Sticky Year 5 Twinkle Eyed Ponies

[Sabrina]

Hi,

I recently bought two Twinkle Eyed Ponies, Bright Eyes and Quackers from two different sellers and they are both really sticky.
They are both in great condition except for this stickiness.
I've tried washing them but they are both still sticky.
Does this mean there is something wrong with their plastic?
Is there a way to fix them?
I was wondering if this problem had any connection to them both being from the year 5 Twinkle Eyed pony set, seeing as they were from different places?

If anyone could give me any advice or information on this I'd really appreciate it.

Thank you!

Regards,
Kim

[FantasticFirefly]

That's pretty common. For sticky ponies I wet a microfibre cloth with sudsy dish liquid soap, wring it out and wipe down the body, rinsing out the cloth and getting it sudsy again as needed to remove the slimy/sticky residue first before a final wash and groom.   Just don't let those ponies rest against anything else, sticky ponies will pick up stains from about anything- including if they rest against other MLP's. and don't store them where it's too hot or humid and they'll be fine. After cleaning my sticky girls haven't gotten sticky again.

[Sabrina]

Hi,

Thank you!

I'm glad they are fixable.

I'll get a microfibre cloth and wash them like you said.

Thanks for the advice about not letting them rest against anything else. I didn't think of that! I've kept them away from my other ponies incase the stickiness spread somehow.... like they had some kind infectious disease! Lol! It never occurred to me that they could pick up stains.

Thanks so much!

Regards,
Kim

[FantasticFirefly]

You're welcome! OH man do they stain! and can stain other things too left sticky.

I got a TE gingerbread from a childhood lot, the box had been packed away and they were in storage before I bought them. what would have been a NM Gingerbread was rested against a lovely Cloud Dreamer at the side of the box. Where they touched cloud dreamer has a bleached out stain, and Gingerbread is highlighter pink! 

The stickyness is plasticizer that made it to the surface, rather then remaining blended with the plastic. It is what makes plastics soft and pliable.

[reanna-mator]

Yep, I've got a Fizzy with this problem. The best you can do is keep cleaning it up-- dish soap does the job pretty well without damaging the pony.

[Sabrina]

Hi,

Thank you.

Yeah, I wasn't sure what to clean them with when I first tried. I ended up using a tiny bit of liquid hand soap. I was scared of damaging them so I hardly used any which is probably why it didn't work. Lol!
So I'll use dish soap next time.
It'll be good to finally get the stickiness off of them. I was really disappointed when they arrived like that. It had never happened to me before so I didn't know what was wrong with them.

Thanks for your help!

Regards,
Kim

[FantasticFirefly]

Yep, a good dish soap is a degreaser which is why it works so well removing the sticky slime. often hand soaps have moisturizers added to them so hands don't dry out, and don't cut through oils enough. I avoid using that kind of product (liquid hand soaps with added moisturizers) on a pony.

[hathorcat]

I have found eye make up remover pads are fantastic for this as well. As they are designed to cut through greasy make up they are good at shifting the greasy coating the breakdown creates.

Bear in mind that the stickiness will keep coming back until the pony is completely clear of the plastic break down so you ll need to wipe them down with regularity.

Congrats on a fabulous couple of ponies for your collection.

[Sabrina]

Hi,

Oh no, Poor Gingerbread and Cloud Dreamer! That would have been really disappointing FantasticFirefly. Not good!
I thought there had to be something going on with the plastic because it didn't seem like there was anything split on them or anything.
I wonder why it happens to some ponies and not to others?

So that explains why the hand soap didn't work. That really makes sense now.

Thanks Hathorcat! I was so happy when I found them!
Thanks for your advice about the eye make up removal pads too.
It's a shame it's going to keep happening. Well, I'll keep on it till the plastic breakdown has stopped.

Thank you to you both and reanna-mator! I really appreciate the help you have all given!

Regards,
Kim

[Shenanigans]

Wow, for some reason I have never had a sticky TE before. I had no idea they got sticky!

[Sabrina]

I thought maybe TEs were the only ponies that it happened to because they are the only ponies I've come across that have been sticky.

[brightberry]

I've had 2 sticky Butterscotches and a sticky Lemondrop.  The stickiness does seem to go away after a time though.  Just keep washing it off.

[Sabrina]

Thanks! Glad it will eventually go away.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Yep, ponies get like that eventually!  Keeping them in hot humid climates speeds up the process.

[shimmer73083]

I have a sticky TE Quackers from childhood so this thread is very helpful. Thanks and good luck with the cleaning process!