How to soften rubber with special impregnation. Rubber that has lost its elasticity can still be restored

14.03.2013

No matter how sad it is, but every thing has its own lifespan. And tires are no exception. Later certain time, it begins to lose its shape, becomes dry and hard, cracks and crumbles. And quite often in such a situation, when, as soon as possible, you need to replace a damaged part, there is absolutely no time to go to the store to get it, or there is simply no way. But, fortunately, to urgently solve this problem nevertheless it is possible. Consider in this article several ways to give rubber elements a second wind.

So, the materials you will need: glycerin, ammonia, kerosene and napkins.

Do not be surprised! It turns out that kerosene and ammonia can really help out when trying to resuscitate rubber parts. First you need to prepare a low concentrated solution ammonia. Then roll the long and narrow rubber seals into a spiral. And keep them in the solution for about half an hour. If kerosene is at hand, we carry out the same procedure, only the rubber should be in this solution for at least 2 hours. Result - the parts will become noticeably softer and, perhaps, even a little larger than before. After the solutions, rubber products must be washed in non-hot water, using a soapy composition, then rinsed in clean water and dry.

The masters also found a solution for a short-term renewal of seals on refrigerator doors. In this case, it is recommended to pour boiling water over the rubber. It is said that for some time the sealant regains its lost elasticity and sealing ability. And in order to consolidate the effect obtained, you can treat the rubber surface with a napkin impregnated with a silicone composition. However, we recall once again that the effect will not last long, so it is necessary to replace the obsolete part as soon as possible.

Many of us have long established plastic windows. But not everyone knows that if the seals on double-glazed windows are properly cared for, they will last much longer. So, you just need to lubricate the rubber elements with a layer of ordinary glycerin or silicone every time you wash windows. And for the best result, it is better to use specially designed chemical compositions from window manufacturers. As a rule, they should be offered by employees of the company in which you place an order, immediately. Although, however, today it is not at all difficult to find such a solution on the Internet.

In many cases, rubber products are completely irreplaceable. Various seals, belts, hoses and other parts are found in the design of household items and automotive technology. But with prolonged use or hypothermia, they can become hard and unsuitable for further use. How to soften rubber at home? There are substances and methods of exposure that help achieve the desired result.

Kerosene

This substance is able to change the structure of rubber and restore the elasticity of rubber products. The procedure consists in soaking objects until the desired effect is obtained. Rubber big size can be carefully rolled up before being placed in a container of kerosene. After a couple of hours, the softened part must be removed and rinsed thoroughly.

Ammonia

There is another option - to arrange the product bathing in a water-ammonia solution. The rubber should be placed in the prepared composition and kept for about half an hour. Then the washed and dried part can be used for its intended purpose.

Silicone and castor oil

What can soften the rubber at least for a while? Silicone will have a temporary effect on it. Having lubricated the surface of the object with it, it is necessary to give time for absorption, after which the product will be ready for use. A similar treatment can be carried out with the use of castor oil.

The heating

In a situation where it is not possible to put a hose on a rounded part or pipe, immersion of the desired part of the product in boiling water will help. After waiting a little, you need to remove the hose from the water and, without wasting time, install it in the right place. It will be easy enough to do this, because the material will steam out from the high temperature.

Sometimes there is a problem with the removal of rubber elements from some structural parts. In this case, air heating will be effective. A hair dryer is used. Under the influence of a hot jet, the material will expand, as a result of which it will be possible to scroll and pull off the pliable element.

Such simple methods you can soften hardened rubber, thereby increasing the service life of popular products.

Rubber is considered one of the most common materials today. Over time, the main characteristics can be significantly reduced. A fairly common question is how to soften the rubber. A similar procedure can be performed independently at home, it is important to follow all the recommendations.

Do-it-yourself rubber restoration

All materials lose their performance over time. Often you can find a situation where the rubber becomes too hard and loses its elasticity. If desired, you can restore the basic properties of the material, it is not necessary to throw it away. You can soften the rubber most various method. Among the features of this issue, we note the following points:

Rubber cuffs and seals of some devices lose their basic properties over time. In this case, you can buy new expendable materials because their cost is relatively low.
Some items are difficult to find on sale, which is due to unusual shape and properties. In this case, softening can be carried out using various common technologies.

