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Restore Yellowed Plastic


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Both liquid peroxide and powdered bleach are available from any hairdressing supplies store. You want 12% 40 vol peroxide, either cream or liquid, it comes in a 1 litre bottle for around $8-$12.

 

Powdered bleach isn't 100% necessary but it does speed up the process.

 

Here's what I use (disregard the bi-carb):

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/fjs/IMG_2573.jpg

 

The bi-carb seems to help a little but I've only just started experimenting with it so don't have much data to work with to verify its effectiveness.

 

It should be fine to use on clear plastic.

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Both liquid peroxide and powdered bleach are available from any hairdressing supplies store. You want 12% 40 vol peroxide, either cream or liquid, it comes in a 1 litre bottle for around $8-$12.

 

Powdered bleach isn't 100% necessary but it does speed up the process.

 

Here's what I use (disregard the bi-carb):

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/fjs/IMG_2573.jpg

 

The bi-carb seems to help a little but I've only just started experimenting with it so don't have much data to work with to verify its effectiveness.

 

It should be fine to use on clear plastic.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm definitely going to give this a try, elbow grease is not enough!

 

Matthew

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Wow, some impressive results!

 

Can anyone confirm:

This method only works once. If the plastic re-yellow's it won't work a second time?

It should work again but would take a while to turn yellow again. Normally this is due to log periods of being near sunlight. IE console near a window etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My wife bought some peroxide from a hair supplies shop, it is called "Hi Lift Creme Peroxide For Hair 40 Vol - 12%", I hope it is the right stuff.

 

My only concern is the ingredients - Deionized Water, Hydrogen Peroxide, Cetearyl Alcohol & Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Phosphoric Acid, Ethanol, Methylparaben. I don't want to put this on yellowed plastics if it is the wrong stuff and will cause damage to the plastic.

 

Matthew

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That's the right stuff.

 

On its own (not mixed with any other chemicals, specifically bleach) it will take a while to work, days even. If you can leave it in the sunlight it will work faster.

 

Cool, thanks. For my first attempt, I am not going to put it in the sun, I will just leave it for a few days and see what happens. If it's a success, I will then try leaving it in the sun - my concern is that the decals will be damaged.

 

Matthew

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The damage seems to occur where the peroxide dries out. Also not sure it will have any effect if you don't put it in the sun. The UV drives the reaction.

 

Ahhh I see, I'll put it in the sun then and hopefully it will work without causing damage to the decal. I was thinking of wrapping the part of the plastic with the decal on it in an old rag, not letting it make contact with the peroxide, but I'm worried that the heat under the rag will cause the decal to lift or bubble, is that likely? :unsure

 

Matthew

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Mine got pretty warm in the sun, the decals didn't lift, depends on what they are made of I guess. I did get cloudy marks on the plastic tho so it wasn't a great success.

 

Hmmm I don't know what is worse - yellowed or cloudy? I'm going to test it on a yellowed broken plastic with no decal, just to see the result.

 

Cheers,

Matthew

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I took the punt using a yellowed plastic off my WCS machine. I applied the peroxide to both sides of the plastic, wrapped the plastic in glad wrap and put it outside in the sunshine (it was 38 degrees yesterday) for 5 hours. After removing the glad wrap, I was pleased to see that the plastic was considerably more clear than yellow. I am planning to do one more application and hopefully that will be enough, unfortunately I can't do it today because it is overcast and blowing a gale, and it is threatening to rain.

 

Anyway, here are some "before" photos:

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_171.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_172.jpg

 

After:

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_173.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_174.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_175.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_176.jpg

 

These 2 photos show the before and after shots of a slingshot plastic that was soaked in household bleach for a week - the result is a yellow, cloudy plastic :redface

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_169.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_177.jpg

 

Cheers,

Matthew

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I applied the peroxide to the plastic again today and left it in the sun for about 6 hours. I am pleased with the result, it's good enough to put back on the machine. Anyway, here is the result:

 

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_179.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_180.jpg

 

Cheers,

Matthew

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How would you go with plastics that have artwork on them?

You would probably have to be careful not to fade the artwork.

 

This is something I am concerned about, I was thinking of wrapping the part of the plastic covered by a decal in a rag and only have the yellowed plastic exposed to the sun. I have a plastic with a decal that I am going to try it out on, hopefully it will work.

 

===================

 

Anyway, I decided to apply the peroxide to the plastic again and left it in the sun for about 16 hours (8 hours per side). I think this is the best that I can get it - far better than it was before I started. Anyway, here is the result:

 

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_181.jpg

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t223/felixthadog/World%20Cup%20Soccer%2094/World_Cup_Soccer_182.jpg

 

Cheers,

Matthew

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  • 2 weeks later...

Really happy with the results of my C64. Top is just as the bleach was applied, bottom is just after hosing it off.

 

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y189/fjs/bleached_zps1004d684.jpg

 

This is after only 3 hours, don't think I need to do another application as it looks like the original colour to me. If you look carefully at the top picture just to the right of where the F7 key would sit, you will notice a lighter coloured square which is where a sticker used to be that I cleaned off, am guessing that was its original colour.

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  • 4 months later...
Just did a C64C top case today. Forgot to take a before picture but damn its probably the best results I have gotten so far. Now the keys really look crap and need to be done also. Need to wait for the next time there is some sunlight here in Melbourne
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  • 5 months later...

Grabbed an Atari 1040 STFM from eBay. Very happy with what I paid for the complete system. It was a bit yellow so decided to do some Retrobrighting of the case and keys.

I just used some cream peroxide and also mixed a tablespoon of Oxywash detergent from Aldi's.

6 hours later and she is looking pretty good. Should have done the bottom of the case also cause now it really stands out.

 

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/before_zpsd5932fd8.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8782_zps6c9f159d.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8783_zps394a30df.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8784_zps66c1dad3.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8786_zps4cdbbdba.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8787_zpse1261147.jpg

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n532/jmicari/IMG_8790_zpsf1bf1b88.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
amazing! what is the peroxide cream and oxywash and where can you get them?

 

A friend of mine is a beautician and organised it for me. I am sure you can just get it from somewhere like hairhouse warehouse.

Oxywash was just from Aldi's

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