Sticky Prob

Not your usual sort of hardware issue I admit, but we have a couple of six year old Lenovo Thinkpads on which the lids have softened and gone a bit tacky, not nice to look at or to the touch. I think sunlight might have been the culprit. Both machines are in constant use and we really don't want to have to spend £700-800 replacing them, though I can't imagine any alternative. Anyone have any out-of-the-box suggestions?

 

Plastic has a thin coating or film that breaks down over time.
The only solution that has worked for me, but not always, is to make a paste with equal amounts of baking soda and water. Rub the paste on the plastic with a soft cloth and then clean it with a damp cloth.
Here are instructions.
https://heartworkorg.com/2017/01/08/sticky-plastic-and-how-to-fix-it/

 

Otherwise, get some from ebay and replace them. It is not too difficult to remove the screen assembly and then take out the panel. I agree that it is a hassle but it should take no more than about 2 hours, for each one, even if going slowly

 

Thanks guys, I'll give the baking soda a try. I've had to replace a failed screen backlight in the past but my hands aren't up to that sort of thing these days.

 

Summer temps have dropped here of late, and with them so has the stickiness. Haven't forgotten the baking soda tip though and will give it a try one of these days and let you know if it has helped.