ClosetMaid (2023 Update)

[Howard Evans]

What is the sticky residue that accumulates on the wire shelving after a few years? ClosetMaid acknowledges it's existance but won't provide info as to cause or a cure. It makes the closet shelves unusable.

[jamesgangnc]

I've got closetmaid all over our house and I've never seen it? Some of ours is at least 18 year old. Is this in a food pantry? Or a regular closet?

[AZ Nomad]

Are they plastic coated? If not and they're wire, than they won't get anything but perhaps oxidation -- any crud would be your own doing. Try using a household cleaner like 409.

[John Grabowski]

I've had Closetmaid wire shelves for many years. I just checked them in several closets including the laundry and there was no sticky residue.

[norminn]

I cleaned a house for a friend, prior to her moving in. The home was cleaner than average, but the wire shelving was really gunky. It cleaned up nicely, and the sticky stuff gone...because of that, I have to think that the plastic coating attracts cooking oils from the air over time. If it was from deterioration, it seems the plastic would remain sticky. Don't know the brand, nice home.

[GROVER]

I have seen the tackiness you described on plastic coated Closet Maid wire shelving in several installations. One explanation for it, is that it is caused by long term exposure to high humidity. I suspect the manufacturer would disagree with that. I have tried to remove it without success in the past, but If you decide to replace the shelving get the painted variety.

IIRC the shelving was originally used in Florida where summer humidity was causing mildew on the stored items. The shelving was usually installed with a louvered closet door to encourage air circulation. In many closets being built today there is an A/C vent to keep the humidity under control.

Joe G

[Joe]

The sticky stuff is the plasticizer that is used to make the PVC resin, normally hard (think PVC pipe) into the soft type known as a plastisol. Poor formulating allows the plasticizer to migrate to the surface. More expensive plasticizers don't do that, otherwise your Channelocks would be sticky.

Joe

[The Daring Dufas]

Must be the Chinese drywall.

TDD

[parkers49]

I live in Florida and the ClosetMaid shelving has become sticky in every cl oset (7). I want my husband to rip it all out. Have cleaned it several time s over the years, even with commercial products not available in retail mar kets. The product is clean, but remains sticky. Would rather have any type of metal or even wood!

[sjbleilers]

I live in south Florida where the humidity is always high and I don't run t he AC in the winter. Sticky shelves began early on. I have cleaned the sh elves, but the sticky wires makes them get dirty again and difficult to cle an. Now 30 years old, it is past time to replace them. I think they are Cl oset Maid brand. However, I need ventilation on these shelves or things get moldy. I wonder if EZ shelf brand would last longer? Or if we need to in stall wood dowel shelving?

[john11124]

Joe is correct - the vinyl is oozing plasticizer over time, and there is not much that can be done. You might be able to clean the shelves with rubbing alcohol or some other solvent, but the goo will come back. Replace them with chrome plated steel wire shelving. You could cover them with a shelf liner, but the ventilation will be blocked. John

[Jeff Galla]

Denatured Alcohol on a microfiber towel removes the sticky residue with little effort. They'll look like new.