Why do certain types of thermoplastics or rubber (i.e. used for soft buttons of a tv remote or the insulation of cheap headphone cables) turn sticky or even gooey after they haven’t been used in a long while?
The have a plasticiser in them which given time and environmental conditions leaches out.
Not a perfect analogy, but think of it like an oily rag where the oil will over time flow out. The rag will end up dry and there will be a pool of oil.
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