After much frustration using many products, I actually stumbled upon using the plastic / rubber polisher for car interiors (dashboards, etc) Works like a charm and that sticky mess never came back
@@LisaL. Honestly couldn't even tell you, it was just some cheap off the shelf one grabbed at the local garage, nothing fancy and was used up long ago. I think any plastic trim restorer should work the same. I did have tire restorer and engine degreaser lined up to try too though, but didn't have to resort to those in the end
Literally none of the coatings are butylene. Butylene is a highly reactive gas, and it is not a "cousin" to any alcohol except butyl alcholol, which is not generally available in the consumer market.
Acetone is probably the strongest commonly available solvent and degreaser (and unlike most things, will quickly remove mineral spirits). I’d be interested to see how it compares in a test, but you’d need to be careful about what substrate is below the decaying synthetic elastomer material, since acetone dissolves a lot of plastic (acrylic and polycarbonate both dissolve; if your plastic has a number, I think ‘2’ (i.e. ‘HDPE’, high-density polyethylene’)) is completely safe, and ‘4’ (‘LDPE’, low-density polyethylene) is pretty much safe as well. My understanding is that PET (‘1’, i.e. polyethylene terephthalate, a.k.a., polyester) and polypropylene (‘5’, ‘PP’) will eventually fail but take a while. ‘3’ (polyvinyl chloride, ‘PVC’) and ‘6’ (polystyrene, ‘PS’), on the other hand, will begin dissolving quickly. Naphtha can be purchased in bulk in the paint section of most hardware stores where it isn’t illegal, and it is particularly effective at dissolving silicone, which is the primary reason I use it and nearly unique to naphtha. Mineral spirits ( _white spirit_ , _mineral turpentine_ , et al., and probably the most common paint thinner for oil-based paints) is used as the base for many oil-based finishes and its behavior as a solvent probably overlaps significantly with gasoline and naphtha. Like naphtha, it can also dissolve silicone, but it is more difficult to work with and noticeably less effective in this regard, and it is substantially more aromatic in my experience (possibly excepting some mineral spirits I had purchased years ago which advertised itself as having low odor). Also, I’ve had success using isopropanol, but it may be because I usually keep a bunch of 99% on had as a cheaper, more versatile, and less poisonous solvent for shellac.
There were a LOT of solvents suggested that I could have added to this test. I bought the naphtha, but otherwise I stuck with solvents I had kicking around already. Acetone WAS suggested a lot though. Thx for the thoughts on this!
I have a similar pair if binoculars and went a different route. I dusted the entire body with baking Soda. It worked well for me. I don’t know how long this might last for. I also have a sticky flashlight that I will try the solvent treatment on. Thank you for posting this video
A lot of other people did something similar with either talc or corn starch. It should work reasonably well. If it wears away and gets sticky again, just re-apply. Eventually the wearing away will take all the stick with it. Just be careful with powder getting into the optics. I don't know if baking soda being very alkaline might do anything negative to the plastic over time. Maybe, maybe not. I'm not sure. Talc would be less potential there I would guess.
I've watched both videos, and they were both entirely valid and informative. People thinking that every single thing works the same on every thing really need to get on board with "The universe is chaos; life is trying to make order of chaos" the better. They might have used a different plastic in different countries. or product runs. or even price points. It is insane. More information of things to try, is always better.
I'd recommend first applying whichever solvent to a tiny patch of whatever is being cleaned to make sure it doesn't dissolve the actual thing you want to resuscitate.
I have found that instead of trying to remove the sticky stuff you can use French chalk this is non toxic safe to use and works 100%, the downside is it changes to colour from black to a kind of silver grey which I think looks ok
In comparison to kerosine and likes, gasoline is extremely dangerous. Their flashpoint is −43 °C (−45 °F), i.e., the temperature in which they give off vapours in a quantity such as to be capable of forming an ignitable vapour/air mixture. This is in contrast to kerosine >38 °C (100 °F) and diesel >52 °C (126 °F), which are above room temperatures. Don't be too quick to run off and buy a can of gasoline for general cleaning purpose. They may do cleaning miracles, but they may as easily cause a disaster.
Gasoline is not always the same set of chemicals. Depending on the region, altitude and season it is formilated differently. Where summer gas worked, winter gas might melt the whole thing into a lump, or winter gas might work while summer gas just doesn't. If you are working on something really valuable you might want to order a 5 gallon container from a fuel producer such as VP. The you would know that you can get more of exactly the same thing later. Kerosene and white gas (i.e. coleman fuel) might also be worth trying.
