I put this in IMHO instead of GQ because I don’t know if anyone can offer anything more than just an opinion.
Joke responses are invited, but I’m really curious about this.
I have a basic office chair at work – swivel chair that reclines and has plastic armrests. Every now and then the right arm rest will look dirty. I can scrape the dirt off with a fingernail, and it’s just a white powdery crud. It’s not unlike the crud that I sometimes scrape off of my mouse and keyboard.
I figured that it’s just oils and whatever from my skin. But here’s the thing – I never touch my armrest! My arms are always on my desk. I don’t even use them to get up or sit down. If I do, I don’t touch the part that gets dirty. And this stuff never accumulates on the left armrest.
The only difference between right and left is that sometimes when I get up, the right armrest will get lodged under my desk, but once again the part that gets lodged is not the part that gets dirty.
The underside of my mouse gets this stuff too.
I had this problem in my old office too, different chair and different desk.
If you’re “blessed” with office furniture like mine, it’s probably made of some kind of veneer over particle board. The white crap may be little flakes being worn off the particle board from closing drawers etc. that sticks to the plastic armrest and mouse because of static.
I don’t think it’s static, because it would be on more stuff. But I have wondered if it’s some kind of polish on the desk. I figured that it’s just rubbing off onto my mouse. How it gets onto one particular place on my armrest is still a mystery.
In that case, it’s just your chair trying to drive you crazy. I recommend dousing it with liquid oxygen and then chucking a road flare at it.
Unless when the arm gets jammed under the desk it knocks loose some of the mystery crud that just happens to settle out onto that part of the armrest. But the liquid O2 would be more fun to watch.
Improperly formulated plastics can ooze out various chemicals that will build up on the surface as a whitish residue, however, this is pretty rare with quality furniture.
Any difference in the feel of the two armrests re “stickiness”.
It could be a number of things. But just because I’m the paranoid type. I’d comb over your web browser history just to make sure somebody isn’t using your computer to surf “Not work friendly” types of sites.
I have to agree with this. Many deodorants are notorious for leaving residue on skin, clothing, even furniture arms and backs. Especially the right one if you are right handed. Also, many deodorants have baking soda and anti-persirants have aluminum chlorhydrate both of which leave a whitish residue. Combine that with salt from sweat, dead skin cells, and skin oils for an adhesive…
If it’s like what’s cleaned off a mouse ball, I’m going with a mix of all the above. Not to mention pet contact, powder coffee creamer/sweetner, touching up makeup, using a lower right desk drawer. (Lean right, chair rotates left, arm may wedge under edge, and underside of your arm/arm pit makes contact with chair arm.) It’s essentially impossible to sit for even an hour without touching hundreds of things without being aware of it. Especially when focused on something, like work.
The ultimate answer of course is have it analyzed in a lab. An experienced eye with nothing but a good microscope should be able to answer this for you.
IMHO. I believe this is mostly from deodorant - anti-perspirant, the cure:
Most health food/wellness/vitamin stores carry some form of “alum” crystal deodorant stone. This should solve the whole thing. No residue, no aluminum, no clogged pores, etc. Below is link to an example of several products using alum mineral crystals. $2.29 start price. A $7 stone last’s about a year.
