you. I would also suggest a good quality plastic polish after you clean the pieces off so that you can reach a nice brilliant shine from those side panels. Thank you WBNY

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks for the additional tips 👍

[@shazaam100]

Thanks for the best method yet for removing the rubber monster from my aging yet faithful Dell laptop. I tried the isopropyl alcohol method but that was no good. The guy who advises the use of acetone doesn't tell his audience that acetone obliterates plastic. Not good. BUT your method made such good sense I went out to Lowes got a quart of denatured alcohol and an hour and a little patience later my laptop was re-created!! Like new!! Thanks. 5 STARS!!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I’m glad it worked well 🙂

[@GreentipsCo]

I have asus laptop that is a sticky trap. Will try this denatured alcohol. I have tried everything, and was gonna just sand it.

[@howardcrane5902]

Baking Soda right out of the box. Took me about 20 minutes for each JBL speaker. No damage. Clean smooth non-sticky result. Environmentally safe and inexpensive.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

👍

[@mickeyobrian6380]

What application technique did you use for the baking soda?

[@howardcrane5902]

@@mickeyobrian6380my fingers and paper towels. You can brush your teeth with it!

[@kklum6998]

Here is another solution that will keep the color of the plastic safe without drying too fast using a "adhesive remover spray". Been driving me crazy for many years using my sticky Andis Slimline 2 trimmer rubber coating till I just stop using it till today. Kudos for this channel. Thank you for sharing.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks

[@nyanates]

We’re probably talking about older products and paint jobs here but you’d think that in 2024 our manufacturing processes would’ve eliminated this problem. Thanks for this.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

The glue holding the rubber coating in place starts to dissolve and gets sticky over a span of multiple years. So there is not much companies can do to prevent it from happening other than not use soft touch coating at all and only use plain plastic like in the 80’s and 90’s. I assume it’s sadly a big plus for companies that this happens as it urges many people to replace their stuff after a few years, for expensive stuff that’s of course a real shame.

[@nikthefix8918]

No it's a process used in manufacturing all the time. Never more popular. It provides an 'expensive' looking finish over a mundane and often flawed injection molded underlying surface. Cheaper to coat in gloop than to tool the surface texture and / or paint it. I hate it. I restore old electronics gear and this is one of my biggest problems. Pull out a drill, a remote or a game controller that's been sitting in a cupboard for 3 years and it'll probably stick to you like a limpet.

[@nikthefix8918]

@@Detroit-Berlin Built in obsolescence is a bonus for them for sure but I think the real benefit is that it's a very attractive finish when new and is a cheap way to conceal flaws in the molding which would otherwise make the product look cheap. It's certainly not about grip even though we assume that's what it's there for.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@nikthefix8918 it is indeed for the look and if it gets sticky it’s a bonus for the company when people replace it.

[@nikthefix8918]

@@Detroit-Berlin I've had some good results removing the rubberized coating and replacing with leather - assuming the product was worth the effort. A silicone adhesive works well and allows for easy positioning / stretching of a thin leather for contours. Then scalpel to trim.

[@kklum6998]

Here is another milder but more effective cleaner if anyone is interested which does not rub off any of the coloring on the plastic would be "adhesive remover spray". It will also do the job fast and effectively like denatured alcohol without corroding the paint on the plastic. Try it. Kudos on this channel solution.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks for sharing, I will give it a try however I doubt it will be more effective as alcohol fuel works incredibly quick and easy already. Adhesive removal spray is on the other hand 4 to ten times as expensive and even more if you compare liter to liter.

[@martinscopes3914]

I have sticky stuff remover I bought from maplin are try it in a min iv just got new headphones out the box all sticky and the headphones are silver and black all sticky I no what made it very sticky was the summer heat my headphones was in the new package and in a bag in a box on top my shelf now if these headphones were used and put sort of next to me on a table it would not of happened.

[@kklum6998]

​@@martinscopes3914 Yes. Heat hastens the degradation. Rubber naturally degrades faster coating in thin layers. Hopefully, they do not design these rubber coatings in future products. It does not last.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@martinscopes3914 I hope that kind of heat didn’t damage the drivers.

[@deejay4837]

I've been looking for a long time for a solution to this..thanks!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

you’re welcome 🙂

[@digitalbase9396]

Excellent video. My bmw suffers from this issue. I can’t understand why manufacturers use this rubberised coating on plastics especially when they age and become sticky.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Thanks. I think that is because in the beginning it feels soft, then it gets ugly and sticky. Many manufacturers don’t care about long term any more.

