Removing Sticky Rubber from Gadgets

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Use Isopropyl alcohol to remove the sticky rubber residue on old computer peripherals and other gadgets. The once smooth grippy surface reverts over time to its natural liquid state, much like it was when it came out of the rubber tree. I don't have a solution which leaves the rubber coating in place - if you've got any ideas, please add them to the comments.
A blog post on reversion:
www.polymersol...

[@AbdulAbulbulAmir]

Let's face it. The only cure for old age, is plenty of alcohol.

[@jlucasound]

Drink Much and Prosper.

[@redpillcommando]

Jeff - First laugh of the day bro. Good one, and so very true.

[@joeyocom5087]

I'll drink to that !!!!!

[@waveless96]

logical.

[@theluth9046]

What do you say we have a drink and discuss that, And go ahead and throw the cork away we ain't going to need that any more! Hehehe...

[@trdi]

I actually just tried the baby powder method (talcum powder) and it works, against all expectations. No need to remove the rubber. Apparently talcum is used in production of rubber gloves as well, against stickiness.

[@jovianparco]

Thanks very helpful for squishy toys hahahaha

[@Taxidermista_de_Phobos]

Three magic words: 99% isopropyl alcohol. I've just removed *all* the f*ing sticky rubber from an old Dell Latitude E6430 laptop. The finish is amazing, super smooth surface, not a single trace of rubber. But get yourself 1 litre of alcohol, 1 kg of microfiber cloth and 3 tons of patience. Also some soft fingernail scratching soaked in alcohol helps a lot to get the process started. Thank you very much for your video!!

[@illumi1011]

this actually works. but i cleaned the sticky rubber with 70% ipa 1st, then dried it with heat gun. after drying, i applied talcum powder using a cloth to apply it failry uniform. then cleaned it with cloth and it's smooth, but obviously patchy.

[@glennbluemel1497]

are you saying the underlying structure of the laptop is completely exposed?? is there any way for us to see some pics? I am immediately trying(I have 90% iso) this 😊

[@glennbluemel1497]

I ask because I have a think pad and a Dell thick rubber coating and I am imagining what it looks like naked, if ya know what I mean? I don't want it to cut me. lol

[@rz-tv]

Awesome bro, I did my Dell Latitude E6530 too!

[@singleplayer75]

Thanks for the video, I have just tried to do this differently and it worked like a charm. Use the Turtle Wax Bug And Tar Remover, a car body polishing product from Turtle Wax. The stickiness cleans up in seconds WHILE LEAVING THE RUBBER COATING ON. Works 100%. You could also use a similar product. Alcohol rubs the coating off the surface while this only removes the stickiness while leaving the coating ON so it looks and feels like new. Edit: Four years later, the car reader I treated this way still looks like new, so this really works!

[@dougl.6461]

Thanks!!!

[@suet256]

It works!!! 100% like you said, I just cleaned something with the Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover and it is amazing and easy

[@wildlifeamateur]

Thank you. It works perfectly

[@maurice1606]

I wonder whether this method exposes a new layer of the same material that will in turn go sticky in a few years?

[@singleplayer75]

@@maurice1606 In case of my card reader - no, 4 years after the treatment it's still great. It was really awful and now it's still looking fully restored. I don't really know how, what exactly is the chemical ingredient in the Turtle Wah product that helped me but that's it. It works.

[@bonzaihb3432]

Just a hint: do not use Acetone, tried that on my MP3 player some years ago and it went completely wrong: removed the rubber, but also dissolved the plastic below it, as you mentioned... meh.

[@andygozzo72]

definitely not, acetone melts many soft plastics, and you can use it to chemical weld plastic together

[@jlucasound]

@@andygozzo72 Ditto. Always test acetone on a hidden surface. If something is plastic, don't even consider acetone. Strong stuff. Don't get it on your skin, either. (Yes, Mom.) Really though.

[@unclejohn5012]

At a place I used to work someone spilt acetone onto my phone and didn't tell me. A short time later the plastics were turning into powder and it stopped working. I quite the week after because of work place bullying.

[@zaibian7]

Same here, tried it on an old transformer toy... which promptly turned into Plasticine.

[@loverlyme]

@@unclejohn5012 That''s so slack- when there's an accident and no-one owns up to it. You could have stopped the damage early on if you had known.