Funny I was recommended your 2-week video right as you uploaded this one, which led me directly here. WD-40 is a mix of different viscosity fluids, so more akin to zippo fluid mixed with gasoline and a bit of heavier oilly one. It works ok, and ironically you can clean the residue with alcohol afterwards (which indeed does next to nothing to the sticky goo alone). I suppose gasoline does work better, but if you want to avoid it, WD-40 & alcohol combo will work with a bit of physical work. EDIT: From the couple tries I've done myself, it feels like WD-40 kind of dissolves the material but it is still sticky and attached to the surface like a thick cream, and the alcohol after helped clear that
I didn't dare get into "combo-cleaning" in this video because I thought it'd be too much of a rabbit hole. But I agree with you that using multiples of these options in different passes is probably the best overall approach for most situations.
The "only" variable is not time. The other variables include item used to apply alcohol and scrub the binoculars, the alcohol itself, likely amount of alcohol, and the amount and type of force applied. And just because you did not apply the liquid gas to that area does not mean there wasn't enough vapor there to affect it.
I'm not going to say I 100% disagree with you. Those ARE variable factors. I always used a rag, but not the same rag, the volume of liquid definitely varies, and the force must have been somewhat variable. But I think that those details likely aren't playing very large roles. All cotton rags are going to tend to be quite similar, the volume of liquid they hold when saturated is also rather uniform, and my scrubbing technique likely doesn't vary much. As for the vapor, IDK, that seems unlikely to be a huge player in this. But again, I can't say you're wrong, because those variable do exist. I just wouldn't tend to think they would play a large role if I had to guess. I might be wrong there. If you can rig up a better experiment, definitely let me know. I'd like to see the results.
This is worth pinning. An N95 mask only provides protection against particles, and does almost nothing for gasoline or other solvent fumes (Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs). You need a VOC respirator with cartridge filters to handle those fumes. They don’t cost much and are available at any decent hardware store in the paint department. They look a little like a cheap gas mask because they are doing the same thing.
You're 100% right there. In this video, I don't talk about N95s though - do I? It was my intention to talk about the P100 filters capable of filtering VOCs. Did I slip up at some point and say N95? Let me know if you found me make that mistake please.
For all intents and purposes, gasoline is mostly naptha, the naptha used to fuel your Zippo is just a tad lighter (see what I did there?) and doesn't have the additives used to make engines run smoother. I was surprised nobody mentioned acetone on your last video. Although I see the comments section is a bit more on the ball this time!
Acetone was definitely brought up a fair bit. I just didn't have any kicking around so that wasn't part of this testing. If I'd had some, I would have tried it too. People also mentioned a lot of other things that they found worked as well. So I had to try to cut it off at someplace so there wouldn't be too many test subjects. but yeah, acetone would have been a good one to include.
Here are a few other ideas to try if you want to take this experiment to a Mythbusters-level of rigor. Most, if not all, of these have warning labels longer than 'War and Peace', so having adequate PPE is a must. Take into account that I'm just spit-balling, and some of these might be the same chemicals but marketed under different names (in the same way that Sominex® sleep-aid contains the same active ingredient as Benadryl® antihistamine). - Brake cleaner spray - Gun cleaning solvent* - Denatured alcohol - Ethanol-free gasoline - TSP or "phosphate-free" TSP - Pine tar - PVC primer - Concentrated (30%+) vinegar - Rubber Renue - Zep I'm almost certain some of these will make things worse, but testing to find out is half the fun. *I tried to get some gooey stuff off of a nickel plated replica of an old pistol. It worked on the metal, etched/dissolved the plastic on the grips.
I happen to have some band-aid remover fluid laying around. It is mostly heptane (pure hydrocarbon component common in gasoline/petrol) with isopropanol and peanut oil added.
Smith & Nephew makes adhesive remover wipes that work well on some things too. According to the box the main ingredient is dipropylene glycol methyl ester.
I have the case with Playstation controllers, it's terrible, so I'm going to test it. Just a note regarding PPE, gloves are good, mask is good, but don't forget safety glasses 😉 Greetings from France
I totaly like these kind of videos. I didn't know that this particular degrading behaviour is intentional, part of PO strategies, thanks! In my country naphta is actualy the name for the diesel fuel. It seems bit more oily, probaly good for cleaning old labels. Not so much for this sticky stuff. Thanks for the tips.
I don't know 100% that this added is put on for the purpose of self destructing the product, it's just a guess on my part. I bet it's probably part of the reason, but maybe not all.
