Radio - Plastic Has Become Sticky. How Best To Clean?

martindow

The plastic case of a radio is sticky to the touch.  It feels as if someone has poured a sugary drink over it.

There has definitely not been anything spilt on it.  It is in a room in the loft which is cold in winter and hot in the summer so maybe that has caused this.  The stickiness is present to varying degrees over much of the surface, but the radio itself is working fine.

What do you recommend as the best way of trying to clean it?

cx6

you could try white spirit

Emmia

Proceed carefully though, in case the white spirit damages the plastic. 

Have you tried a normal household or facial wipe?

Swipe

Had a similar thing on a laptop. Surgical spirit or wipes should do the trick.

another_casualty

Flash wipes or similar brands should do it 

bob_a_builder

Had the same thing on a Pure One radio 
I used methylated spirts, that worked for me, still took quite a bit of rubbing as well, but all sticky has gone now

mobileron

Cleaned mine with wd40,worked perfectly.

martindow

Thanks all.  I've successfully cleaned it with wet wipes and after a bit of scrubbing the stickiness is gone.

Interestingly, it is the same Pure One radio that Bob mentioned he had had this problem with.  Maybe it is an issue with the type of plastic they use.

MattMattMattUK

martindow said:

Thanks all.  I've successfully cleaned it with wet wipes and after a bit of scrubbing the stickiness is gone.

Interestingly, it is the same Pure One radio that Bob mentioned he had had this problem with.  Maybe it is an issue with the type of plastic they use.

With most of these issues it is a case of the "soft touch" coating breaking down, which it does over time anyway, but is accelerated by dust, sunlight, grease from human hands and lots of household chemicals.