There is quite a large number of various ways softening rubber, the most common is to use kerosene.

What is needed to restore the elasticity of rubber?

Rubber is considered one of the most resilient materials. It is for this reason that it is used in the manufacture of various seals. After the seal ceases to be affected by the load, it is able to return to its dimensions. This moment determines the spread of the question of how to restore the elasticity of rubber. Over time, this property is also lost. If the surface is worn too much, cracks appear, due to which the insulating qualities are significantly reduced.

You can soften rubber at home using common substances. The most commonly used substances are:

Kerosene can easily restore the elasticity index. This substance is ideal for processing small items can be softened by soaking them.
Ammonia can be used to soften the structure. To do this, it is enough to create a small bath in which the product is lowered for several hours.

When soaking rubber in a recovery liquid, it should be borne in mind that the material can increase significantly in size. To remove the substance from the surface, the product is thoroughly washed with soap and water.

In some cases, you can use hot water to soften rubber. This method is used to restore the insulation of the doorway of the refrigerator. You can enhance the effect achieved by wetting the surface with silicone.

Seals from the material in question are also used in the manufacture of windows. To improve the insulating qualities of the rubber bands, they are wiped with silicone and glycerin from time to time. Such substances can be purchased without any problems.

How to give elasticity to rubber?

Rigidity increases if the rubber is kept dry for a long time. Elasticity is restored by wetting the surface with oil. Softening is recommended to be carried out periodically to achieve the desired result.
Car wipers can be lubricated with silicone grease, due to which the surface is softened. Of course restore old design possible only if there are no mechanical defects.

In addition, on sale you can find special formulations, which can soften the structure after application.

How to soften rubber at home?

At home, you can soften the rubber when applying various materials. The most widespread are:

Kerosene.
Castor oil and silicone.

High temperatures also cause the rubber to become softer, but the wear resistance decreases.

Kerosene

When considering how to soften rubber, many give the possibility of using kerosene. Such a substance is able to restore the elasticity index.

Application features are that the product is soaked in a special bath, after which the surface is thoroughly washed and dried. If the length of the product is large, then it can be rolled up. Aged in kerosene to soften for several hours, as kerosene does not act immediately.

This substance received wide use, it can also make the product softer. The procedure is as follows:

A container of a suitable volume is selected.
Ammonia is diluted in water to obtain the required solution.
The product is placed in the solution for an hour to soften.
After that, the softened element is taken out and washed with clean water.

Drying is carried out at room temperature. It should be taken into account that the high low temperature always negatively affect the condition of the rubber.

Silicone and castor oil

A short-term effect can be achieved if silicone and castor oil are used. Among the features of the application, we note the following points:

Silicone has only a temporary effect. It can be purchased in specialized stores.
After lubrication, you need to wait a while. Silicone can be absorbed into the structure, making it more elastic.

After half an hour, the rubber will be ready for use. It should be borne in mind that the achieved effect will be temporary. When considering how to soften such material, you can pay attention to castor oil.

The heating

In some cases, only a temporary softening is required, for example, when putting a hose on a nozzle. In this case, you can solve the problem by temporarily lowering the product into a hot bath. After some time exposure to high temperature, elasticity increases.

With prolonged use, the rubber can become dull. Problems can only be solved if the product is boiled. Significantly increase the effectiveness of the procedure by adding salt to the composition. Boiling is carried out until the moment when the surface becomes elastic.

If there are difficulties in removing the tubes and hoses, then the heating is carried out by exposure to a warm air stream. For this, a building or ordinary hair dryer can be used. When the high temperature air flow is concentrated in one place, plasticity increases significantly.

In conclusion, we note that only in the absence of defects can the restoration of the material be carried out. Some recommended methods may result in some performance degradation. That is why you need to follow all the recommendations.

Shock absorbers, belts, rubberized fabrics and many different parts for automotive and household appliances. If they are worn out, try to restore their elasticity with kerosene. This is the proven and most commonly used method. Pour some kerosene into enamelware, put the rubber part there and let it lie down for 2-3 hours. After that, rinse it thoroughly with detergents and wipe dry. After that, it will become soft and elastic.

