The breakdown of the rubber coating over time (this is after all a 14 year old system) isn't uncommon. You can usually remove the coating with 91% isopropyl alcohol and prolonged scrubbing. Since any replacement part you buy will be of similar vintage and likely have the same tackiness issue, that's likely the best way to remove the coating and solve the problem.
@ejn63 Thanks for the feedback. I didn’t realize that it was rubber coated. I presumed it was just molded plastic. I will give it a good scrub to see if that helps.
I used gel hand sanitizer. Coat surface, wait 5 ish minutes until it turns white, scrape with credit card and scrub remainder away. Took me 3 applications
I've been using Dell laptops for nearly 30 years, and been and IT tech supporting them for the same time, and now in retirement I buy old Dell laptops, refrub them as a hobby. Recently I have noticed the same issue indicated here, the rubberized surface of the palmrest on several older models becomes tacky. I did discover that using a "sanitizing wipe" over the surfaces of these older laptops seems to cause or hasten the breakdown of this rubberized surface. So far I have tried the alcohol wipe rub/wipedown and it has not worked to remove or reverse the tackiness. I will give the hand sanitizer a try, hopefully it works, as I have several of these older Dell laptops that otherwise are working fine, but the tacky palmrest is a real annoyance. Any other suggestions as to a fix, or an explanation as to just what causes this to occur (other than simply the age of the palmrest material) would be greatly appreciated.
I've serviced and supported a lot of different computer makes and models in my carrier, but Dell's are hands-down the best product out there, and the support information on their web site is second to none. Thanks.
Once I had a problem with rubberized flashlights getting sticky. I solved the problem by applying car body wax and after it had dried I buffed the powder away. Yes, I too believe Dell computers are excellent so I bought two used ones. I noticed the rubber palm rest were a little sticky so I cleaned them. Dell recommends a mixture of 70% isopopyl alcohol and 30% water. Spray it on a micofiber cloth and wipe the rubber clean. Then to finish and seal the rubber, use a small detail brush (or your finger) to wipe on Turtle Wax Fresh LVR protector. 'LVR' stands for "Leather/Vinyl/Rubber". Use a small cup to spray the Wax into and then dip the brush into that. Brush the wax on to the rubber carefully so that no excess goes into the cracks of the laptop (if you're so worried, use masking-tape to cover the cracks). After I applied the wax, I rubbed it in with my finger and let it stand for 15 seconds. Then I wiped it off with a microfiber cloth. Wipe it in a single-continuous-direction so you will not have streaks in the finish. The feel of the rubber is much better, not sticky, and feels like new.
ejn63
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30.7K Posts
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May 24th, 2025 22:59
The breakdown of the rubber coating over time (this is after all a 14 year old system) isn't uncommon. You can usually remove the coating with 91% isopropyl alcohol and prolonged scrubbing. Since any replacement part you buy will be of similar vintage and likely have the same tackiness issue, that's likely the best way to remove the coating and solve the problem.
GeneralError
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May 26th, 2025 19:36
@ejn63 Thanks for the feedback. I didn’t realize that it was rubber coated. I presumed it was just molded plastic. I will give it a good scrub to see if that helps.
Wcg420
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June 3rd, 2025 21:30
I used gel hand sanitizer. Coat surface, wait 5 ish minutes until it turns white, scrape with credit card and scrub remainder away. Took me 3 applications
Daddy045
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December 5th, 2025 15:40
I've been using Dell laptops for nearly 30 years, and been and IT tech supporting them for the same time, and now in retirement I buy old Dell laptops, refrub them as a hobby. Recently I have noticed the same issue indicated here, the rubberized surface of the palmrest on several older models becomes tacky. I did discover that using a "sanitizing wipe" over the surfaces of these older laptops seems to cause or hasten the breakdown of this rubberized surface. So far I have tried the alcohol wipe rub/wipedown and it has not worked to remove or reverse the tackiness. I will give the hand sanitizer a try, hopefully it works, as I have several of these older Dell laptops that otherwise are working fine, but the tacky palmrest is a real annoyance. Any other suggestions as to a fix, or an explanation as to just what causes this to occur (other than simply the age of the palmrest material) would be greatly appreciated.
I've serviced and supported a lot of different computer makes and models in my carrier, but Dell's are hands-down the best product out there, and the support information on their web site is second to none. Thanks.
Amos4045
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2 Posts
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March 5th, 2026 21:43
Once I had a problem with rubberized flashlights getting sticky. I solved the problem by applying car body wax and after it had dried I buffed the powder away. Yes, I too believe Dell computers are excellent so I bought two used ones. I noticed the rubber palm rest were a little sticky so I cleaned them. Dell recommends a mixture of 70% isopopyl alcohol and 30% water. Spray it on a micofiber cloth and wipe the rubber clean. Then to finish and seal the rubber, use a small detail brush (or your finger) to wipe on Turtle Wax Fresh LVR protector. 'LVR' stands for "Leather/Vinyl/Rubber". Use a small cup to spray the Wax into and then dip the brush into that. Brush the wax on to the rubber carefully so that no excess goes into the cracks of the laptop (if you're so worried, use masking-tape to cover the cracks). After I applied the wax, I rubbed it in with my finger and let it stand for 15 seconds. Then I wiped it off with a microfiber cloth. Wipe it in a single-continuous-direction so you will not have streaks in the finish. The feel of the rubber is much better, not sticky, and feels like new.
Amos4045
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March 5th, 2026 21:45
@Daddy045 Check out answer by Amos4045.