Clear Membrane Case Cleaning

[carch_23]

Hey guys so I got this display case a few years ago and was going to use it recently when I found that the plastic film is no longer clear but is a bit cloudy. Dont know how it happened but was wondering if there was any possibility of getting it cleaned? Thanks

 

 

[carch_23]

[Fossildude19]

What have you tried so far?

[carch_23]

Tbh just water. Havent tried any chemicals yet though. 

[Kane]

Sample a small corner with some cleaning vinegar.

[carch_23]

Would white vinegar help or does it have to be cleaning vinegar?

[Kane]

2 minutes ago, carch_23 said:

Would white vinegar help or does it have to be cleaning vinegar?

That might work, too, just less potent (5% versus 10% acetic acid). It really is a versatile cleaner for just about any surfaces, and can even be used to clean glass.

 

Let me know if it clears it up.

[carch_23]

Just tried it but didnt really get rid of it fully. Maybe something stronger would work? Thanks though

[Thomas.Dodson]

You mention a plastic film. Is the entire panel plastic?

[carch_23]

15 minutes ago, Thomas.Dodson said:

You mention a plastic film. Is the entire panel plastic?

Yep so the entire (supposedly) transparent film is plastic. 

 

Its one of those display cases you see being sold on fossil websites. 

[Thomas.Dodson]

Cleaning vinegar like Kane mentioned is what first comes to mind for plastic. Baking soda and toothpaste are abrasives mild enough you can use them on plastic. I've also heard of soaking in vinegar, using baking soda on the cloudy areas, and then immediately washing in vinegar again.

[carch_23]

Oh yep. Dont have bakikg soda atm. Will get some and try those and will show the results when I do. Thanks! 

 

However would the vinegar end up smelling the case though? 

[Kane]

2 minutes ago, carch_23 said:

Oh yep. Dont have bakikg soda atm. Will get some and try those and will show the results when I do. Thanks! 

 

However would the vinegar end up smelling the case though? 

Vinegar dissipates quickly, so the scent will not likely linger.

[carch_23]

Hey guys was also wondering if you knew where to get these stands as well? Just in the case the clear membranes dont work out lol. Cheers! 

[Thecosmilia Trichitoma]

It would be best to contact the member who owns the stand through PM. I know that some members on the forum make their stands themselves( @snolly50 has some very impressive ones!)

[Ludwigia]

Don't be surprised if the film doesn't completely dissipate, even after cleaning with the above mentioned substances. Some types of plastic just tend to cloud over with time.

[snolly50]

11 hours ago, carch_23 said:

Dont know how it happened 

 

Was the case exposed to direct sunlight? That quickly degrades some plastic.

[carch_23]

9 hours ago, Thecosmilia Trichitoma said:

It would be best to contact the member who owns the stand through PM. I know that some members on the forum make their stands themselves( @snolly50 has some very impressive ones!)

Oh ok that would be a good idea. Cheers!

[carch_23]

5 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Don't be surprised if the film doesn't completely dissipate, even after cleaning with the above mentioned substances. Some types of plastic just tend to cloud over with time.

What i was thinking too. Its just a shame though,  seeing a perfectly good display case go to waste.

1 hour ago, snolly50 said:

Was the case exposed to direct sunlight? That quickly degrades some plastic.

Weird as I actually have the same display case in smaller size, both purchased from same store, same day, and kept in the drawer together all this time. However, the smaller one did not have any signs of fogging unlike this one. Though only difference was I have used this one before except took the fossils out and transferred it to a different case (only started to fog after i took fossils out to be then stored in drawr). While the smaller one was never used. Dont know if theres any correlation to this though. 

[LabRatKing]

SO...here are two solutions that may provide a solution:

The first is a "headlight lens defogger", a plastic polish one can get at the autoparts or big box store. To be honest, I have had mixed results with the other brands- the 3M kit works well, but may take a few applications.

 

 

The other is an industrial plastic polish:

The Novus kit is the gold standard- headlights, aquariums, weather protective lexan shield on certain optically guided weapon systems, microscopes, etc. This is the one I use when it is clear my clear plastic isn't clear.

[carch_23]

22 hours ago, LabRatKing said:

SO...here are two solutions that may provide a solution:

The first is a "headlight lens defogger", a plastic polish one can get at the autoparts or big box store. To be honest, I have had mixed results with the other brands- the 3M kit works well, but may take a few applications.

 

 

The other is an industrial plastic polish:

The Novus kit is the gold standard- headlights, aquariums, weather protective lexan shield on certain optically guided weapon systems, microscopes, etc. This is the one I use when it is clear my clear plastic isn't clear.

Oh sick thank you! Hopefully they could work. If not, ill probably  just get new ones or stick to rikers lol. 

[LabRatKing]

5 hours ago, carch_23 said:

Oh sick thank you! Hopefully they could work. If not, ill probably  just get new ones or stick to rikers lol. 

Just keep in mind it can take a few applications to get it just right, but looking at your photos, the Novus kit should do you right...and it has lots of other uses around the house. The shelf life is really long too, mi kit is approaching 8 years old and still works like a charm.