You can also use ammonia. Dilute it one to one with water and immerse the desired rubber part in the solution for 20-30 minutes. Then rinse with clean water, dry and use.

It happens to soften rubber required for a short time, let's say, to pull the hose on a metal one with an equal diameter. To do this, simply put the end of the hose in boiling water, soak for a couple of minutes and immediately pull it onto the pipe. Boiling water will make it soft, and the hose will easily fit on.

Hardened car parts for removal can be softened with hot air. Turn on the hair dryer on full and direct the jet at the part. After 4-5 minutes, try turning the part and pulling it off.

Try boiling old rubber in a saline solution. Take a liter of water, add two tablespoons of salt and boil the product in this solution for 10 minutes.

Also, rubber parts are lubricated. It restores their elasticity for a while. Apply to the part, let it lie down for a while, and then use it. In the same way, treat the part with castor oil. These are short term softeners. rubber but. Therefore, repeat the procedure as often as possible.

Today, a special spray is produced for maintenance - a rubber softener. It restores the softness of rubber rollers in printers and copiers. Buy such a spray in specialized stores and use it when restoring rubber parts.

Sources:

soften the rubber

Rubber products and those made of rubber are often very similar: they have almost the same density, texture, physical properties. However, the materials themselves are fundamentally different.

Rubber has been used since 1823 as an impregnation for raincoats, which were invented by C. Macintosh.

Rubber

Raw materials are of two types: natural and artificial. Natural rubber is obtained from latex rubber plants that grow in Latin America, and these include the following types of trees:
- ;
- rubber ficuses;
- varieties of landolphia.

Artificial rubber is called synthetic. It is based on the synthesis of isoprene and butyl lithium using a chemical catalyst. In the production of synthetic rubber, petroleum derivatives are also used as a solvent. It was first obtained in 1920, and in 1931 its mass production began on an industrial scale. Currently, there are the following types of synthetic rubbers:
- styrene butadiene;
- polybutadiene;
- polysoprene;
- butyl rubber;
- ethylene-propylene;
- chloroprene;
- butadiene - nitrile.

Rubber

Rubber is obtained by vulcanizing rubber and adding various chemical elements, which are designed to increase the strength of the material. The first rubber appeared in 1839 by vulcanization under the influence of sulfur rubber, in which molecular level network structures are strengthened.

When synthesizing rubber using synthetic rubber, a material is obtained that has improved qualities of resistance to aggressive environments, such as:
- liquids with a high content of octane (gasoline, kerosene);
- products (different kinds of oils).

Also, rubber has a lot better performance in relation to the mechanical impact on it from the side external factors. She has much more dense structure in relation to rubber, due to which it has become widespread in all industries National economy.

Rubber, due to its artificial origin, is resistant to various atmospheric influences. Among other things, it has dielectric properties. But the main difference between natural and artificial rubber from rubber is the increased plasticity of the rubber mass. It is specially added to rubber during production to add flexibility and ductility. Rubber in its pure form is almost never used due to its low strength, but when it is added to rubber, a very durable, wear-resistant material is obtained.

Origin of rubber

One of the most useful plants for the history of mankind was and remains hevea - a tree from whose juice rubber is made. It grows in the tropical climate of South America and Southeast Asia. Initially, hevea originated from Brazil: the Indians living in the Amazon jungle have long used the juice of this plant for medical (disinfection of wounds and stopping blood), industrial (waterproof shoes and raincoats) and even gaming purposes. In particular, it was the Indians who created the first rubber ball for games similar to modern football.

The British brought hevea from South America, and at the beginning of the 20th century they began to plant it in their Asian colonies. It was then that plantations appeared in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. At the moment, Thailand is the largest supplier of natural rubber.

rubber mining

The process of obtaining rubber is extremely simple. Hevea trees begin to produce resin at the age of 7-8 years: it is then that the first cuts are made in them, from which white thick milky juice oozes. Each tree during the day produces about 200 grams of juice, which is collected in small cups tied to the tree. In the evening, the collected juice is poured into large containers and sent to processing factories. The milky juice is collected daily until the tree reaches the age of about 30 years, when it dries up. The plantation is cut down completely and young sprouts are planted in its place.