[@estrelleleveau1537]

Thank you so much for the help! I applied the same technique on my horse riding helmet who had the same coating on top. I had initially thought of scraping it off with a little razor or something, but there's no comparison to your method. Thanks a lot!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

glad to be of help 🙂 scraping it off would be a lot of work with a not so nice result, the coating is really nasty hope manufacturers will learn but I fear they won’t 😅

[@Wingman4l7]

Thanks for not only sharing what worked best for you, but what *didn't* work. As someone who refurbishes old electronics, this was very useful information! EDIT: Oh and by the way, I can say that in my personal experience, denatured alcohol did indeed work great on a Logitech Harmony One remote that had this exact problem.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks 🙏 glad it was useful to you 😊

[@jussiheino]

HEY I got one Logitech Harmony that is a great product except it has gotten sticky and therefore too ugly to use. Planned obsolesence? Anyway, alcohol seems to be the solution here (not tried yet - on the remote).

[@Wingman4l7]

@@jussiheino yep, denatured (fuel) alcohol is what you need -- I've cleaned one of those Logitech Harmony remotes myself.

[@frankstetka7206]

This is very good advice, also Eucalyptus oil as found by me in Asian markets works very well for rubberized plastic when you just want to rub all that goo off for good and works for sticker goo removal too. Reminds me to pick up more Industrial strength alcohol, thanks.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks I’ll give that a try too

[@jasondoyle1037]

I find it is helpful to apply the solvent to a small area and then quickly cover the area with aluminium foil for maybe 10 to 20 seconds. Then remove and wipe quickly and firmly with a paper towel. This gives the solvent time to penetrate deeper. I also recommend doing this in a safe outdoor area because of the vapour and the fire risk working with such volatile chemicals. I agree about using appropriate gloves too.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@jasondoyle1037 that’s an interesting idea, I’ll test it out next time 👍

[@clarencebarnes2510]

I used my lock de-icer, that I use in winter, and which has ethanol with a bit of Isopropyl alcohol mixed in and cleaned a sticky rubber suction cup on my old turntable. It removed the sticky surface using a micro fibre cloth, not paper towels. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

great that worked for you 👍

[@lreyescordova]

You’ve saved so many usable and functional items from my throw away bin!

[@damnmyusernameisgone]

Thanks for the video. I would have liked to see your technique for cleaning the knobs.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks 🙏 After the process I just washed them with water to get them clean.

[@johnvaneeden1455]

We used cooking oil ! Worked brilliantly.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Didn't think about that one, will try it. Afterwards how do you de-grease it?

[@johnvaneeden1455]

@@Detroit-BerlinJust wiped clean with hot soapy cloth.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@johnvaneeden1455 ok 👍

[@zhookeeper]

Metho is good. I also have good success with enzyme based laundry detergent and warm water, and also for sticker residue: Eucalyptus oil. (I'm in Australia, does the rest of the world have Eucalyptus oil? 🙂?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@zhookeeper Thanks, I’m not sure if we have it in europe, will be imported if we do and pretty expensive.

[@MazingerZX]

I used just baking soda mixed with some water (so it’s paste like) and just finger rubbed it on the sticky parts. Wipe off and dry with paper towel. Works without any chemicals and no smell.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

glad to hear that worked well for you 👍

[@howardcrane5902]

This worked great for me. Simple, environmentally safe, cheap, easy.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@howardcrane5902 👍 thanks glad it did 🙂

[@henrydevereux9701]

I’ve used this method on a computer keyboard, a TV remote, and most recently on Ray Ban Wayfarer sunglasses with a rubberized frame. It works well but does take patience.

[@dennisshaw1195]

I use Alcohol and finish off with Eucalyptus Oil ---is time consuming but works great.

[@DanielMonteroElectraveler]

My recommendation to remove this kind of rubber is to use KH7 or a similar strong degreaser. You spray it, leave it on for some minutes and it will create a very dirty black gunk layer that you don't even need to scrub. I used it on my Mercedes plastics and it's the best I could do, after having tried other methods. Very inexpensive too

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I will give it a shot if I can find the product, have you tried fuel alcohol? You might be surprised how well it works. Also no need to scrub, comes right off 😊

[@banzospod]

Thanks for the vid. I have a small gopro type camera that i decided to convert to a dashcam but it was horrible sticky and a touch if that alcohol and some kitchen roll cleaned it up in no time without damaging the camera. Cheers mate.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

you’re welcome 🙂

[@grahamlebron1343]

thanks for this! but how did you get the side panels off the minibrute? remove all the screws on the bottom?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

first the bottom than loosen 4 for each sidepannel on the inside

[@tomvancompernolle1982]

Thanks for the tip to use Denatured Alcohol, here in IT and FR it is easier to use normal classical Alcohol ( ethanol) as you can buy it anywhere too, in the end it is the same product, less harmful, it worked so good on my Viano dashboard that it came back new, I suggest to were gloves as al the "black" gunk when you remove it but it works perfectly, I can not thank you enough!!!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

👍

[@elianejann3776]

Thank you so much, I did it on my H4n and it became like new

[@Detroit-Berlin]

You're welcome, that's great 🙂

[@MikeAnn193]

Oh, wow, if you're referring to a Zoom portable digital audio recorder, that's exactly what I want to use it for. Well, this one's an H4n Pro, but I'm guessing they kept the same coating. Glad to know it worked well for you.

