Removing "Yellowing" From Beige Case Plastics

[Heihachi_73]

Some people had mixed results with Retr0bright, with the yellowing coming back in the same places (e.g. the square where the brand name logo once was remains white but the rest of the case goes back to yellow). It will be interesting to see that case in a few months or years to see if it's still white.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by Heihachi_73

Some people had mixed results with Retr0bright, with the yellowing coming back in the same places (e.g. the square where the brand name logo once was remains white but the rest of the case goes back to yellow). It will be interesting to see that case in a few months or years to see if it's still white.

This isn't retr0brite....but I imagine that is possible regardless, as retr0brite works on the same principle as sodium carbonate cleaners. Some of these were done over a month ago, it hasn't degraded any yet....but yellowing occurring again in a few years, I would say its very possible. I've read that a clearcoat stops it from happening again....but I'm not going through all that.

[stj]

you didnt change the plastic, so it will go again.

it may be possible to spray the plastic with a laq that contains a UV blocker, but it will probably effect the finish of the plastic.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by stj

you didnt change the plastic, so it will go again.

it may be possible to spray the plastic with a laq that contains a UV blocker, but it will probably effect the finish of the plastic.

I have no doubt. Time is the question, how long...and environment. If they're in a low UV environment, the process will be slow to nill. The enlight case shown in this thread was actually my stepdad's. It sat on his desk right in a west-facing window....it got plenty of sunshine!

[Logistics]

Wax? We wax cars so the paint doesn't oxidize as quickly. It's not a UV protection, but it should help.

I still wonder if Meguiars #40 would keep things in order after brightening.

[Heihachi_73]

Even stickers slow the yellowing. I had a clear piece of sticky tape on my Pentium 166 (the typical 90s Packard Bell case) and that was the only part of the case which didn't go yellow.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by Heihachi_73

Even stickers slow the yellowing. I had a clear piece of sticky tape on my Pentium 166 (the typical 90s Packard Bell case) and that was the only part of the case which didn't go yellow.

That light rectangle is where an Intel pentium4 sticker once was. zero yellowing under it.

[Pentium4]

This is an awesome thread! I love old beige cases. I'm going to use this method in the future. Thanks for sharing

[stubbie]

Just wanted to say thanks, I have many old parts pass me by and I have never thought of doing this, very interesting thank you for the info

[Bad_Company]

Very cool, I'll have to refer back to this when I get my beige systems from my nephew's basement. Thanks for all your hard work Topcat!

[redwire]

Ave is using "Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer", put it in a plastic bag and some sunlight. It's mostly H2O2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu0v3yFcVn4

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by redwire

Ave is using "Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer", put it in a plastic bag and some sunlight. It's mostly H2O2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu0v3yFcVn4

I saw that.....it was all I could do to tolerate that obnoxious idiot narrating.....but the crux = 4 days in the sun? My super soup will do the same thing in about 4 hours.

[redwire]

Where are you selling your excellent formula, I could not see it in the store

[Topcat]

the ingredients are listed here..... Mix & enjoy!

[PCTechnics]

Oh yeah!, i've been using (H2O2) for whitening even old white rubber shoes

[eccerr0r]

Strange, anyone tried germicidal lamps then? Germicidal lamps produce stronger UV than what we get from the Sun on the surface of the Earth. Unfortunately the only germicidal lamp I have is in a UV eraser and don't think I'll try that. I have other UVA bulbs (curing lamps and bug zapper lamps) but a blacklight is also UVA.

Next I wonder what would happen with using just oven cleaner...

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by eccerr0r

Next I wonder what would happen with using just oven cleaner...

I'd be afraid that'd melt the plastic.... Oven cleaner is some brutal stuff....but try it and let us know!

[mutant]

I gotta remember this recipe. Thanks for working it out Topcat.

[gtsamour]

I've been using retrobright for years to whiten the yellowed plastics from various computers or consoles fron the 80s and 90s era.

I had very good results and a couple (only) "accidents" which probably were my fault.
The sun here in Greece is very intense and I shouldn't have left the plastics with retrobright on them for long under the sun.
The result was slightly brighter patches on naturally gray plastics, nothing major but could have been worse.

I'm making retrobright myself since I'm a chemist and have access to all the ingredients, even hydrogen peroxide 50% which I wouldn't recomend using in that concentration. I found that even 12% hydrogen peroxide works wonders as long as there is intense sunlight.

You can use in combination just a tip of a small spoon of Vanish Oxy action as a peroxide release booster.

[Retro-Hipster]

Has Anyone Tried ozone + UV for whitening? I saw the 8-Bit Guy do that in an experiment and it seemed to work pretty well/incredibly balanced. (Though it seemed to take quite a while to work vs traditional retro brighting)