[@sublimationman]

There is a product I use to use called rubber rejuvenator for pinball machines and it use to be used on turntables for the drive belts. It removes the top layer of rubber leaving a fresh layer behind and as well it oils the rubber a little making it less brittle.

[@RobertBSewardJr]

I used that in repair of VCRs also. PRB still makes it.

[@charliedobbie8916]

4:35 Wow, is that one of the first cans of WD-40 ever produced? :-D

[@pish180]

lolol

[@maurice1606]

Ooh, no, I don't think so; the first wouldn't take an extension tube, as far as I can remember.

[@maurice1606]

@Jay Smith I expect you're right-it's very clean and could have been swapped from a new can!

[@Crafty42]

I basically was scouring the comments before I said this. That’s one hella old can of wd-40

[@KingdomEnfilade]

This is nuts, I have the exact same controller and same problem and just typed in ‘sticky film on old rubber’ and this was the first video that showed up

[@dollarcreations2818]

google knows everything ...

[@danrushing4955]

I've had the problem with Nikon cameras from the 90's and have used acrylic floor wax after cleaning with iso-alcohol. This has worked good for me. The process leaves the rubber finish and cures the stickiness on the Nikon camera coatings. It's sure worth a try for your sticky rubber.

[@hollypage6174]

This is exactly what I’ve been looking to fix- my 90’s Nikon camera and lenses! Can’t wait to try this😀

[@RobertoColi]

This is not a matter of cleaning. The sticky is the plastic material that due to something on the air, changed its molecular structure, and sterted to melt. When you touch it you are touching broken plastic polymers (with no warranty that the material is poisoning the skin) and there is nothing to clean; it the outmost layer that is melting, and if you remove it, the next layer will melt. As told, volcanization can be a good idea. I had my old car steering with the rubber finishers that were melting. I partially solved sprying it with Vinavil glue.

[@cfytcf]

Depending on the rubber type, cornstarch powder works wonders - removing all stickiness and restoring it to a new condition. I learned this from... other items.

[@loverlyme]

I'm going to try this now. I have a fairly new torch (with several LEDs and a hook to hang it up when camping or needing to be hands-free). It has a magnet so it stays on my fridge and I can find it quickly. I've only ever used it inside so I can't blame it on the 'elements.' It has a rubber coating all over (except the acrylic case over the light bulbs) and has recently started to feel sticky. I have no idea what has caused this stickiness. I'd like to try the Turtle Wax Bug And Tar Remover mentioned by someone else but don't want to buy it just for this one thing. I guess if the cornstarch powder doesn't work, I'll come back to the car product.

[@brrjohnson8131]

@@loverlyme it's blue right? I'm replacing the batteries in mine, the magnet came unglued & it flew across the room when I closed the refrigerator door. Btw my ex & cousin both keep theirs on the refrigerator too. You're doing it correctly, lol. Except it's sticky.

[@PowerScissor]

@@loverlyme Did cornstarch work for you?

[@gringodingo7523]

Lmao same

[@jawms]

@@loverlyme so did it work!?

[@wandabout]

Great stuff. I used the Isopropyl Alcohol method on a 20-year old camera grip that had gone sticky and it worked really well. No more sticky nastiness! Thanks.

[@BoomerActual]

Me too. Worked.

[@craigandresen2456]

Thanks for this video. I had an old universal remote with the sticky problem. The isopropyl alcohol worked best for me too, and I tried a bunch of other things first such as laundry detergent, automobile tar remover, glass cleaner, etc. Nothing could clean it up. The IPA basically removes the rubber coating which for me was great.

[@Orillaincanada]

I loved your video! Just tried the isopropyl alcohol method on the handle of my old egg-beater (which totally had the sticky rubber syndrome! I just didn't know it had a name until now LOL) and it worked!!! No more sticky dark stains on my fingers. Thank you so much. :)

[@twocvbloke]

My solution; Soak the parts in twin tub washing powder solution, it de-stickifies them and retains the original look, works for a lot of sticky plastics including sticky wires and sticky IBM/Lenovo laptops... :)

[@Rich-on6fe]

Bio washing powder is surprisingly good at thoroughly cleaning stuff with little or no mechanical work. It did an amazing job on some elderly rubber (actually a bit knackered) Avo meter cables. Got them clean as a whistle without making them fall apart.

