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Hi everyone, I've been using plastic pants for several years during the night. I've found that it doesn't take long for the plastic to stiffen around the leg openings and waist. Once that happens the pants tend to get uncomfortable. Even worse the plastic begins tear at the leg openings.

I read somewhere a few years ago that plastic softener can soften the plastic. So I did some digging and found a plastic fishing lure company that sells plastic softener for plastic worms. I figured what the heck, I'll give it a try. I started to experiment a bit and found that you can return plastic pants to like new with this stuff.

What I do is coat the stiff plastic areas with a thin film of the softener. I just dip my finger in the softener and coat the plastic. I do the inside and outside of the areas that need softened. Try to keep the stuff off the elastics as it softens them too.
Once you have the plastic coated, gently fold them up in a zip lock bag and heat them in a microwave oven. I do about ten seconds and check them to see how warm they are. It takes about three or four times to get them warm enough. You want the pants to feel uncomfortably warm but not hot. If they get too hot they can melt. You'll know when they are done when the stiffness is gone when they are cool. If you have a few pairs that are exceedingly stiff you'll probably need to recoat them and repeat the whole process. It takes about five minutes to make a pair of old plastic pants like new.

If you're interested in giving it a try you can get the softener at pouryourownworms.com/plastic-softener

A pint of softener is $13.20 plus shipping and will soften at least a dozen pairs of plastic pants. I've saved at least a dozen pairs from the trash can by doing this. Ted

What a useful insight. Thanks.

Very interesting and helpful Ted! Thanks!

--John

Ted,
That is a good one, been using it on fishing equipment for years.

I think the PUL pants that are out now are the way to go, much softer, and not at all like the plastic ones of old we have all used at one point or another. They cost more, but seem to last indefinitely if you look after them. Puffy

_________________
Puffy
BC, Canada
Fighting the "Bladder Battle" since 1995

Ted, the softener is more of a preventative wax coating than a true reviver of plastic. However, it does actually melt the plastic just a little so it will become flexible again. This is not something that truly extends their life and wear though. All plastic pants will get hard as they break down from exposure to urine, the softener only delays this, but has it's own added cost in the softener its self.

I too would also recommend you look in PUL pants. They do cost a little more, but last a lot more longer. I prefer the gary activewear pul pants myself.

i'm very sorry i know this is a old post and this is a long shot but i have the same problem and after finding out the company(bullon healthcare uk) i was able to buy plastic pants from(i was a carer) no longer make them nor do they know of who took over i rember hearing someone took over that part of the busness so i'm now having to buy plastic pants for myself (from china) and thay start going stiff within a few weeks even after hand washing and drip drying over night i'm trying to find a plastic softener in the uk i've tried going to pouryourownworms.com/plastic-softener but the link no longer works dose anyone know what the plastic softener is actually called or where i can buy it in the uk or if you know who's making bullon style plastic pants

You don't mention how you wash your plastic pants - this might be an issue for you. It is very important to avoid soaps that strip oils like laundry or dish soaps.

I hand wash with a drop of antibacterial hand soap in water. Hand soaps are usually designed not to make your hands dry by stripping oils. I've only had a couple of pants get hard over the last couple of years and crack. Nothing lasts forever.

hand washed with a liquid antibac handsoap then put on a wooden hanger(adapted by cuttinting a 1inch gap on 1 side so can hang the pants upside down) and left to drip dry hanging on a cloths airer over the bath tub no heat used

I use Gary knit polyester and Angelfluff clear polyurethane over pants. I hand wash them in a laundry detergent, usually Tide, and line dry them outside or indoors on a rack. My inventory have lasted me years, with no complaints.