The fix for Sticky Rubber Reins?

Question

I recently bought a pair of used white rubber reins. There was nothing wrong with them besides being filthy to the extent you'd think they were brown rubber reins, so I bought them.
They really needed the cleaning. I used a strong cleaner called "Vim", hoping the elements in there would get rid of the staining dirt. It worked amazingly and I let them dry after wards - they are now super white and look brand new!
(So I recommend to anyone to use Vim)
Anyway, I thought maybe I'd use some actual horsey-cleaner brand to do a finishing touch. It's by Absorbine, called Horseman's One Step leather cleaner & conditioner.
I applied it generously, then took a towel and rubbed off the residue.

Within the next 5 minutes my reins got super sticky - even my hands stick to it.

This isn't a question asking for help, this is an answer for those who are experiencing this problem.
I found out by the saleswoman later on after phoning the tack store that I was only supposed to clean the rubber with a hard brush, some gentle hand soap, or just plain old warm water.

So what I did was I rinsed them and gently rubbed off the stickiness, and it's all gone now. If I hadn't called I would've thrown these reins out! Just lettin' you all know what the fix is...
Let me know how much this helped!

Answer 1

They also make this great product called "Goo-Gone." It removes sticky residue from just about anything. You can find it pretty much anywhere, and it smells good, too.



EDIT: You might find it in Wal-Mart... you have to use so little of the product to get a result that it takes a while to go through a bottle. I've definitely seen it at Home Depot in the paint department, and I think I've seen it in the cleaning aisle somewhere, either at Target or Walmart. It looks like this: http://srforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/fa/22801/0/ and it also comes in a gel form.

Answer 2

I have rubber grip reins and I just clean the rubber bits with warm water or ordinary soap and water if they are grotty. I use saddle soap on the leather parts - don't use it on the rubber,, it makes them go sticky.

Answer 3

Horseman's One Step contains a petroleum solvent (it's what makes the lanolin in the product soft), and it's obviously done nasty things to your rubber reins. It also leaves a white residue on your leather, and will actually clog the leather's pores. It's not nice stuff, and I don't recommend it. Glad to hear you were able to salvage the reins!