[@warbringerrr]

Can you explain more how you do that? You pour washing powder on it and clean with dry cloth? Or scrape needed?

[@BenInSeattle]

To un-sticky the rubber after reversion, you'd have to revulcanize it, which I'm not sure is possible. As a test, I tried using the heat gun (on my surface mount rework station). Although it seemed to work at first, the rubber quickly reverted to being sticky. Perhaps I needed to add sulfur?

[@UpLateGeek]

You can also dilute acetone with isopropanol if you want something more aggressive than isopropanol, but less so than acetone.

[@zoobloo]

Baking soda mixed with a little water worked incredibly well to clean my headphones!!! 10/10 would recommend

[@ATTORNEY380]

what proportion?

[@zoobloo]

@@ATTORNEY380 I just eyeballed it but as little water as possible - just to make it into a paste.

[@Solid2o]

Yes tried it and worked, just make a paste and rub it on and massage it. Used a wet cloth and wipe it off, all the sticky parts were gone.

[@zoobloo]

@@Solid2o Yep its a more accessible then buying the alcohol stuff and works so well

[@juneharvey1764]

A post-Covid solution - hand sanitizer! Worked a treat for me🙂

[@LeonKeyser]

I have an old MS Arc mouse that was REALLY sticky. Mostly top half. hand sanitizer and old cloth did the trick. Now I can get a few more years out of it. 👍

[@awakeningEmpath]

this clever trick saved my old planer from meeting a sticky end, thanks a lot

[@jcm4377]

Had exactly same problem with a laser pen and solved ( no pun intended) the problem with denatured alcohol. cheap and effective!

[@Bandit-Darville]

What's the difference between that and isopropyl alcohol?

[@fosforus1588]

7 min is way too long for this. GET TO THE POINT.

[@ArcticSeraph]

I know right?

[@MOAON_AABE]

If you don't like his video then go watch another one and quit whining like a child!!!

[@joecontreras5068]

You got that right brother

[@VAULT-TEC_INC.]

You you can fast forward through a video right?

[@joecontreras5068]

@@VAULT-TEC_INC. why bother- just turn it off

[@toxicgraphix]

A lot of times it's just a thin coating of a clear gunk that was sprayed on to make it feel rubbery. Over time it decomposes and gets sticky. IPA and a bunch of rags will usually clean it off.

[@patrickhenrypdx5355]

YES, this is exactly the case. In other words, your IPA-soaked rag may look like it's not taking anything off the surface, but that's because the rubberized coating is itself clear.

[@philippdase3626]

Just got my old black widow joystick out of the attic and went to find a video to show me how to remove the sticky rubber stuff. Amazed that I found yours straight away. I found that surgical spirit works great (and all the lettering stayed too!!). Thanks for the video

[@cdipsingh]

came looking for a solution to the stickiness on my mp3 player - tried acetone, wd40 and a baking powder paste - nothing worked. i ended up coating all rubber exposed areas in clear nail polish - which created a barrier against the exposed rubber. *thumbs up*

[@amberp1452]

I was thinking about that (however it will were), i wonder about painting with Plasta-Dip

[@johnburge155]

After removing the stickiness there is possibly a base layer that remains a little sticky. Switch to a scourer sponge and it will come off with a little more effort and isopropyl. This worked for me.

[@doktoruzo]

The curse of the sticky rubber syndrome. It's a pest. Hate it. That tin of WD40 you used was from 1969

[@jlucasound]

I noticed the can of WD-40. I thought it looked old (rust and all) :-0 but I thought it was just because it was in the UK. Different time zone and all. (Pffft!) (Just blew milk out of my nose.) I'm in the USA. Kinda Daft. :-) Not really. Love You Julian!!

[@doktoruzo]

@@jlucasound ..lol, yes. It's just a VERY old can, it's probably 30 years old!

[@grapsorz]

if you have it outside for a summer it will lokk about like that. that exact same can is on sale now.

[@fanplant]

It has been suggested that wd40 is Stoddard solvent with light oil in it. Something similar to Stoddard is 3M prepsol for cleaning cars before painting.

