Some of them are a little hard in places, but still good I think. I'm looking for a product that not just coats the surface but can work itself down below the surface and restore some of the properties of the rubber and not need to … Pull the rubber out of the boiling water, then dip the cotton wad into some glycerine, and wipe down the rubber item with it. Apply a rubber conditioner. Saturate the sponge with the rubber or vinyl conditioner. Spray the rubber with silicone spray. Clean the seal with warm water and a mild soap. Sulfur was the first curing agent used to soften natural rubber and it is still used today. A sponge works best for its gentleness and absorbency. How to Soften Old Hard Rubber 1. Don't use detergents like washing up liquid or car shampoo as it seems the residue they leave behind encourages sticking. I've never tried to bring back old seals, so Ill be looking forward to the results of your efforts. Warm soapy water and a good rinse is all you need, then wipe off and leave the windows open if possible to dry thoroughly. A small amount of talc on an old, clean t-shirt wiped across freshly treated rubber seals provides extra lubrication. In this installment of Turbo Garage Tips, I'll show you how to protect and restore door, window and trunk seals! An oven or hair dryer is the most likely choice, although some people espouse... 2. However if the seals you are speaking of have anything to do with food preparation. Choose your preferred heat source. After washing the seals, the water-based rubber dressing is applied to the compound, then soaked for five to 15 minutes before wiping seals with a clean cloth. I found that soaking in a mixture of nitro-methane and methanol would temporarily soften "rubber" parts,like rubber carb mounts. A single coat of this silicone lubricant can keep your car’s window’s seals soft and firm for a long time. A sponge works best for its gentleness and absorbency. Set the stew pot in the sink and submerge the rubber in the water to soften it. Leonardo R. Grabkowski has been writing professionally for more than four years. Clean your rubber door, trunk and hood seals with soap and water twice a year. The molding around your car window is exposed to direct sunlight and heat, which causes it to deteriorate faster. To restore and maintain the rubber seals around car windows, Guide To Detailing recommends washing these seals with water and car soap using a gentle brush, then treating the seals with a water-based vinyl and rubber dressing compound. An extra step suggested by car manufacturers such as BMW and Porsche is to follow up the rubber dressing with talcum powder. All of my windows are out and most of the gaskets came out in one piece. Carefully file away damaged pieces of rubber. I'm wondering if I can use something to soften them back up and give them another 30 years. Be sure to allow the dressing to penetrate for 10 to 15 minutes. Hi folks, I recently re-hung my door after some sill work and I noticed a bit of a tight fit where the vent window fits into the rubber seal on the front window. Such as the refrigerator doors, or the seal on a pressure cooker, regular vegetable oil does the trick. Where to Buy Cryptocurrency: A Guide for Beginners, The Question of Congressional Term Lengths and Limits, PPP Loan Forgiveness Requirements for Small Businesses, Budgeting 101: How to Make a Personal Expenses Tracker in Excel. I'm not sure how it would work on seals that are like soft seal (foam type rubber) Never tried it on it. Saturate the sponge with the rubber or vinyl conditioner. Car soap and vinyl dressing compound are available at most automotive supply stores. Step 10: Just follow the corners with the tape, moving the window as you go. Rubber window moldings dry out and become hard after years of use. Every 5 minutes or so, remove the seal using tongs and test its flexibility and condition. I have some parts soaking in a vat of it right now. Then simply dry the seals with a clean towel. A lot of things get called "rubber",because they look like rubber. I hope it works! Thoroughly wipe the window molding, working the conditioner into the rubber. The vulcanization is gone from the rubber. of wintergreen oil on ebay for $11.00. Clean the window molding with a mild soap solution mixed with warm water. Nov 29, 2015 – Restoring/maintaining rubber window seals. True rubber can be soaked in Automatic transmission fluid and it will soften it up to almost like new, It doesn't fill cracks though. It’s important to clean off any paraffin wax, too, that may have come from the rubber itself after some time. 3. Buy Me A Beer https://www.patreon.com/harrybrew69MERCH http://stores.clothes2order.com/the-merch-store/Thanks for watching.For … Ive heard from Gary at Boyds Auto Werks in Portland that theres a product on the market that will revitalize my window rubber without having to silicone it or something. There are few problems that can cause more damage and detract from the value of your boat than window, porthole and hatch leaks. Let the conditioner set on the molding for 10 to 15 minutes, then apply another coating. Dirt and grime are bad for rubber seals and causes them to deteriorate much faster. Allow the WD-40 or comparable product to penetrate the old rubber for at least 10 to 20 minutes. The function of these seals is to protect the car from dirt, water and wind, as well as to improve the overall look of the vehicle. For smaller, lightly weathered rubber seals, a simpler method is sometimes just as effective; boil some water in the saucepan, add a small amount of soap, and submerge the seal. Treat the seals with a water-based vinyl and rubber dressing. Ensure all dirt/debris is cleaned from the rubber seal itself and the application. Window seals require more frequent washings due to their exposure to direct sunlight. How do you treat rubber seals? Once the fabric becomes damp, and the solution is adequately soaked, gently rub the back and forth of the rubber until it shines. Grabkowski attended college in Oregon. If possible remove the rubber part from it's installation... 