[@GailCallahan-pu9rq]

I used Goof Off - it did a beautiful job and very easy! Be sure to wear gloves-otherwise the little pieces of rubber will be on your fingers. I used the Goof Off to take the rubber off my fingers too (including my nail polish). 👏🏻

[@Detroit-Berlin]

That great to hear 👍 Multiple products based on alcohol will do the job, some quicker than others. Brands made specifically with marketing in mind (Goof Off, Gone Goo,..) are not available everywhere in the world though and are more expensive than simple fuel alcohol.

[@andre1987eph]

Do you mean "Goo Gone"?

[@MikeAnn193]

@@andre1987eph Both are legitimate product names; two different items.

[@marnoi8754]

just ordered it online cause i can't find it locally, hopefully it will work!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

good luck 👍

[@stevedixon921]

WD40 is good for dissolving some glues. I used it to fix some paper scissors which were gummed up with tape glue over time. Thanks for sharing the other products you tried, shared knowledge is good knowledge.

[@jussiheino]

I am wondering what are the health implications on keep using the sticky rubber/plastic vs. "DIY mods" with gasoline or WD40. IPA and 85% alcolohol feel like safer, but in the end what's with the actual plastic and with plastic softeners etc. that can propagate to the user. Some of the original coating may be for a reason -- but sticky coating probably is not doing it's job.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

The coating that gets sticky is to give equipment a nice look and soft touch feel, over time it gets sticky when the adhesive is getting soft again. Removing the stickyness has no health complications compared to if the object had never been coated, plastic is just plastic. The only health complications you could get is everything tied to doing the technique in a non ventilated room and/or without gloves etc. I also would advice against keeping plastics you eat or drink from that got sticky ion the inside, I would just throw them away.

[@probuilder961]

Thank you for the video. Used the denatured alcohol on my multi-tool handles & worked great!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Great to hear 👍

[@instant_mint]

Oh I googled this methylated/denatured alcohol and apparently it's the T-Röd, T-Sprit, Rödsprit, "Red Spirits" thing! I have that at home! Maybe I can finally fix my M-Audio pitch/mod knobs!! 😀 But can I ask a question - now a year later, are the parts still holding up okay? No deteriorating of the surfaces you scrubbed? I am unfamiliar with the chemistry of these things so I want to be sure it doesn't deteriorate the plastic underneath the rubber coating

[@Detroit-Berlin]

it’s safe for plastics, only the adhesive and rubber will be gone forever (which is a good thing 😅)

[@instant_mint]

@@Detroit-Berlin Okay awesome!! I am so going to try this!! I just have to figure out how to remove the wheels from the device so I can clean them

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@instant_mint with my Moog Sub Fatty I left the pitch and mod wheels on when removing the coating that got sticky, not ideal but they’re not sticky anymore

[@marcelojbenevides]

Amazing! Works great! Congrats for the information.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks 🙏

[@TheGrandeinter88]

Thank you for sharing the tutorial, I'm using Iso Prophyl Alcohol and it works (well need 2-3 times to clean that sticky rubber coating) 😀

[@Detroit-Berlin]

you’re welcome 👍 fuel alcohol works a fair bit faster but Iso prophyl works too and less smells 😅

[@rfish2]

Awesome! I threw away my Maschine MK1 because of this. It was just so nasty. Awesome trick.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

My Ableton Push 1 became disgusting too. Thanks 🙏

[@Awsom47Merc]

*Sodium Carbonate (soda ash) is used in Oxy Clean and as a pH Buffer for Swimming Pools. Isopropyl Alcohol works too. You must reseal it with a plastic restorer or it comes back. I use Car Guys brand. Works great.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

there’s a difference between rubber material that gets sticky and plastic with a soft touch, when you remove the soft touch (the rubber coating and adhesive) the plastic will not feel sticky again.

[@Awsom47Merc]

@@Detroit-Berlin I used these on the 30yr old white faux leather in my 47 ProStreet Custom Merc's interior when it all became sticky this spring. Worked great. My headliner and floor is all covered too. I was looking at 20k to have it all redone in real white leather so it was a God send to find this system.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@Awsom47Merc that’s great to hear 👍

[@psdaengr911]

Naptha is available in most paint and hardware stores, has an infinite shelf life and lots of uses. $12/qt.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@psdaengr911 Not familiar with Naptha, denatured alcohol is about 2 euro per liter.