[@robertcartier5088]

@@jlucasound Rusty on the outside cause the WD-40 is on the inside! We should always remember to spill some on the can... ;--)

[@soniamacdonald8409]

Isopropyl alcohol worked for my mousepad. Thanks!!

[@antartis73]

Good video but I discovered yesterday that any Max Hold Hairspray can cover the rubber and stop it from sticking, you also don’t lose any writing on the rubber parts. You spray it leave a few hours to dry and it stops sticking to your hands! If it wears off, you spray again and you’re done..

[@brainfornothing]

I use acetone in a washcloth and problem solved (washcloth killed, obviously). Of course, don't keep the acetone too much time in one place, because will disolve all the plastic in contact, as all you know. Thanks for sharing !

[@gelisob]

Same, acetone to clear off the worst and the isowhatnot alcohol to finish off. Had to do even the mobius dash/actioncamera!

[@JxH]

I've found that the vigorous scrubbing itself is more essential than the choice of solvent or cleaning agent. Disassembly really helps, because then you can simply scrub the parts in a sink full of hot soapy water. Afterwards, a quick coat of suitable paint (e.g. Krylon) helps to cover over any residual spots, and tidy up the gadget's appearance. I had an 'Eton' (a.k.a. Asian 'Grundig') portable SW radio that was the most difficult. Had to take it to pieces to get the case halves into the sink. Also a Dremmel tool. And next is a heat gun.

[@lau_dhondt]

thanks for identifying the problem i was researching :), didn't even know what SRS was, but several of my appliances started suffering from it

[@WhangaFish]

I was watching this while having coffee in my kitchen so when he mentions Talcum Powder I thought I'll try that cause I have corn starch (essentially the same thing) in the cupboard right next to me. It worked a treat on my UHF radios. I wiped it all over then wiped it off with a dish cloth and altho I cant speak to the longevity of the fix it seems to be mint. Took less than a minute too.

[@jensrb50]

Use a mat clear coat that is made for leather to seal and cover it

[@bk14biker]

I've just dug out a stainless steel flask that had a black rubber coating. I tried a couple of methods without much success but acetone on a cotton cloth worked a treat. A quick wipe over and it was like new.

[@1te9re6sa9]

Same problem with my curling iron handle. I tried the cornstarch and it immediately removed the stickiness... will have to see how long it lasts, but at first glance, it worked for me!

[@NagarjunKoujula]

Great Video Julian .. Sanitizer worked like a magic in a 3 secs rub with kitchen tissue paper 👍

[@jimlarsen6782]

ABS plastic is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The black part is just the acrylonitrile butadiene rubber without the styrene. Pure styrene is rubbish for strength without the rubber. The rubber by itself reacts with body oils and goes to goo. I dont have the cure, but you can try boraxo powder or talcum to make it less sticky. Otherwise cut and sand...big mess. Self vulcanizing electrical tape over it is grippy and comfy.

[@gregorythomas333]

My joystick gone all sticky rubber syndrome... Can't stop giggling at this remark :)

[@trottx]

@Gregory Thomas Julian makes me laugh like a 10 year old all the time. :-) But alas, I'm on Santa's naughty list once again this year.

[@gregorythomas333]

I don't think I have been off the Naughty List since hitting puberty!

[@FlashKetchum]

Thank you for this! Really helped me clean my new mouse that got sticky from being stored in the shop too long lol

[@charlieschauer6850]

Rubbing alcohol worked very well for me, thanks

[@melanieambrose3624]

Lighter fluid works a treat 👍

[@kyoudaiken]

That's why I absolutely hated the last summer! Besides not being able to sleep for 9 months straight, all rubber stuff in my apartment has deteriorated beyond recognition...

[@geoffparsons9581]

I tried the product 'Goo Gone' on a rubberized USB stick. It didn't remove the coating but after letting it sit on it for about 5 minutes and wiping it off, it took all of the stickiness away. I also some time ago removed the rubberized coating on a motorcycle helmet with lacquer thinner. It was a long laborious task.

[@patricksweetman3285]

Julian, vulcanisation. Dust it with powdered sulphur and heat it up with a hot-air gun to stop the stickeyness.

[@sugarbooty]

How does this work?