2. Let the conditioner set on the molding for 10 to 15 minutes, then apply another … This protectant can also help in scrubbing any dust particles that were not removed during the initial washing/cleaning. Isn't perfect, but makes it more pliable so it can work. Rubber molding can be restored by cleaning it with a sponge and soap and then applying a conditioning product. Most rubber molding can be restored, but if it is dry-rotted, the trim will have to be replaced. Further inspection shows the rubber seal on the main window is folded over on itself and is partly to blame for the poor f I'm wondering what you guys have done to put some life back in your rubber window gaskets and seals. My dad swore by WD-40 or CRC silicone spray for all automotive door and window seals. Heat up the rubber piece in a pot of boiling water. Car soap and vinyl dressing compound are available at most automotive supply stores. Usually, once EPDM rubber or latex seals sit that long you're F'd & have to replace them, because they don't have any seal pressure to the body anymore. 303 Rubber Seal Protectant is an easy, convenient way to keep the rubber seals of doors, windows conditioned and pliable. Lift the bagged piece of rubber and bend it to check for pliability. All you'll do is mess up the window and the paint job. How to Restore Rubber Seals Step 1. Place the rubber object in an oven on the “warm” setting. Give the rubber seals at least an hour to settle properly and then apply the lubricant. Eventually, of course, ill replace it, but probably not until next fall. Take a soft dry cloth and pour a few drops of the rubber protectant solution. It is what some call 'DEAD rubber'. After reading reports of success all over the internet, I decided to give it try. Thoroughly wipe the window molding, working the conditioner into the rubber. Even well constructed boats will eventually develop leaks simply because boats are not totally rigid structures. ONce a rubber seal has become hard and brittle, the ONLY way to fix it is to replace it. How to often rubber with brake fluid. But those discs should be classed with tires, that are considered to have a life of 5 years. Spray the old rubber with WD-40 or a comparable solution. Prepare the rubber seal. Heat it until boiling. I bought 8 oz. In fact, they twist and flex quite a bit, and poorly constructed boats flex a lot, which is why we see so many entry-level boats that more or … Use the smart straw to cover the corners and the seams so that it penetrates deeply. When you boil the hardened rubber part, the rubber opens up so to speak, absorbs the compound and re-softens. Even if they look ok they have lost half their strength after 5 years. Clean the seal with warm water and a mild soap. A sponge works best for its gentleness and absorbency. It might give enough flexibility to fit the part,but 2 days later it's hard again. Step 2. Condition rubber seals Black tint is a cosmetic issue, but the other black part the sun ruins is your car's rubber seals, typically found around doors and windows. To keep the rubber seals in prime condition, Guide To Detailing recommends cleaning all rubber seals with car soap and water twice a year. Lift the bagged piece of rubber and bend it to check for pliability. Spray some silicone spray to lube the car window track You’ll need a Silicone Lubricant for this job as it’s an awesome car window … Clean off paraffin, a hard candle wax type substance, with a rubber solvent. Don't think that putting silicone af any type will work, especially 'silicone caulk. Saturate the sponge with the rubber or vinyl conditioner. Mix equal parts soap and water, and then use the lint-free cloth to clean dirt and residue from the window molding. Softening Rubber With Heat 1. Assuming your seals are in good condition and don't stick, cleaning is quite straightforward. He builds websites on the side and has a slight obsession with Drupal, Joomla and Wordpress. In this case not recommended even if you can find a product that will soften the rubber. This is a stressed, working part. This then becomes a problem when the rubber starts sticking to the windows, making it hard for the motor to move the window up or down. Step 8: Lay the window on a clean, flat surface and remove any residue from foam tape with methylated spirits and a soft, clean rag. Let it dry for 24 hours, then heat the rubber again and wipe it down with more glycerine. Thoroughly wipe the window moulding, working the conditioner into the rubber. A variety of rubber conditioning products are available … To restore and maintain the rubber seals around car windows, Guide To Detailing recommends washing these seals with water and car soap using a gentle brush, then treating the seals with a water-based vinyl and rubber dressing compound. Heat some water in a stew pot on the stove. I don’t want to just re-blacken the rubber around my car’s window as a dressing would but is there … 7. Heat it until boiling. One may also ask, does brake fluid soften rubber? However, it is possible to restore a damaged rubber seal and extend its lifespan with proper care and maintenance. It looks pretty much like normal silicone O ring grease, you can buy it most places, Dow Corning make it in tubes like toothpaste. Heat some water in a stew pot on the stove. Let the conditioner set on the moulding for 10 to 15 minutes, then apply another coating. Leave your windows down for four hours following the second application. 3 Ways to Soften Rubber – wikiHow Start at the bottom of the frame, in the centre, and work your way around the window frame. If it was decorative or a window seal maybe. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media. Apply a rubber conditioner. In case your oven overheats and melts the rubber, place the... 3. Rubber/vinyl conditioners are available at most auto parts stores. Helps protect against drying and cracking in extreme temperatures, and rejuvenate color and elasticity to old seals, keeping them looking and performing like new. Step 9: Re-seal the window with new foam tape. If you want to steer away from the silicon based products the 303 aerospace protectant is good for bringing some life back to older rubber. Sulfur can't be used to soften synthetic rubbers, though. Re: Restoring/maintaining rubber window seals Thanks ronkh57 and Mike. Dishwashing liquid works well. Leave your windows down for four hours following the second application. Guide To Detailing refers to the rubber trim around car windows, doors, hoods, trunks, lights and bumpers as rubber seals. I would suggest that you leave the doors open as you douse them with the goo. If you cannot find a suitable product, use a vegetable-based cooking oil (almond oil is mild and works fine).