[@GypsyHunter232UK]

I used surgical spirit to remove the very sticky green coating of thin rubber on my spotting scope here in the qeer old corrupt UK 🇬🇧..going to sligtly rough te surface of my spotting scope and spray it green using spray can paint..

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@GypsyHunter232UK 👍

[@hedkandie11]

I'm loving the mention of the queer old corrupt UK 🇬🇧!! that's where I'm from. Here in the UK we spend our time polishing our rubbery plastics to keep our minds off the corruption. 😂

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@hedkandie11 😅

[@garyvanremortel5218]

You should have used Coleman Lantern Fluid. It's like Naphtha. It won't eat plastic and it evaporates slowly.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Thanks for the tip, denatured alcohol also doesn’t eat plastic and is cheaper and available worldwide 👍

[@bacon.cheesecake]

Watched this video a while ago and finally got around to trying it on my 18 year old and very sticky Acer Ferrari 4000 laptop, it worked amazingly! It's lucky for me that denatured alcohol was what worked well, it's really easy to get in Norway compared to isopropanol.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I’m glad it worded well 👍

[@phototec]

Great video, what is the difference between the two variants, CLEANING denatured alcohol and FUEL denatured alcohol?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks 😊 the compound is slightly different and fuel alcohol is the cheaper one (and works quicker). For electronic components I’d suggest Isopropyl alcohol, for sticky rubber on plastics fuel alcohol.

[@chitung2277]

Is this the same as mythelated spirit?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@chitung2277 yes it is exactly the same 👍

[@JDMark25]

I will never again buy anything coated with rubber after my experience with a Radio Shack emergency radio which was not needed to be used for years and then when needed, a sticky mess! I first used straight white vinegar on a paper towel which worked a little but not enough, so then used hand sanitizer which is 66% alcohol on a very soft old cloth, that worked well and much faster. I would have finished with silicone or Armor All but didn't have it so put a little WD40 on the cloth and wiped the radio. During this process no black stuff came off on the rag but the sticky came off. Looks and feels fine now ... but will the rubber continue to degrade?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@JDMark25 depends, probably will. If it does use denatured alcohol or gasoline and everything will come off, impossible to become sticky again 👍

[@MikeAnn193]

I feel your pain, and I'll be wary myself now, but it seems we can't avoid it all. For example, I have some admittedly-old headphones whose _cord_ has become very sticky. That really surprised me. A cord is always going to have to be flexible, so it's always going to be something like rubber or plastic. Of course, wireless is one solution there, but I don't think Bluetooth even existed when I bought those otherwise-excellent headphones.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@MikeAnn193 avoiding sticky rubber is next to impossible I fear, it’s not the rubber itself getting sticky, it’s the adhesive to make something ‘soft touch’. Some cords will have this and will become sticky, some are plain rubber/plastic and won’t become sticky. Also some rubber can just become hard and break or deteriorate.

[@migsvensurfing6310]

Thank you. Spraypaint your panels and coat it with plastic spray coating so the paint will last.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

👍

[@TweakerRay]

Hi ! Thanks a lot for this Video... I have also the first minibrute and I have the same problem. So this really helps me. Cheers and greets from Hamburg ;-)

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I fear it’s something inevitable with all soft touch surfaces over time. Old plain plastic synths/knobs/side panels might have felt cheaper but even the ones from the 80’s are well preserved if handled carefully.

[@TweakerRay]

@@Detroit-Berlin do you think the stickness will come again over time? Or is it done when I have cleaned the parts? Still in the middle of cleaning them.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@TweakerRay there will only be plain plastic left, it should stay nice. It’s the glue that lets the rubber coating stick to the plastic that disintegrates

[@67daltonknox]

Denatured alcohol is illegal in California and some other states. Some people have advocated gasoline, but I haven't tried it.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@67daltonknox gasoline is indeed a great alternative 👍

[@MrJdebest]

WD 40 and some paper towels, followed by dish liquid, works too.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@MrJdebest it works but not as well and it is a very smelly and unpleasant experience.

[@caribbeanchild]

The colour is so that when it burns you can see the flame. Otherwise the flame is invisible when burning which can be quite dangerous.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks for the insight 👍

[@CheesewoodClint]

You could also use alcohol gel, rub it on and leave it for 10 minutes and rub it off. I also have a Arturia Minibrute and the Microbrute, i'm going to make wooden panels for them. New knobs i'm going to buy online, non sticky.🙂

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@CheesewoodClint good tip, I’ll give that a try too.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

If you have a polishing wheel and some aluminium polishing compound you can give parts like these a quick go on them and make them look really good. Probably better then when the original coating was new.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

They will become shiny though, I use that method to make plastics that became matte shiny again.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

@@Detroit-Berlin if you only do quick polish it gets a silky like shine which looks pretty good i think. Not all plastics are suited to achieve a really high gloss finnish. Some come out really beautifull but others don't respond to well to it in my experience. Plus a high gloss finish is not always wanted. It doesn't suit every application.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 I agree

[@ford1546]

Of course you can sand the plastic, which you do with metal polishing. They will be like using 2000 grit paper. The goal is to remove the coating without damaging the plastic!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@ford1546 I haven’t tried polish to remove the coating, could be an interesting test. I do think it’s probably better to dissolve the coating first.

