In article ,
whit3rd wrote:
On Saturday, May 29, 2021 at 2:55:31 PM UTC-7, micky wrote:

The remote works fine except for the buttons used the most, volume up
and down, channel up and down, power, and muting.

I took it apart and expected to find oxidized contact points, but no.
Instead those buttons, on the circuit board and on the buttons, are
shiny and a little bit sticky. ...

What is this, how does it get in there, and [what do I do about it}?

The liquid (I think) is a plastic component intended to keep it flexible; a
'plasticizer'. Lots of plastic formulations 'sweat' this stuff, and isopropyl
is a good solvent for it. Glycerine, too, should work.

Correct. Some silicone-rubber contact pads seem to contain a silicone
oil as a plasticizer... I'm not sure what the non-silicone rubbers
use. Isopropyl on a Q-tip has always gotten it off the board and
buttons.

DeOxit formulations DO enhance contact, it's worth applying after cleaning.

I've had some success in rejuvinating flaky contact pads by cleaning
the rubber with isopropyl, and then applying a thin coating of Neolube
No. 2 (sold by Micro-Mark). It's a graphite and collodion solution in
alcohol, and dries to form a somewhat-conductive film.