any body out there have any old tricks on softening the small rubber plugs that are every where in the floor and trunk areas just got done with repainting the floor and trunk with a red wood oil base paint (primer looking color)HAVE A BUNCH OF OLD plugs that i TOOK OFF parts car and whatever over the years before buying more any ideas thanks andy

You might try spraying them with silicone.

The solvent depends on what rubber compound was used in the plugs. Try soaking for a few minutes in a alcohol or a mild hydrocarbon solvent or a paint thinner. Take it in steps and check one of the plugs in the thinner to make sure it does not dissolve the plug. Also try a alcohol first (isopropanol or ethanol) or a relatively mild thinner like mineral spirits or enamel thinner to see the result before moving to more aggressive solvents like lacquer thinner. What you want is for the solvent to expand and soften the rubber and not turn the surface to a gummy mess or totally dissolve the plug.

Soaked mine in really HOT water. NOT boiling, just dam hot. Worked well.

Enjoy the ride,
Michael41

The hot water will work as long as the plug stays hot. If it cools then it will regain its hardness.

Have you tried wd-40? I've used it on floor mats and runningboards and it does a nice job.my nephew is a "floor technician" and he said he uses a lot whenever working with rubber floor products.

I use a product labeled "ultra guard" for rubber sold at the John Deere dealers on old rubber bicycle tires and hand grips and car tires etc.. It has non silicone solvents made from corn and rice that do not break down the rubber and will soften old hard rubber.