@@PraxisAdventuresHello, no it’s just normal degradation of thermoplastic polymer, nothing to do with planned obsolescence, it’s a way of providing a tactile grip on otherwise smooth surfaces, but over time the natural oils in your skin combined with UV Light breakdown the plasticisers and this is the result - Julie
@@julielowe7462 You seem pretty assured about this not being something that companies recognize as a benefit in terms of planned obsolescence. I think it'd pretty hard for anyone to make that claim of all companies everywhere. I'd assume it's a mixture of ignorance and intent. But I don't know for sure that you're wrong there. So you might possibly be right. But again, that's a BIG claim being made that not a single company anywhere might do this for reasons other than poor decision making. As far as skin oils and UV definitely being the cause, I do know that that part is incorrect (at least in some cases) because this happens even to un-opened box items that have been stored in cool dark conditions. Skin oils and UV might accelerate the issue in some ways. Skin oils make sense that they would do so at least. But they aren't at all necessary. These items (at least many of them) are time bombs with or without customers ever touching them.
Acetone can seriously mess up your plastic. I wouldn't use it unless you are very sure it is not ABS or other plastic that can dissolve or discolour from the acetone. I once accidentally dropped some on my keyboard, resulting in me having to throw it away
@@19trwind82 Yeah, any solvent should be tested to avoid this danger. This is actually how I discovered gas might work. I accidentally spilled it on some EPS foam insulation and it dissolved it.
Very hard to identify plastic type for some appliances. Tested a small spot and no issues. Went ahead with straight Acetone. Cleaned off afterwards. Nice shiny finish. No other solvent had worked.
I’m going to try this on my car. The rubber seals on the window has ‘gummed up’ and has left streaks of rubber residue on my window (common with older Toyotas). I’m going to give the isopropyl a go first, meths and then gas. Just because I have the other two products in the house and ready to go. Thanks for the content.
I hope one of the solvents works for you. Be sure to do a test spot first just to be sure the results aren't problematic in any way for you. Good luck!
WD-40 Pentrating or their "Specialist Penetrant" works better than regular WD-40. You can get it at Walmart, Lowe's, or Home Depot. You can get 91% Isopropyl Alcohol from Walmart to remove the residue from the WD-40 faster. While WD-40 residue will wear off after a day or two, like the gasoline smell, finishing with 91% Isopropyl Alcohol gives you that quick satisfying finish. I have not tested it, but this video makes me wonder if using 91% isopropyl alcohol after using the gasoline would give you a safer finish that didn't smell? Because that smell is you breathing in the evaporating gasoline fumes, if the 91% isopropyl alcohol removed the smell of gas faster, you wouldn't have to keep the item in an open area until the gas smell went away for better safety?
I think you're only the 2nd person to notice that. I asked AI to give me a video of a pig-man kneading dough. I mean, I wanted it to be weird, but just not the sort of weird it spat out. As it turned out, the AI upped my requested weirdness by 10X... and I happily went with it.
Gasoline is a lot more tightly controlled in Europe, having said that should still be possible to get from a petrol station you might need to explain to the operator before they activate the pump though
"Tightly controlled"? "Operator"? Which Europe are you living in? In Norway, anybody with a working credit or debit card can get as much gasoline/petrol or diesel as they can afford.
I don’t think this person lives in the EU. Probably never been there either. This sounds like an uninformed American who listens to too many conspiracy theories about why America is so great.
I’m freaked out here! 4 weeks ago I was wondering this topic, and watching this (time of this comment) 4 week old vid, see your “Hang on…” shirt. I’m saying to myself “I’ve got that shirt!”. Then look down…”Holy Sh*t! I’m wearing it right flipping now!” 😂
I guess that day 4 weeks ago was a day to overthink things for both of us! ;) I glanced down at my shirt just now to see what I'm wearing, but today it's just a disappointing blue shirt with no slogans. Have a good one - and thanks for sharing that funny coincidence!
I'd love to see your comments section cure the butyl rubber on my handheld power tools that has gone sticky and oily. I did a lot towards fixing it with baking soda, after taking on an endless mission trying to cure it with isopropyl alcohol and acetone. But it's only surface deep.
For me, those haven't gotten sticky, but that's probably because the goo keeps getting worn off by being constantly dusted in sawdust and that dust abrasively rubbing the goop off over time. A lot of people suggested they used physical solutions like talc, corn starch, or baking soda as ways of dusting the surface and physically wearing away at the goo over time. I'd suggest the corn or the talc are probably the better of those options because they're chemically stable.
I wrapped silicone tape around the handle of an old R*by drill, and the handle of a bread knife. Very slightly tacky at first but that went away with use. The silicone tape seals to itself rather than with an adhesive, so you don’t get glue like electrical tape leaves. Also way cheaper on A-BigRiver than 333m brand at HW stores.
@@firstmkb I protect the headband of my headphones like that. Got fed up of the faux leather disintegrating after a year or two. I can vouch for the silicone tape although it is quite expensive for such a use case. Even from the Magic Middle Kingdom, let alone the big river you mention.
