Certain figures are sticky. What is the cause?

[CityRaptor]

True. I recently sold some old G1 Transformers that my family had in storage. Some rubber parts had become breakable and sticky.

See the clubs? Well, it no longer has them.

Other parts became sticky and developed some brownish substance. The white rocket? Not that white anymore.

[terrorchicken]

Ive read it could also be the plastic coming into contact with a different type of plastic and causing some kind of reaction, which always makes me worry about the figures and dolls I have stored in Sterilite and other similar style plastic boxes.

[Reptilia]

It also depends on where you keep the toys stored, humidity is dangerous too. And of course the more a toy's old the more you have a physiological deterioration of the materials it is made of.

[Takama]

I had these type of issues before when i received very old CollectA figurines from Dejankins in the past. so i had first hand experience with these.

The one i received was the deluxe Pteranodon, and it was very sticky, and gooey.   I tried to wash it off in the sink, and i tried to let it soak for an entire night, but nothing seems to work.   SO i sent it back, and Dean sent me a replacement that was much better.

At the time, he said that he had no idea what caused it, and was very apologetic.

[Digibasherx]

The G1 Pretender monster shells has this problem, they become sticky+ having purplish mold growing on them.

[Victoria's Cantina]

This is a rather common phenomena when it comes to plastic toys. It's happened on a number of my vintage dinosaur toys and action figures... even those that were sealed in the packaging for decades before finally being opened. From what I've come to understand, plastic degrades just like anything else. A lot of these toys have soft plastic, which can break down more quickly than harder, more durable plastic. Keeping toys in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight can help. Unfortunately though it is not a guarantee since it still happens. Plastic also discolors, as you often see on vintage Star Wars and Jurassic Park toys even when they are in sealed packaging. Mass-produced toys are generally meant as inexpensive consumables. They are not designed to last forever.

Now, if your toy begins to get sticky, you can try doing a number of things to fix it. I have found that the easiest thing to do is use dish soap and water to thoroughly clean the affected toy. I use a soft bristle toothbrush to clean the toy thoroughly. This tends to help, but it seldom solves the problem. So I sometimes use rubbing alcohol and rags to clean them up. This occasionally works but not always depending on how badly deteriorated the plastic is. I have heard (but never attempted) that running toys through the dishwasher can take care of the problem. Additionally, a friend of mine has recommended Lysol wipes. I have yet to try them though. Please keep in mind that any of these methods are at your own risk and are not guaranteed to work. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and replace the damaged item.

[Shonisaurus]

This is a rather common phenomena when it comes to plastic toys. It's happened on a number of my vintage dinosaur toys and action figures... even those that were sealed in the packaging for decades before finally being opened. From what I've come to understand, plastic degrades just like anything else. A lot of these toys have soft plastic, which can break down more quickly than harder, more durable plastic. Keeping toys in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight can help. Unfortunately though it is not a guarantee since it still happens. Plastic also discolors, as you often see on vintage Star Wars and Jurassic Park toys even when they are in sealed packaging. Mass-produced toys are generally meant as inexpensive consumables. They are not designed to last forever.

Now, if your toy begins to get sticky, you can try doing a number of things to fix it. I have found that the easiest thing to do is use dish soap and water to thoroughly clean the affected toy. I use a soft bristle toothbrush to clean the toy thoroughly. This tends to help, but it seldom solves the problem. So I sometimes use rubbing alcohol and rags to clean them up. This occasionally works but not always depending on how badly deteriorated the plastic is. I have heard (but never attempted) that running toys through the dishwasher can take care of the problem. Additionally, a friend of mine has recommended Lysol wipes. I have yet to try them though. Please keep in mind that any of these methods are at your own risk and are not guaranteed to work. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses and replace the damaged item.

So in my case the only solution is to buy the figures again. There is no other remedy except that my damaged figures (agustinia deluxe Collecta, paraceratherium Collecta and papo spinosaurus) are still in production.

[Victoria's Cantina]

So in my case the only solution is to buy the figures again. There is no other remedy except that my damaged figures (agustinia deluxe Collecta, paraceratherium Collecta and papo spinosaurus) are still in production.

I didn't say that. I outlined several options you could try. Why not give them a shot first if you haven't already? Also, sunlight rays should not cause any real harm if you have modern windows. They are designed to filter UV rays. The double-paned windows especially.

[CityRaptor]

Yes, Shonisaurus comes off as odd sometimes. No offense.

Not sure about replacing older, out of production figures. Wouldn't the replacements have similar issues? Or at least have a risk of similar issues.

[Victoria's Cantina]

Yes, Shonisaurus comes off as odd sometimes. No offense.

Not sure about replacing older, out of production figures. Wouldn't the replacements have similar issues?

Sometimes but not always. If the item has been stored in a cool, dry place that greatly minimizes the chances of deterioration. But that's not a guarantee. I've opened MOC action figures from the '90s that were sticky feeling out of the box. It doesn't always happen though. Environment is a factor, but so too is the plastic itself.