[@patricksweetman3285]

@@sugarbooty That is vulcanisation. The sulphur crosslinks the free latex hydrocarbon polymer, hardening it. Vulcanisation was what made rubber practical for Mackintoshes and Wellingtons.

[@patricksweetman3285]

PS. It probably doesn't work for this application, but interesting for somebody else to try.

[@sugarbooty]

@@patricksweetman3285 interesting, I'm not sure if the TPE on the tools can be vulcanized, but it's an idea

[@cj-de2eb]

Someone try it and let us know!

[@richardrudkin2298]

I do't think is is reversion. Reversion describes the the status of cure of rubber when it has reached it's optimum cure and then over cured. When this happens the physical properties regress and in serious cases the material can become sticky .This is much more of an issue in natural rubber, not so much in synthetics. It is far more likely that the stickiness is either a chemical attack from a substance that has been transferred to the surface that has reacted with the rubber, or alternatively it could be plasticiser or wax leaching from the material, this is called bloom. The staining might be discoloured plasticiser that has absorbed dirt from hands. Someone who nows what they are doing can fairly easily test the rubber (if it actually is rubber, it may be a plastic) and determine what it is made from, you can then chose a compatible solvent to remove the plasticiser. ( different rubbers are softened with different plasticisers). Sorry that that doesn't give you a clear answer, but that is how it is. a retired polymer chemist :)

[@ijaygee1]

I've had good results removing the stickiness from soft-touch rubber grips using a solution of Oxi stain remover. This does not remove the rubber but appears to 'cure' the surface. All I know is it works!!

[@for-real-tho]

You deserve a medal! 🎖I tried it with a product called Vanish Oxi Action, and it made the sticky surface feel brand new.

[@ijaygee1]

@@for-real-tho glad it worked. I had to treat a wind-up torch just last week - horrible stick mess to perfectly useable in just 2 minutes.

[@JohnSmith-bb2np]

If you want to put a thin rubber layer on for grippiness, mask off the area and spray it with dip-it aerosol spray, or spray on electrical tape, or what ever they sell where you live that's like I described, it's all made by the same company. It's just like spray painting so make it nice, or you'll make a mess. If you don't like it or mess up a little, you can rub and peel it off, and do it again, only better next time. I used some on a mallet handle years ago and it's still wonderful to use.

[@johnacsyen]

Denatured alcohol works for me, used it on the sticky surface of my Dell laptop.

[@dmrobby4309]

You can use bicarb soda and water to clean sticky rubber. Just be careful to not get it into the electrical components. Make a pretty liquidy paste with bicarb and water, scrub it, and then clean off with a little water. Tape off the parts you don't want water to get into

[@duncanx99]

If it's any consolation, I have a 27 year old Ford Escort that's now doing this - where the plastic isn't crumbling to dust as part of Ford's 'end of life auto-recycle' thinking...

[@jparky1972]

Yep. I have a 35 year old Fiesta doing this. The mirror back in my mk2 1970 cortina turned to dust too! 😕

[@chrisg6597]

You've got a plastic Ford Escort...?!?!?!

[@loverlyme]

I had a 1979 Ford Escort- back in 1988. It seemed pretty old to me back then! I lived a long way from civilisation and I didn't know what to do when it didn't work. This was before the days of reliable mobile phone coverage. I eventually had to get something more reliable. I was living in a place that was constantly over 100F degrees for several months of the year, so air-conditioning was a big temptation too.

[@vincentdunn5809]

I tried Clorox Wipes on some Headsets that kills 99.9 % of germs , The ones that come in a round can, The Rubber stayed in tact and the sticky was GONE! Try it! Worked for me.

[@soarer282]

the rubber/plastic compound over molded will leach plasticizers into the room over time. Like how old plastic parts exposed to heat become brittle. My suggestion is to prevent this cancer eating away your tools before it happens. Things like rubber tyre shine/armourall/vinyl rejuvenator that are used in the automotive industry will help (most of your cars exterior trims are rubber overmolded onto stainless steel).

[@karmaBiiTCH]

My curling wand has a huge amount if sticky film all over it, and of course I have dogs so it got coated in dog hair. Used acetone nail polish remover, rubbed it in good and it's coming off! Takes time but it's working, not sure if my curling wand will work the same afterwards tho lol

[@neverclearone]

That was because you had hair spray build up on your curling iron. Totally different than soft touch coating.