[@martinscopes3914]

I used label remover I got from maplin few years ago on my headphones this spray is for sticky stuff I spray a cloth and went to work on these headphones and yer it took it straight off I had to work at it / it’s now like the sticky crap was not on there in the first place nice a smooth this was plastic and I no what went sticky it’s lacquer from when there new saying that these were new in the package it was the hot summers we have had over the years I had new radios walkie talkies do the same and way label remover did it easy and these headphones were very sticky

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@martinscopes3914 label remover is probably based on a similar alcohol based substance just a bit more expensive due to being labelled as remover. 🙂

[@martinscopes3914]

@@Detroit-Berlin hi my friend. Yer your video was good and if I never watched it I probably would not of thought to use the label remover iv got all I no is this stuff iv got soon took it off so cheers my friend.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@martinscopes3914 that’s great to hear, thanks. 👍

[@martinscopes3914]

@@Detroit-Berlin cheers my friend 💪💪💪👍👍👍

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@martinscopes3914 🙏

[@videotrexx]

I have used a cleaner/degreaser to do remove the sticky film that has developed on some plastics.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

👍

[@hyojoonus]

I will try it.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

let me know how it went 🙂

[@rob379lqz]

Awesome!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

thanks

[@williambellamy6197]

i took a flat black paint in a small can and a sponge brush turned out great

[@Detroit-Berlin]

to paint over the sticky residue?

[@williambellamy6197]

@@Detroit-Berlin

[@williambellamy6197]

works perfect dry to the touch

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@williambellamy6197 if the sticky rubber is uneven (fingerprints etc.) I highly doubt the result will look nice. When the rubber starts to get a little sticky it could work but still it’s more hassle in my opinion than just removing the rubber with alcohol. Also in case it doesn’t work out nicely you’ll be left with a bigger mess that will be harder to rectify.

[@Chris-ot7gt]

Nice job. That coating is really horrible when it breaks down. I would recommend wearing gloves though, you want to look after your hands. That stuff will dry your skin out.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Good tip thanks 🙏

[@Robinicat]

I am trying VIM since I don't have denatured alcohol. I have 50% ethyl alcohol but it's very slow going. The VIM seems to be working.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

denatured alcohol is pretty cheap so if it’s going to slow I would recommend that

[@Supremepikachu]

I hate when companies do that on plastic.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

They all do it, perfectly fits in the trend of making things not last 😕

[@lebolyon6952]

It work i know but it's better to use gloves and mask

[@djs134]

I have a brand new controller that has a rubber coating like this on the plastic, and just to be clear this meathod should remove the actual coating and leave me the plastic with no rubber after? I plan to spray paint this controller and want to remove the coating first

[@Detroit-Berlin]

it will remove the coating by resolving the adhesive and leave you with only the bare plastic, I can’t confirm if it works when the rubber is new and non stick but I think it probably works too.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

And how did it turn out?

[@yvesvanderhaeghen196]

I would not clean with denatured alcohol without plastic gloves, it's quite bad for the skin!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@yvesvanderhaeghen196 yes indeed, I pinned a comment with good safety tips. 👍

[@yvesvanderhaeghen196]

@@Detroit-Berlin Corrected a typo in my post (I forgot the 'not', but you got what I meant). Thnx. I will be trying it out on a alti-variometer that's gone all sticky this WE.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@yvesvanderhaeghen196 👍

[@vkomm4231]

Denatured Alcohol is the way to go. Alcohol is best if you have nothing else but not as good as Denatured Alcohol.

[@bloodfrosted1230]

Thanks for sharing this tip, but just one question, can I also use this one to totally remove the rubber? Like using a brush and totally scraping it using the denatured alcohol? Thanks again!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

the rubber will be totally gone if it’s a coating, you don’t need a brush a towel or paper towel will do.

[@bloodfrosted1230]

@@Detroit-Berlin thanks man! I'll try this on my 10 yr old Alienware laptop 👍👍

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@bloodfrosted1230 good luck 👍

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

@@bloodfrosted1230 if you give it a quick pollish using aluminium polishing compound on a polishing wheel you can make it look really amazing.

