"dgk" wrote in message
...

I've recently purchased a house that has wire racks in various closets
that are covered by some plastic or rubber coating, this kind of
thing:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/ClosetMai...2846/100656012

Over time they've become sticky and I've been told that they all do
that but my hand recoils when I touch them because they feel slimey.
Cleaning them would be a bit of a bear since there are so many and
each little wire needs to be cleaned. What causes the stickyness and
does it come off on things that sit on those shelves?

The whole garage is lined with them, which makes for good storage but
I tend not to like sticky. If I have them cleaned, will they stay
clean for a few years?


Sounds like it was a Vaseline Storage Unit.