Laptop is depolymerizing -- how can I remedy this?

Submitted ⁨⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨plantteacher@mander.xyz⁩ to ⁨chemistry@mander.xyz⁩

I acquired a ~16 year old laptop. The mat black plastic top (back of the LCD) is sticky. At first I thought the previous owner had stickers on the back that were removed. But that seems like a bad theory now. I rubbed it with a cloth and denatured alcohol and it only got slightly less sticky, but black residue came off on my hands and the cloth. This is apparently not adhesive… it’s the plastic itself.

What’s my best move? I don’t suppose I can do anything to re-polymerize it. I don’t care about cosmetics… I just don’t want it to be sticky and marking anything that touches it. One temptation is to put plastic film on it, like cling wrap. But that could just make a bigger mess.

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BakedCatboy@lemmy.ml ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Sounds like those “soft touch” plastic surfaces. I’ve had a bunch of old plastic things turn sticky that way - it’s really hard to get it off but what I do is alternate between isopropyl, WD40 (brushed on with a cotton swab or cotton ball and let it sit for a while to let it break down the sticky before using Clorox or isopropyl to remove the WD40), and Clorox wipes. Eventually the matte finish comes off and you’re left with a shiny plastic surface. It just takes a lot of elbow grease, I often give myself finger blisters from scrubbing but it’s a relief to get it off.

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- plantteacher@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  WD-40 sounds like an interesting idea. Most people think of it as an oil, but in fact WD-40 is a cocktail of like 12 or so different solvents, plus mineral oil, IIUC. It’s indeed more of a cleaning product than a lube.
  
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- cm0002@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Maybe one of those motorized polishing brush things might be good for this…or a sander lmao
  
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Steve@startrek.website ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Every reconditioned laptop comes with textured vinyl sheet over the lid

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BOFH666@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Let me know when you find something that actually works.

Just happened to use gasoline on a sticky Dell XPS. Didn’t help. Baking soda does reduce the sticky feeling, but leaves a weird coating.

Alcohol didn’t work for me, perhaps I’ll just need to wrap the laptop with some sticker

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- plantteacher@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  actually after using alcohol and letting it dry it’s not really coming off on my hands. Just still a little sticky. But temp could be a factor. I wonder if on a hot summer day it will be more likely to mark things that touch it. If that happens, my temptation is to cut out a piece of sheet metal and try using a 2-component epoxy.
  
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MutilationWave@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
You could try this stuff. It’s worked very well for sticky things in the past for me. Image

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- plantteacher@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Whenever I see that stuff on the shelf I think “I have acetone… why would I buy that? Probably just acetone with a different label”. But I’m probably wrong… if that were acetone it would not be “surface safe” and they’d get sued for damages. So indeed, probably worth a try.
  
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  - MutilationWave@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It’s actually made from orange peels. Very different, non toxic, and it smells great.
    
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  - BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    We used goo gone in a facility I once worked in where we had to remove stickers from plastic totes. Nothing got rid of the adhesives as quickly or easily. Theres like half a dozen different solvents in goo gone, I definoverprnot just brand name acetone.
    
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  - blackbrook@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It’s more of turpentine replacement than an acetone replacement.
    
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- BOFH666@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Thanks! Will search for it.
  
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smuuthbrane@sh.itjust.works ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Scrubbing the affected area with a paste made from baking soda and a small amount of water will remove the sticky parts and get you back to good base plastic. What you do from there is up to you.

Perhaps a spray can of truck bed liner would be more durable and prevent the base layer from degrading further.

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Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I’ve used acetone ( nail polish remover ) to remove/harden the soft touch plastic that went sticky on several things.

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- plantteacher@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  That’s surprising. Acetone dissolves a lot of plastics even when they are in a new state. I might try it in a small area but I’m skeptical. I would expect it to worsen the situation.
  
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  - blackbrook@mander.xyz ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Isopropyl alcohol will fuck up some plastics too.
    
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  - Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Yes acetone can dissolve some plastics. So testing is wise. And cleaning after using it is important. I used an acetone damped paper towels and rubbed.
    
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FuzzChef@feddit.org ⁨4⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Try cleaners containing orange terpenes.

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