[@gary7vn]

Cloth works far better than paper.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@gary7vn I agree

[@DarkSession6208]

I agree with this Vid. Was doing door trims on my Audi... Nothing really worked. 3 different Types of Oven cleaner. pure Acetone, acetone free Nail polish remover, barbeque cleaner, rust remover, brake cleaner, 2 types of desinfecant, 90% Alcohol, Isopropanol, WD40. It simply DID NOT FUCKING WANT TO GO AWAY. It took me 6 hours for one little door trim thingy. I was getting crazy. Denaturated Alcohol was still the best of all, but i still can't get it off properly. Even with the Alc i need to use a plastic scrape to get it off, and its just as sticky as without the ALC, the only thing it does, it makes it softer so i don't need to rub it dry. Audi put serious shit on there.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I guess the thicker the coating is the harder it will be to remove

[@MikeAnn193]

Wow, you really tried a variety of methods! I don't think I'd have even _considered_ most of them. Yikes. Glad to know that after all that, you agree denatured alcohol worked best. Then again, my stickiness issue is on a small electronic device, rather than part of a car.

[@NinjaFaceGames]

What about Isopropyl alcohol? Is that any good for this? I have a grip for my Nintendo 3DS that would be perfect if it wasnt covered in that stuff.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

That will work too but slower and it’s also a more expensive product. Make sure you put it on the cloth first, not directly on the controller to prevent liquid sipping in the controls.

[@NinjaFaceGames]

@@Detroit-Berlin Ok, it's just because I already have some Isopropyl alcohol, but I'd rather not waste it if Methylated is a better option. Also thanks a tonne for the video!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@NinjaFaceGames you’re welcome 👍

[@lenglen9662]

Need more discussion about techniques that don’t work.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I think its pretty straightforward in that you have techniques that work slower (even water would do the trick eventually if you rub long enough: hours /days?) and you have substances that could damage the material (everything that damages hard plastics). Also I find it dangerous to mention and put emphasis on things that could damage the material because there's always someone that interpenetrates.

[@bozukduzen8047]

It works with normal alcohol as well..

[@Detroit-Berlin]

yes but it takes 3 to 4 times as long with normal alcohol. This was a pretty thick rubber coating and it dissolved really quick. I used many kinds of alcohol and they were none as effective and efficient as this one.

[@bozukduzen8047]

@@Detroit-Berlin Yeah mate.. I had normal alcohol in my house, and tried with that.. Thanks anyway.. 👏👏

[@Stephen_Eee]

Sweet, head up to Home Depot this weekend....gonna try my high % isotone that I already have first but if not I know where to go next. Thank you

[@Detroit-Berlin]

you’re welcome 🙂

[@yeahBradley]

My strategy was to alternate between rubbing alcohol and shaving cream.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I’ll test it next time 👍

[@Cubasenet33]

Try with gasoline (petrol).

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@Cubasenet33 👍

[@lreyescordova]

Hand sanitizer also works, very fast and effectively.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

haven’t tried that yet, will give it a go next time

[@siddis9484]

alcohol that too

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@siddis9484 many methods work and I tried quite a few. To my experience the denatured alcohol really worked a lot better than most of other alcohol based products.

[@MrGheller]

I have a pair of Jaybird earbuds that became sticky and also Ray Ban sunglasses that the frames also became sticky. Does anybody know if that "denatured alcohol" is the way to clean it without damaging them more? Also, where do we get that denatured alcohol in Florida, USA?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

just be careful the liquid doesn’t get to the membrane of the earbuds and the sticky rubber is a coating with plastic underneath not a rubber object. If you can’t find denatured alcohol you could try a bit of fuel.

[@MrGheller]

@@Detroit-Berlin Thank you. I didn't understand the sentence that ends with ...."not a rubber object." Could you please explain/elaborate to understand? thank you.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@MrGheller the rubber coating is a thin layer held onto the plastic by the adhesive, the denatured alcohol or fuel will dissolve the adhesive and the rubber coating will be gone. If your object is just made out of rubber (like a rubber ball) it has no plastic underneath but then again it would be a way softer material and probably won’t be sticky in the first place.

[@MrGheller]

@@Detroit-Berlin I have no idea what the Jaybird earbuds and the Ray Ban sunglasses are made of or what material they have underneath. I just know that the plastic to the touch is very sticky....like old or melted. Before throwing everything out...I would like to know if I can save them. Those are expensive items.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@MrGheller sounds like this technique will work 👍

[@ethrrr]

Doesn't work with Isopropyl alchohol

[@Detroit-Berlin]

It doesn’t work that well with Isopropyl alcohol that’s why I suggest Alcohol fuel (denatured alcohol).

[@els1f]

Omg! I'm here specifically because I'm sick of the stickiness on my minibrute 🙌♥️

[@n1kkri]

How long does it last before it gets sticky again?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

because the adhesive that makes the rubber coating stick is gone it will never get sticky again.