[@jenniferdunton4499]

@@neverclearone I have the same problem on the handle of my curling iron. The handle has a rubber grip and it is sticky, just like the items in the video.

[@Davedarko]

I wonder what sneaker restoration channels use for that

[@immrnoidall]

My Asus ROG G73JH Laptop top cover and the touch pad area ,has this rubber stuff and it began getting gross in just a couple years. Now it's REALLY gross. I can't wait to try this cleanup .And I have some other power tools that are grossed out too. One is a drill like yours ,but it's RYOBI. It seems like there are a few knock-off's of that drill because I also have a knock-off but it's bit different from yours. i had to do a little modification for the battery to lock in good but it works .

[@artursmihelsons415]

I'm to, some time ago, try different methods to solve sticky rubber problem.. One method works well but after a month same thing again in upper layer.. Then i understand that rubber doing this because it's age.. I removed it with paper knife piece by piece and then clean off remains with some solvent and smoothing plastic with sand paper. One idea i had - to seal up upper layer with epoxy, but in my case, i didn't try it out because that time, what i spent, when first time try to deal with it..

[@richardnanis]

I dont think its a real tree rubber (latex) but more probably some soft plastic / chemical rubber with softener. The softener doesn't stay into the compound but leaks out together with a degradation of the soft plastic over years. I think there is hardly any way of curing this pest - so its best to get rid of it with isoprophylic alcohol, you could also try terpentine or nitro-dilution.

[@FuddButter]

Just pulled out my old film camera and it was all sticky, saw this video, 30sec with some isopropyl and it's sorted! Thanks!

[@JulianIlett]

Perfect, thanks. No wonder this video is doing well :)

[@gurribuy]

I rub ice cubes on the rubber which makes it stiff and most of the time it comes off in one piece.

[@loverlyme]

I think that most of us want the rubber to stay on though- we just don't want it becoming sticky without warrant.

[@Okurka.]

4:36 How old is that WD-40 can?

[@Chad-ski]

Talcum powder. I have some speakers not used for 3 years. The rubber had gone sticky. A bit of talcum powder in the hand rubbed into the rubber and stickiness gone in a minute 😁

[@64mustangfan]

I tried every solvent I could think of (usually without success), I scanned the remarks quickly, but could not see anyone suggest petrol/gasoline, worked well for me.

[@srmoll]

I have a Logitech mouse that had that problem. I just used one of these hand sanitizers that everyone has copious amounts of nowadays. It removed the stickiness without removing the rubber finish, it seems almost like new. No stickiness and now nice and grippy.

[@razminka.7522]

Corn starch worked excellently for me; thanks to the people that commented about this solution.

[@mrdovie47]

Try wearing a cotton glove soaked with the Isopropyl it might make the removal more localized. I have a flash light (torch) with the same problem, so thanks for the tip.

[@olik136]

for some reason foamy oven cleaner works really well- much better than any other alcohol, acetone, nail polish remover, WD40, CBR... I could find- even brake cleaner works poorly (wich I use for EVERYTHING) but standard oven cleaner does the job

[@PuchMaxi]

Thank you very much Oli! I tried the foamy oven cleaner on my Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000. Worked out great, the sticky rubber simply wiped away. Without scratches or damaging the plastic. iFixit has a great guide for taking apart the Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000, it's a bit tricky to take apart.

[@olik136]

@@PuchMaxi nice- I got that from a car channel on youtube- 90s cars often have that sticky stuff on the interior panels and for what ever reason oven cleaner works...

[@PuchMaxi]

@@olik136 Cool, it sure does! It has to be sticky rubber though, if the rubber is not sticky it will not remove it.

[@loverlyme]

But... did it remove the stickiness or the rubber? I want something that leaves the rubber intact.

[@goldgeologist5320]

I absolutely hate that in recent time we get this sticky rubber syndrome! It has even happened on the factory grips on one of my Smith&Wesson pistols! Use of these rubber/plastic compounds must stop!

[@larainebentley6609]

I have a travel hairdryer that has gone sticky on the handle and nozzle. I will give this a try

[@Chungustav]

Hand sanitizer worked for me (62%) and the advantage is if you don't want the more liquid version going where you dont want it.