In fact, the juice collected and cleaned from branches and insects can already be considered a finished product, since it quickly thickens in air and turns into a dense rubber mass, however, to speed up the process, special thickeners are added to it and placed in flat small square or rectangular trays. Then the resulting pasty sticky mass is rolled with a press, squeezing out the remaining moisture from it, and dried. Thus, it is possible to obtain natural rubber almost by hand, giving it the desired shape and evaporating all the moisture.

The last step of the primary treatment is to smoke the resulting rubber sheets in order to get rid of ants and other insects. It is smoking that gives the sheets a brown-yellow color, which is considered to be classic for natural rubber.

Natural rubber is currently used to produce latex sleep products (pillows, mattresses),

Rubber is used in many household structures: various hoses, seals, adapters, car parts. Over time, products made from this material fail, dry out, lose elasticity, and become inconvenient to use. You should not immediately buy new elements, you can try to soften the rubber at home.

Remanufactured rubber part using kerosene

Rubber elements under the influence of external factors lose their original properties, become less elastic, harden. Their further use will not bring the desired effect, seals, for example, will not be able to make the system completely sealed. The purchase of new rubber elements is sometimes difficult due to the lack of products of the required dimensions or their overpriced.

The following substances allow you to soften rubber:

Kerosene. Allows you to make rubber parts soft by affecting the structure of the material. After processing, the rubber element becomes fully elastic. Recovery technology is as follows:

fill a small container with kerosene (choose the container size depending on the size of the product to be restored);
place the part in a container with kerosene for 3 hours;
after the specified time, check the product for softness, if the result is satisfactory: remove the material and rinse with warm running water;
dry the material in a natural way, without using a hair dryer or battery.

Alcohol ammonia. The process of restoring old material is as follows:

dilute the indicated alcohol with water in a ratio of 1: 7;
place the rubber material in the resulting solution for half an hour;
after the specified time, remove the part and rinse with warm running water;
Allow the parts to dry completely before using them.

Please note: you can not keep the rubber in a solution of ammonia and water more than an hour. If the material does not become elastic after 30 minutes, use another recovery method.

Medical alcohol followed by the use of glycerin. The technology of "reanimation" of rubber parts:

fill the container with medical alcohol;
put in alcohol a part that needs to be restored for several hours;
after the specified time, check the condition of the product, if it is soft enough, remove the element from the solution and wash it with warm soapy water;
rub glycerin into the surface of the part using a sponge (cloth);
remove any remaining glycerine from the surface of the product.

Instead of glycerin, it is allowed to use automobile oil, it is rubbed into the surface of the product, then the part is kept for half an hour before use. Behind specified period rubber becomes quite elastic.

Castor oil and silicone. Let's make a reservation right away - this method allows you to quickly "reanimate" the old rubber, but the recovery effect will not last long, after a few days the product will become solid. For this method, follow the sequence:

smear the part with silicone;
wait 10 minutes;
after the specified time, the part can be used.

Note: a similar effect is achieved by using castor oil. It is rubbed into the surface of the part, after which it becomes soft and elastic.

Heating is an effective method

Container with prepared water for boiling rubber products

There are situations when the rubber element is difficult to remove from structural parts due to its hardening. You can achieve the desired result by heating the rubber with a stream of hot air using a hair dryer. When exposed to high temperature, the material will become softer, it can be pulled out of the part.

Too "hardened" element is softened by boiling in salted water. The technology is as follows:

fill the container with salted water;
let the liquid boil;
place the rubber element in boiling water for 10 minutes;
remove the rubber and quickly use it for its intended purpose.

This method is quite effective, but has a short-term effect. When it cools down, the rubber becomes stiff again.

Conclusion

You can soften the rubber in the above ways. In this case, it is necessary to take into account: a long-term effect after restoration, has a method with kerosene. Rubber, after its application, remains soft and elastic for a long time, because the structure of the material changes. Other methods do not allow to achieve such a result.