Is gas, gasoline, petrol and diesel all the same as I'm confused here. We have in our country, benzine, diesel and petrol, 3 different things and gas, is gas propane....
Petrol, benzin, and gasoline (gas for short) refer to the same thing. Diesel is a different substance. Propane is another, and unlike the other it's actually a gas.
That's a "sticky" subject. Here in Hollywood, "gas" usually means gasoline (mostly octane C8H18) motor fuel. "Natural gas" or "NG" is the mostly methane (CH4) mixture piped to buildings for heating. "Propane" is actually propane (C3H8) which is a two phase liquid-gas solution in the tank, but is consumed as a gas. Benzene (C6H6) is an automatic solvent. It's no longer used in the consumer sector due to carcinogenic properties. "White gas" or "lantern fuel" is kerosene, which is a heavy hydrocarbon mixture. Most jet fuels are kerosenes. Diesel "fuel" or "oil" is another heavy hydrocarbon mixture used only as diesel engine fuel. None of the other terms you listed are used in the U.S.
And I think US kerosine is called paraffin elsewhere. In the US paraffin is a white wax used for making candles or canning (which uses jars, not cans.) Make sure to leave a torch in the boot of your lorry in case you need to look under the bonnet or check the tyres!
Gasoline has been my go to for years if I step in gum. It doesn’t take much, usually I could just tap a pump nozzle on a rag, and the drops are enough, and I can throw the rag away before leaving the gas station.
Hi I have had this happen a lot to my gear namely some dr Dre solo headphones they were a mess and a mouse I’ve figured out what causes the degradation of this soft touch coating and it’s storing items in high humidity or places that are damp I will try some of these as to mechanically remove the gum without anything is a nightmare thanks
I used to not having access to band aid, but there is a roll-cloth-tape the my dad used on my wounds. The tape goes on top of a cotton gauze pad of course. That tape, though similar to band aid, have a way stronger glue. It sticks to my skin so bad. After the wound healed, my dad ripped off those tapes. Very painful. There were left over glue on the skin. Guess what he use to clean my skin. Gasoline!
@@redribbonzx7207 I think the medical grade stuff is just the dissolving agents without the added horror show of extra toxic ingredients. Effectiveness-wise, I'd imagine they work about the same.
@@redribbonzx7207I had some leftover adhesive from a heart monitor pad that I wore for a few days, so similar to your experience. I used WD-40 to clean it off. Easier than gas.
OMG FINALLY!!! Someone noticed that. Yeah, AI video. I love playing with that stuff. I asked for it to make me a video of a half human pig man kneading dough on a marble counter in a up-scale kitchen... and it made a guy kneading a pig. And I was like PERFECT!!! :)
I very much agree, 99% IPA is effective against kerosene combustion sludge in rocket engines, watered-down alcohol is useless. The best sludge solvent I've used is Exsoll D-40, a desulfurized, de-aromatized (non-carcinogenic), 100% volatile (no waxy residues) clean kerosene. It also makes a great rocket fuel to replace RP-1.
I was going with things that people commonly have. Most people seem to stock 50% or 70%. And did you watch the part of the video where the ISO seemed to work? I wouldn't say I had a problem with isopropyl, but rather a solution.
@@rodbtelenetbe We're talking about a lot of different solvents here. "It" isn't really specific enough to be meaningful without context regarding what you're talking about.
WD-40 is primarily naptha, with a significant number of other additives. Kerosene (paraffin) and gasoline (petrol) are primarily a mix of hydrocarbons with additives so that they function well in combustion engines. Methylated spirits are primarily ethanol with methanol, colorant and other additives. The problem with anything that is a mixture with additives is that there is a greater chance that some additive will harm the object you are cleaning, or leave a messy deposit. Or smell. Zippo is also primarily naptha like WD-40. Perhaps you should have done more simple research on Google before making this video. I prefer videos where the presenter knows what they are talking about.... Distilled water and Isopropyl alcohol are both high purity, effective for cleaning a lot of plastics and generally unlikely to cause damage. I don't think either will clean up the gooey rubbery compound (is it plastic or rubber?) that you are testing in this video. It is always useful to test a solvent by applying a small amount with a cotton bud to make sure it doesn't do damage.
I like doing research online, but it's also important to just try things out on one's own. It's hard to know what's credible online often times - even from "credible" sources. So while I went into this testing with less knowledge than you might have preferred, I came out with knowledge that (it would seem) you don't have. For one example, I was VERY surprised that the alcohol that you presumed would not be effective (as did I) actually WAS very effective. It's important to really try things out lest we end up parroting the mistakes that others have heard and then themselves passed on without analysis. Being surprised by a result is always a good thing - because it gives us greater insight into something that (apparently) we didn't know as well as we thought we did.