[@n8nkqrp595]

Thin silicone RTV with naptha.. charcoal lighter fluid.. and apply to degrading rubber and rub it in. Maybe apply a second coat after the first vulcanizes. Just a thought

[@thomashanlon3930]

methylated spirits and paper towels worked for me

[@jeanetteshawredden5643]

After reading many comments, I tried 70% rubbing alcohol & a rag on 2 items & both came out very well! (1) sticky rubber handle on a Mr Coffee "milk frother" that had been in a box, new/unused for 15+ years - after scrubbing with alcohol, the handle surface was down to "hard plastic" like on a stereo or alarm clock. No big deal - not as pretty but I don't mind at all. Before i put batteries in it, i set it out in the warm sun for several hours to dry it well. Now it works great! .... (2) two very sticky umbrella handles- only about 5-6 years old. The alcohol scrub did the trick - handles are more of a hard rubber now but that is fine with me! Both umbrellas fabric is attractive and colorful - now I don't have to buy new stuff. I successfully recycled ♻️ what I already had. Am very happy with results ❤️

[@MicraHakkinen]

If you don't mind a matte finish, I've had good results with soapy water and a scouring pad.

[@roidroid]

My car's dashboard had the same issue, such a huge job. Put the latex gloves on and cleaned it up with *Metho & paper-towels, worked well* . i think i used over 1 Litre of metho, i had the towels near-dripping, it evaporates way too fast. In hindsight i wish i'd put the metho into a spray bottle, to spray directly onto the dash then wipe away (regularly adding more spray as it dries). It would have been more efficient with the metho. Such a big area to clean!

[@Marauder1981]

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) react with oils mostly, but also interact with bacteria on hands

[@riccardo5089]

Ammonia apparently also works, for anyone seeing this and still needing a solution

[@birdbrainxzx]

Got it, so much like a jellyfish sting, just pee on it.

[@jlucasound]

I am going to use hindsight...in the future. "Hey! Tesco! Ya, and all you other guys, too! Stop putting this pseudo rubber crap on our toys and tools!! If you can come up with a formula that doesn't revert back to the Tar Pits of La Brea, fine. Use it. Otherwise, we are OK with wearing grippy gloves or just holding on to smooth plastic. The grippy rubber stuff is nice in the beginning, but it soon becomes much like my married sex life. Old, sticky, and uncomfortable. Back to the Lab, Gentlemen. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, your Consumers.

[@cirruslogic]

I have a few electronic devices made of this disgusting sticky material. And it is laid over the entire body. A power bank, a power drill, an expensive Zoom H6. Someone said that the brain dead engineers who decided to coat these appliances with this material ought to have their entire house and tools and furniture coated with this material. I agree to that. Engineers, please stop using this material. It is not a suitable material that helps with grip.

[@_Piers_]

You can buy bottles of stuff for removing sticky residue left when removing stickers and the like. I've used it in combination with isopropanol to get that awful melted rubber of some quite expensive camera lenses.

[@MrSuperheterodyne]

Same here - always with the lenses for some reason... 80's and 90's lenses. The older ones actually had a proper rubber sleeve that slid over the barrel of the lens. Ok they used to crack after 30 years but at least they didn't go sticky.

[@steiniapproved]

Rubber Renue 408A/B from MG Chemicals looks promising. I've seen a KZbinr refurbish an old pinch roller of a reel-to-reel tape and it worked like a charm.

[@michaelmacburney5201]

Just tried this using an old bottle of 'Teac Rubber Cleaner Conditioner'. Worked great! Thanks for the hint!

[@MrSonicAdvance]

This helped me get the nasty goo off an old Casio camera I have. Nice video! :)

[@bella-bee]

I camera body got this sticky rubber thing, and while wrestling with it I got black stains on my sweatshirt! Tried using iso and it did loosen it a bit, but left a black ring as the solvent spread it out! Chromatography! Not enough, I guess. I also tried lighter fluid and that did not shift the rubber. I shall go back in with more iso after seeing your efforts, thank you. I’ve read that dry cleaning fluid also works. You might find something useful in the stain devil range.

[@troyspears9699]

rubbing in baby powder allows you to scrape off the majority of the coating before using a solvent to clean off the remaining residue.

[@HazeAnderson]

Unfortunately the best idea I can come up with is .... sharks with lazers.