[@nikthefix8918]

Why do companies insist on using this rubberized crap? It ALWAYS goes bad in the end. Perhaps that's the point. We don't need this kind of grip if the molding has the right texture to begin with. But it can also cover a multitude of sins in the casting / injection molding. I suspect that's why it's popular with manufacturers. I worked for an electronics firm which insisted on covering everything with this crap. I use Sticky Stuff (or others that smell of oranges) and IPA. Let it sit for a bit before you start scraping but not so long that it starts to re-harden. It's particularly bad when you have an item which is not only expensive but hard to take apart. 3Dconnexion users know what I mean. For any lesser a product I'd just throw it away and not buy it again. For the perseverent, IMO the key is to use a chemical which softens the coating so you can remove it mechanically. Any solvent strong enough to actually dissolve the gunk will probably damage the underlying plastic too. You need to remove ALL the coating as just taming the top layer will leave you with the same sticky problem. I tried petrol, WD40, dilute acetone, white spirit, meths, vodka - hell of a night - and after a long sleep I tried them out on the product! Some of them did the job but left crazing in the plastic or broke glue bonds. In the end a combination of Sticky Stuff and a small plastic spatula did the business - followed by a good polish to get rid of the tide marks. I'd avoid WD40 for any job where a new coating needs to be applied - never use it to remove silicone around a bath or basin. It's hard to fully clean up and nothing will stick after that. I know of no way to re-stabilize a gunky coating and I tried everything over the years. One thing I did find was that keeping the tool in a dry environment and using it every day seems to delay the onset of tack. The only thing I didn't try was heat. I imagine some kind of 're-vulcanization' process could be worth an experiment. All my remote controls feel like the floor of a Dublin bar post gig at 3am so maybe I'll have a go at that.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I don’t believe in re-stabilising because when the coating is applied it is even but when getting sticky it’s shifting and getting stuck together.

[@MikeAnn193]

Thanks for the smiles. I especially enjoyed "Hell of a night." 😉 I had never heard of Sticky Stuff, but did a search. Are you referring to De-Solv-It Sticky Stuff Remover? (And, oddly, I've seen another brand name attached to the exact same label. I think it was Zep.) Don't know what IPA is. Are you in the UK? You did mention Dublin, and I've seen a lot more options for Sticky Stuff Remover on Amazon's UK site. I'm in the United States. I certainly agree about expensive items that are hard to take apart! Frustrating to clean. My need is for a Zoom H4n Pro digital audio recorder. It's probably no more than 8 years old and after a couple of years of no use, I picked it up -- sticky on all sides! I might try Detroit-Berlin's suggestion, as denatured alcohol does seem like a plausible solution, and many others have agreed. I had little luck with 50% isopropyl alcohol, then bought 90% to try, but haven't used it yet.

[@andybeckett4480]

It is very frustrating. I have a Pentax WG-10 waterproof camera that is several years old, and also a spoting /wildlife telescope both of which have "tactile" rubber coating. After not using for some time they now feel like they've been dipped in glue! To me this is a huge quality control issue in manufacture. I'm afraid the methylated spirit approach did not seem to alleviate the problem on the camera.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

It depends on the thickness of the coating if it is coating al all and not just rubber. Apply some more fuel alcohol on a cloth and rub it hard 🙂

[@TheFusedplug]

Please tell me what works lol

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Please watch my video and you’ll know lol 😅

[@edphi]

The most videos on KZbin is removing stick rubber!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@edphi 👍

[@IkeEjinduaka]

Try TakeOff Adhesive Remover. It is non-alcohol, non-toxic, organic and user freindly. This product is uniquly fomulated to dissolve and remove all sticky, gooey mess. Comes in wipe and solution. let me know if you would like some samples

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Sound worth trying out but I don’t know if that’s available in Europe?

[@nooceluap7760]

I wonder, Goo Gone (another adhesive / sticky mess remover) was quite ineffective. The denatured alcohol worked really well.

[@maurice1606]

I've tried a lemony, oil-based product called Sticky Stuff Remover - great for sticky labels, useless for this type of degraded rubberized coating.

[@IkeEjinduaka]

@@maurice1606 Let's do a product swap. That way I can test your product and you can try mine. I would like your feedback on mine

[@Axacqk]

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[@Detroit-Berlin]

😅 The magic is in the anticipation.

