[VAL] Sticky interiors

["Deborah Bede" <stillwaterstudio@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone:

The stickiness on the vinyl interiors is caused by plasticizers added to the
vinyl polymer.  They were intended to add flexibility to the polymer, but
with age they migrate out to the surface.  This is very common and you see
it in all sorts of aging plastics - look at old purses and go-go boots at a
yard sale.  You can find a solvent that will remove the plasticizer from the
surface but the process will continue and the stickiness will return until
all of the plasticizer is gone.  At that point the vinyl will become brittle
and you may see some damage to the vinyl, such as cracking, flaking or
powdering.  I'm not sure what coating the vinyl, as Forrest does, would do -
perhaps this would slow down the migration process by protecting the vinyl
from air.  But the process might continue under the coating, I'm not sure.

Hope this helps,

Deborah