How do you refresh old but good rubber seals?, clean or soak... Options

[neo914-6]

I have some that I replaced ~10-15 years ago and are still in very good condition. I just want them to look "new" and be more pliable if possible.

[orthobiz]

IIRC, Pat reported that some of the rubber seals in his car had deteriorated despite his treating them over the years.

Hate to put it this way, but maybe use something Pat DIDN'T use?

And as weird as peanut butter sounds, for some reason I like that recurrent post more than the drill-the-holes-for-the-rear-foglight theme! hahahaha

Paul

[Pat Garvey]

IIRC, Pat reported that some of the rubber seals in his car had deteriorated despite his treating them over the years.

Hate to put it this way, but maybe use something Pat DIDN'T use?

And as weird as peanut butter sounds, for some reason I like that recurrent post more than the drill-the-holes-for-the-rear-foglight theme! hahahaha

Paul

Biz,

Don't remember saying anything about seals deteriorating on my car. All but 2 of them are original.

I have had untreated fuel lines (new & unistalled) deteriorate, but that's it. All of the rubber seals I have stored (many since the early 80's) have either the original waxy stuff on them or were treated with glycerin & stored in tight plastic & kept in dark places.

Have a couple of pieces that were not cared for & deteriorated. When I say they were not cared for, I mean that they were treated with ArmorAll in the mid 70's & left for spares unwrapped & just laying around the garage.

I'm a believer in glycerin (though in minute quantities). I rub it in (with "sponges"), let it sit for a week or so, and wipe off any excess.

Don't know what mystical properties glycerin has, but I remember that my grandmother (and I'm going back 40 years here) used to rub glycerin into her hands every night before she went bed, and the put on cotton gloves to sleep in. When she died at 97, she had hands that looked like those of a forty year old!
Pat