[@wh0tube]

Go on admit it, you had a little sip! Didnt you? 😁👍

[@Detroit-Berlin]

next best thing after anti-freeze 😅

[@wh0tube]

@@Detroit-Berlin you just gotta try 40% isopropyl, 40% ammonia/windex, and 20% water. On sticky plastic of course! Not to drink! 😁 i’ve also tried a few different things and it always gets stickier and takes a long time to get it off. The last time I did this, I used a heat gun on low then a sharp blade and scraped most off, followed by alcohol and high grit sand paper. It came out better than my previous attemps but not as clean as yours. I had sanded too far and it was a very dull finish. i could restore shine to the plastic by a very quick wave of heat gun on high. Then it was too shiny for my liking but I had to leave it at that.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@wh0tube I’ll give that a try too, pure isopropyl or windex didn’t work that well as denatured alcohol though. Maybe a mix works better?

[@simseven4967]

Gasoline is the best

[@Detroit-Berlin]

👍

[@simseven4967]

@@Detroit-Berlin ✌🏻

[@jjiacobucci]

I’ve heard that as well

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@jjiacobucci If you have the chance, try denatured alcohol next time and it might change your mind.

[@simseven4967]

@@Detroit-Berlin tried already but sometimes it make things worse, benzin for cleaning works great because it evaporates fast so it does not damage plastics like car gasoline sometimes, WD-40 works too and is good to in removal of sticker residue✌🏻

[@nivid01]

Mate, you need to change the paper more often. You kept trying to clean with severely contaminated paper!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@nivid01 Sadly I can’t afford to waste more paper, bought to many synthesisers 😅

[@kharmachaos667]

Honestly, I clicked on your video, ignored your advice, and used isopropyl 70% and a few cotton balls to remove the rubberized coating on a Logitech keyboard. Because it's a thin, thin coating, it actually worked fine. It's only because it's a thin coating that it works well- you have to really load up those cotton balls and turn them around multiple times when they go black. But! Denatured alcohol is just purer ethyl alcohol that reacts more readily than it's isopropyl alcohol bretheren. So it makes sense that it would remove the coating easier. BUT. That also means it's more likely to react to your base plastic- so if you're trying to remove a coating from a delicate (or cheap) plastic, try isopropyl first in a small spot to see if you can use it instead. Otherwise, I would follow your advice.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

If it works with isopropyl alcohol go for it 🙂 It will take longer but like you say it works too.

[@natashalion8028]

Nail varnish remover

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Noooooooooo. Do not use that if it has acetone in it. Acetone instantly melts most plastics, it will will remove the coating by desolving the plastic part ;)

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Nail polish is way too egressive on plastics

[@joeprete7424]

Wear Disposable Gloves!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

good advice, thanks 👍

[@MrAlternation]

2:45

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Thanks I added it to the description 👍

[@amcc2531]

Standard gasoline works better

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@amcc2531 it certainly works fine, almost the same but not better in my experience.

[@KSmurf88]

I wonder if everyone calls him Giorgio

[@Detroit-Berlin]

😅

[@robertroot3044]

GASOLINE

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@robertroot3044 it’s a good alternative 👍

[@user5.56]

sticky itcky

[@Detroit-Berlin]

yes it can be disgusting at times the sticky stuff

[@DexterSkelter]

Aceton.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@DexterSkelter I would highly advise against acetone since its very abrasive. Denatured alcohol or fuel are way more gentle products and do the job better.

[@AriR6R]

99% isopropyl alcohol and microfiber cloths work great

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@AriR6R that works for sure, denatured alcohol does work faster though 🙂

[@AriR6R]

@@Detroit-Berlin denatured alcohol makes you sick if you breathe it

[@GothicKittyMadness]

great video but why do you have to talk in a really creepy voice?

[@Detroit-Berlin]

I don’t have too, it’s just that my natural voice is a very creepy voice 😅

[@sebulba4864]

acetone

[@Detroit-Berlin]

only if you want to damage the plastic and paint

[@nivid01]

Can you talk faster next time buddy… your slow speech is traumatic!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@nivid01 Sorry to have traumatised you, I can’t talk faster.

[@MrKenstar2]

A video that could have been 2 minutes. Whata waste of time

[@Detroit-Berlin]

@@MrKenstar2 many people seem to be happy with my video, but anyway thanks for letting me know you’re a sad person. If you think you wasted time you wasted more by making a comment like this. Stay away and try to be happy for a change.

[@GailCallahan-pu9rq]

No, Goof Off!

[@Detroit-Berlin]

Goof Off is not available worldwide, is way more expensive and it’s just marketing. Please feel free to fall for the trap 😉

[@gary7vn]

Ten minutes too long.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

you didn’t have to watch it fully to know the best method, could have read the description and used the timestamp to skip to the part where I show the best product to remove the rubber. This is a real-time video showing how long it takes.

[@yvonnejohnson3888]

Goo Gone works.

[@Detroit-Berlin]

True BUT - it’s way more expensive - it’s not available everywhere (outside USA) there are many products that work but not as effective as fuel alcohol 🙂