[@SpeccyMan]

No such thing as a lazer! Perhaps you meant laser? Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

[@HazeAnderson]

@@SpeccyMan I'll spell lazer any damn way I like.

[@robertcartier5088]

@@SpeccyMan He has a slight accent and spells it like: Zdimulated. ;-)

[@vivabella68]

I tried Sticky Stuff Remover. Worked a treat.

[@maurice1606]

Worked for me on the front of a Craghoppers belt clip, but it took a lot of rubbing, which wasn't easy in the corners. Meths was faster and easier on the back.

[@jiversteve]

What does AVE have to say?

[@atreides1984]

Something along the lines of "release the schmoo!!!", obviously.

[@crawfish069]

Something something oakum...

[@isoguy.]

When you got shmoo on your joystick it better be of her makin.

[@wallybords]

After rubbing it with alcohol, I had it washed with soap and water. Then I rubbed it with Armor all protectant. It improved its finish.

[@misshutchison]

White Vinegar & Dawn dish soap removed ALL of the STICKY. It also polished to a mirror finish.

[@zackg007]

every time I get a piece of music equipment out of storage it’s sticky and disgusting. The only thing that’s ever worked for me has been iso alcohol. I kind of thought I was going crazy. This video was quite a releaf I must say.

[@richardseeto1182]

I found that Mineral Turps has removed the stickiness of my lap tops, digital recorders and go pro accessories...

[@RoyvandeWalle]

Brake cleaner works also very well

[@Dr._Spamy]

Also lighter fluid / lighter benzine (Feuerzeugbenzin) works well for me.

[@nigeljohnson9820]

I think the sticky rubber is the result of the plasticiser used to make the rubber flexible migrating to the surface. The chemical involved also reacts with the plastic used in power cables, making the insulator fall apart and makes gloss painted surfaces return to a liquid state. I found to my cost some time ago that WD40 reacts with some plastic cases, making them brittle and crack open. This I discovered when I used it to clean the case of a BBC micro, which I believe was made of ABS plastic. The WD40 showed no immediate effect abaft from acting as a very good cleaner, however after a few weeks the case became brittle and powdered at the slightest touch. I am still looking for a solvent to remove the sticky plasticiser, but I suspect that this is just a break down product of the rubber compound, so removing it will not restore the rubber to a stable condition. I have had some success using a solution of washing up liquid to remove the sticky layer.

[@journeyquest1]

I tried alcohol but didnt work. The only thing i found that works somewhat is silicon spray. Let it soak in wipe off. Repeat several times. You need a lint free rag.

[@davey2k12]

Just tried baking soda and it sticks to sitcky bits and then use Dettol surface wipes and then dry it with paper towel ...... Some things may take few attempts just use paper to catch the excess soda then reapply if needed ..... Few min sticky gone 😅😅

[@RM_VFX]

I rue the day that electronics makers had the secret meeting where they decided that everything must have a coating of silicone on it, so people would throw their functioning devices out when they became disgusting.

[@condescending28]

I just scrolled on to your video. I had a Fighting Game Controller I just bought from eBay brand new but it’s been in the box since 2007. I took it out of the box, the rubber was exactly how yours was. I just rubbed nail polish remover and it worked. Well, so far. Maybe it’ll change later on but so far so good the first 2 hours I been using it. So try Nail Polish Remover.

[@canningpark]

Use a clear spray paint to coat it all over. Easy and simple.

[@cj-de2eb]

Julian - maybe the idea of using cling film was more to cover the sticky, than to remove it...? Seems like that could work. I have a Dremel-type tool that I got second hand, with the sticky problem. I think I just cleaned it and scrubbed as best I could with isopropyl and tried some other cleaners, probably a Simple Green type and maybe tried something else. It got most of the current "blegh" off but I don't use it enough to spend much time bothering about it. Maybe next time I dig it out I'll try something else, and report back.

[@prouserprouser9646]

METHALATED SPIRTS (PURPLE IN COLOUR) UK

[@danatmonst3594]

I just did a Hisense remote with nail polish and make up remover pads. Not much came off. More came off with 70% IPA. Not all of it tho so I rubbed it down with talc then polished it with a cloth. Now we can argue about who gets the remote again lol.