Sticky fridge seals

[Hopichangi]

My newly acquired Airstream has old seals that have developed a sticky surface. Has anyone seen this before? Can I just clean them with a Goo B Gone or something and move on or who they need replacing?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Hopichangi

My newly acquired Airstream has old seals that have developed a sticky surface. Has anyone seen this before? Can I just clean them with a Goo B Gone or something and move on or who they need replacing?

Clean them and then spray them with "silicone spray".

Andy

[Hopichangi]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Clean them and then spray them with "silicone spray".

Andy

Thanks. May all my Airstream woes be resolved so easily.

[Yodaforce]

Sometimes you can get away with spraying just a bit of WD40 on a rag and it will clean and "de-sticky" the seal.

[dwightdi]

The sticky is caused by the same thing the sticky is caused by on the walls of the 70's trailers. Some of the seals are flexible PVC and and can be fixed the same way. By cleaning it off and putting a coating on it to prevent re-emergence.

[Elf1]

Also try Krud Cutter ( Home Depot) cleans as well ;-)

[edglenn]

Peanut butter is very gentle on old plastic. The peanut oil breaks down a lot of organic gums, including chewing gum and label adhesive. You have to wash it off with soap and water afterwards, of course.

Andy,
you might know the answer to this, regarding the fridge seals: I want to change the swing direction of the Dometic fridge from left hand to right hand. When I swapped the hinge sides, the door won't properly close because the seals are "sticking".
Can the seals be replaced, or softened up to re-seat properly?

[dwightdi]

Do not use peanut butter. The peanut oil in it will act as a plasticizer and permeate into the seal and soften it, but the Peanut oil will go rancid and also drive out more plasticizer. You will end up with a smelly sticky seal. The original plasticizer was likely DOP and an oxidized soy bean oil. If you need to soften the gasket use DOP.

[edglenn]

That's good information....
What's "DOP"?

[dwightdi]

Di Octal Phalate. also sometimes called DEHP by some. It is the most common plasticizer used in PVC, also the cheapest. I used to buy it by the ton. I have not investigated where you could buy it by the bottle.

[perryg114]

You could replace the seal.

McMaster-Carr

Perry

[edglenn]

I'm afraid to ask. How hard IS it to replace fridge seals?

[perryg114]

Do it and let us know. I am not sure how they attach. Most attach with sheet metal screws under the lip. Should be pretty easy.

Perry

[edglenn]

Famous last words; "Should be pretty easy."
Right up there with "Look Ma, no hands!!!"