I have a clock which seldom has the setting P.B. used, maybe once a year.
Settings P.B.'s stopped working I have read a few warnings of using chemicals to clean, I am wondering if soft graphite pencil would work?
I would really like to get it going as it was a gift from my eldest daughter, just before she past away.

 

Hey, @MaxHeadRoom.

There are two general directions you can go with this: replacement pads that get fixed to the buttons, or a conductive paint or paint-like stuff that re-coats the existing worn pad.

I have used the former, but not the latter. Here are examples of each.

 

A little eraser has always works for me.

 

Update, Thought I would try one of the conductive pens from AliExpress, not sure if it would work/adhere to rubber.
It seems to work fine.
I did a test on rubber sheet first. When dry the rubber can be flexed without peeling.
Also a resistance test shows zero Ohms.

 

When my remote died, I didn't have any conductive paint or pen so I cut alminium foil into 3mm squares and stuck them on the buttons with contact cement. That was about 5 years ago and the remote is still working well.

 

I have a clock with the same problem. Power went out yesterday and I can’t reset it. They had been marginal for a while. Very timely thread! I will open it up later today.