Crystals on vinyl rollers

I recently acquired a Kelsey 6x10 and some accessories, including a pair of vinyl rollers that had never been used; they’ve been stored in a Wisconsin garage for years. I went to take them out of their packaging the other day and they have some hard whitish crystals on the surface. They’re also oily but I assume that may have been a preservative substance. The crystals didn’t come off when I wiped the roller down with a rag, and I didn’t want to pick at them in case it would damage the surface. Any thoughts on whether these can be salvaged or what can safely be tried to remove the buildup?

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It means get new rollers

I’d follow the directions on the green instruction label and see what happens if they were mine.

I would try a bit of water on a rag (near one end of the roller) to see if it might dissolve the crystals. If the rollers are vinyl, the water should have no effect on the rollers themselves.

If you can remove the crystals, and begin to use the rollers, always remove from the press after use and store in a cool, dark place. I’ve heard lots of stories of these rollers “melting” and being very difficult to remove the resulting goo from presses and tables.

John Henry
Cedar Creek Press