On 8/1/2017 8:12 PM, Boris wrote:
Boris wrote in
09.88:

I've had some of my garden hoses get sticky to the touch after they've
been out in the sun for a summer or more. They get really
sticky...like they have tree sap on them, the entire length of the
hose. Bummer having to keep replacing 50 and 100 foot hoses. The
hoses in the backyard, in the shade, last forever.

It doesn't seem to matter what type of hose, vinyl or rubber coated,
they all get sticky after a year or so ex[posed to the sun.

What is going on, and any suggestins as to what type of hose to use to
avoid this? I have to have the hoses in the sun,

TIA


Googling tells me the stickiness is the vinyl breaking down.

I spoke too soon about rubber hoses also getting sticky...after reading
that rubber shouldn't get sticky, I re-examined what I thought was a rubber
hose of mine, and it turns out it was black vinyl, and was getting sticky.


More likely what you are seeing is the plasticizer in the vinyl bleeding
out. Without plasticizer vinyl is pretty stiff as like PVC pipe and you
will find it used to soften the PVC in seat covers, shower curtains,
hoses and the like.

Plenty of websites to explain use and what they are chemically:

http://www.plasticisers.org/where-is-pvc-used/

Hopefully enough will remain so the hose does not stiffen and possibly
break.