[CityRaptor]

In other words, one still takes a risk of them having those issues when buying them online.

So, ever had a case where the figure became less sticky by itself?

[stargatedalek]

So, ever had a case where the figure became less sticky by itself?

I have, sort-of anyway. The aforementioned animatronic koi fish whose previous owner left it outside, potentially for months or years. When I got it it was not only sticky but actually rotting, leaving it sitting in warm soapy water for a day didn't seem to help at first, but after leaving it undisturbed on an out of the way counter for a week or so the solid plastic of the body was no longer sticky, and the soft rubber extremities felt firmer and stopped tearing in my hands (although they still are ever so slightly sticky to this day, but not to an uncomfortable degree anymore).

[Victoria's Cantina]

In other words, one still takes a risk of them having those issues when buying them online.

So, ever had a case where the figure became less sticky by itself?

Not by itself, no. Only when I interfered and did something to try and fix it. The soap and water plus rubbing alcohol combination seems to work best to me. But some swear the dishwasher route is better. I'm too scared to try it though!

[CityRaptor]

Yes, dishwasher sounds extreme. The one my parents have gets pretty hot an several of their ddrinking glasses with motives ended up bleached.

So, ever had a case where the figure became less sticky by itself?

I have, sort-of anyway. The aforementioned animatronic koi fish whose previous owner left it outside, potentially for months or years. When I got it it was not only sticky but actually rotting, leaving it sitting in warm soapy water for a day didn't seem to help at first, but after leaving it undisturbed on an out of the way counter for a week or so the solid plastic of the body was no longer sticky, and the soft rubber extremities felt firmer and stopped tearing in my hands (although they still are ever so slightly sticky to this day, but not to an uncomfortable degree anymore).

Happened with my JP Pachycephalosaurus. Although it was only sticky and not rotting ( Rotting Animatronic Fish sounds kinda like something out of horror media ) and I did nothing. Of course it could have to do with the light source no longer shining on it. The lamp on the ceiling was rather hot and I put it into another direction.

[Reptilia]

My only figure that feels slightly, admittedly very slightly, sticky is the Papo Spinosaurus. I wonder if that's some sort of problem, if we can call it like that, that affects all Papo Spinos or does any of you have a perfectly normal, non-sticky copy? I would consider to try and buy another one, in case.

On a side note my Papo T-Rex, the original green sitting version, smells like some alcohol treated plastic, unlike any other of my Papo figures. Of course the smell is perceivable only by sniffing the figure directly, but I found it weird when I first got it.

[Victoria's Cantina]

My only figure that feels slightly, admittedly very slightly, sticky is the Papo Spinosaurus. I wonder if that's some sort of problem, if we can call it like that, that affects all Papo Spinos or does any of you have a perfectly normal, non-sticky copy? I would consider to try and buy another one, in case.

On a side note my Papo T-Rex, the original green sitting version, smells like some alcohol treated plastic, unlike any other of my Papo figures. Of course the smell is perceivable only by sniffing the figure directly, but I found it weird when I first got it.

My Spino is not sticky and stands just fine. Seems to be an oddball. In fact, none of my Papo dinosaurs have any sticky issues... yet. Could partly be that I'm in a pretty dry climate.

[Reptilia]

Mine stands fine too, and talking of paint scheme it is also a first generation, so I'm afraid that if I buy another I'd get one of those darker tinted copies. I'll stick with the one I have, no pun intended.

[Shonisaurus]

So in my case the only solution is to buy the figures again. There is no other remedy except that my damaged figures (agustinia deluxe Collecta, paraceratherium Collecta and papo spinosaurus) are still in production.

I didn't say that. I outlined several options you could try. Why not give them a shot first if you haven't already? Also, sunlight rays should not cause any real harm if you have modern windows. They are designed to filter UV rays. The double-paned windows especially.

For my part of Papo spinosaurus I have sprayed it with children's cologne that I bought (by the way quite cheap) and then I have dried it with towels and I can say that it is not as sticky as before. I will do the same with the paraceratherium and agustinia to see if in the end it turns out.

At least I will try to save the figures as they are toys of prehistoric animals quite expensive and to buy them would be a lot for my economy, for trying to solve the problem I do not lose anything.

[Primeval12]

Hello, I rearranged my dinosaurs the other day and noticed an issue with some of my CollectA figures. Several of them (specifically the Giagantoraptor, Lexovisaurus, and to a lesser extent the Dracorex) have developed a waxy stickiness to them. To my knowledge, I don't remember doing anything to them. I have stored them on a shelf for years and haven't touched them since around 2015 or 16. I brought the figures between 2010 and 2012. Any ideas on why this happened to them and how I could make them not sticky? Thanks,

-Jon

[Roselaar]

I know this has happened to Paposaurs often enough, but for this to happen to Collectasaurs is news for me. Bad news. :-/