I have no idea where to post this question, so I just thought I'd throw it up here.
I also have no idea what this material actually is, but I'm making an educated guess based on words that I think I've heard before and what the material feels like.
So I've got a few pieces of computer / electronic equipment that all seem to have a similar material. This material looks and feels like very firm rubber. I believe it is plasticized rubber, or rubberized plastic, because it is more durable and/or cheaper and/or easier to make than actual rubber. I also think that manufacturers use it because it is more tactile, feels better in the hand, and also makes the product look more professional.
I think it is frequently used in some kinds of mice for instance (like the Logitech M510, MX Master, MX Performance, just browsing over some I have at hand) because it improves hand feel and makes the grip easier and more comfortable.
Anyway, the point is I've noticed on several of these electronic items that the rubber portion has over time become tacky (feels slightly sticky, but doesn't actually seem to leave any residue on the hand). Additionally, once it has become tacky, it seems to collect dust and particles like crazy, and cleaning them off becomes next to impossible. It seems like the dust becomes permanently embedded into the rubberized surface.
The common difference between the rubberized parts that have this problem and the ones that don't is that I left them disused for a good while in hot and/or humid environments. A pair of speakers with rubberized feet, and an external LG DVD reader/writer with a rubberized base, which were stored for a while in a garage in the Southern USA; and then an older 17" Dell Studio Laptop that seems to have a rubberized coating on the top cover and the rubberized grips on a Logitech joystick, which were stored in a home, but in a tropical country, have all developed a similar tacky feel and have acquired a dirty appearance that seems impossible to remove.
Meanwhile, the Logitech mice I listed above have no problems - I assume because they are always kept in a climate controlled office.
So anyway, does anyone else have a similar experience with this kind of issue? And most importantly, does anyone know how to possibly clean these surface and/or remove the tackiness and/or restore these surfaces to a more usable/pleasant appearance and/or feel?
I also have no idea what this material actually is, but I'm making an educated guess based on words that I think I've heard before and what the material feels like.
So I've got a few pieces of computer / electronic equipment that all seem to have a similar material. This material looks and feels like very firm rubber. I believe it is plasticized rubber, or rubberized plastic, because it is more durable and/or cheaper and/or easier to make than actual rubber. I also think that manufacturers use it because it is more tactile, feels better in the hand, and also makes the product look more professional.
I think it is frequently used in some kinds of mice for instance (like the Logitech M510, MX Master, MX Performance, just browsing over some I have at hand) because it improves hand feel and makes the grip easier and more comfortable.
Anyway, the point is I've noticed on several of these electronic items that the rubber portion has over time become tacky (feels slightly sticky, but doesn't actually seem to leave any residue on the hand). Additionally, once it has become tacky, it seems to collect dust and particles like crazy, and cleaning them off becomes next to impossible. It seems like the dust becomes permanently embedded into the rubberized surface.
The common difference between the rubberized parts that have this problem and the ones that don't is that I left them disused for a good while in hot and/or humid environments. A pair of speakers with rubberized feet, and an external LG DVD reader/writer with a rubberized base, which were stored for a while in a garage in the Southern USA; and then an older 17" Dell Studio Laptop that seems to have a rubberized coating on the top cover and the rubberized grips on a Logitech joystick, which were stored in a home, but in a tropical country, have all developed a similar tacky feel and have acquired a dirty appearance that seems impossible to remove.
Meanwhile, the Logitech mice I listed above have no problems - I assume because they are always kept in a climate controlled office.
So anyway, does anyone else have a similar experience with this kind of issue? And most importantly, does anyone know how to possibly clean these surface and/or remove the tackiness and/or restore these surfaces to a more usable/pleasant appearance and/or feel?
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