Thread Number: 26106
How to restore age yellowed plastics 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 292671   8/10/2014 at 01:02 (3,539 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

My parents old 1982 vintage Kenmore 4.1 has plastic upper and lower body parts. It is a thick, soft cream colored plastic, not the hard thin stuff you find on modern vacuums. Why I don't know but the right side, part of the lid and the rear are badly yellowed. The vacuum looks beautiful otherwise. Is there a way to counter age yellowing? Or, am I looking at hours of polishing until I take the yellowed layer off? How have others handled this matter when restoring old vacuums made of similar materials? Thanks in advance for your help.

Here are a couple of images of the vacuum in question. It is a shame because otherwise the vacuum looks almost new and runs perfectly. The lighting in these photos hides the yellowing but the rear, right side and part of the lid are yellowed.

  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 5         View Full Size
Post# 292674 , Reply# 1   8/10/2014 at 01:21 (3,539 days old) by ronni (USA)        

Here is a link to a Vacuumland thread which provides some background on said topic ...


www.vacuumland.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-...


... and here is some information I'd posted in a similar thread earlier this year:


Here is information I located regarding RetrObright at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro_brigh...


Retr0bright is a public domain chemical mixture used to remove yellowing from ABS plastic computer and electronics cases, including computers that were manufactured by Commodore, Apple, and Amiga in the 1980s and 1990s, and various video game consoles and cartridges.

Yellowing is caused by both bromine and exposure to UV light. Bromine is added[clarification needed] to ABS plastic, acting as a fire retardant.

Retr0bright is hydrogen peroxide, a small amount of an "active oxygen" laundry booster TAED as a catalyst, and a UV lamp. Sunlight can be used instead of a UV lamp.

The optimum mixture and conditions for reversing yellowing of plastics:
- Hydrogen peroxide solution, the stronger the better. 12% works fine; 6% works also, just more slowly.
- UV light, either from sunlight or a UV lamp.
- Approximately 1/4 teaspoonful (4.9 ml) per gallon (3.8 l) (1/3072) of Tetraacetylethylenediamine (TAED)-based laundry booster (concentrations of TAED vary).
- Xanthan gum or arrowroot can be added to the mixture, creating an easier-to-apply gel.

NOTE: When making and applying the mixture, users are advised take proper safety precautions and wear protective gloves and goggles. Hydrogen peroxide can cause serious chemical burns and blindness if splashed in the eyes.


BE AWARE: (from retr0bright.wikispaces.com/...)

​It has come to our attention that some individuals are offering for sale "kits" similar to some of the Retr0bright recipes on auction and other sites. Please be aware that these are not endorsed by this Wiki in any way and the Wiki organisers shall not be held liable for any loss or injury caused by the use of these "kits".

Hydrogen Peroxide is classified as a hazardous substance and, as such, is not accepted by many postal services and couriers without declarations and special handling procedures. It also has other uses besides hair bleaching and Retr0bright, so we strongly advise caution on where and how much of this you buy.

This site's founders and authors do not sell Retr0bright for these very reasons and do not endorse or recommend any resale of premixed Retr0bright. If you see it for sale, it is not with our blessing or consent and we strongly advise caution: if you order some for delivery and it leaks in transit, you and the supplier could have some interesting questions asked of you.

We are also aware of something similar to Retr0bright being sold on eBay, with the seller using a picture taken from this Wiki. This is nothing to do with any of us, and we encourage you to ask the seller if they are complying with the Creative Commons License for the picture as we believe that consent has not been granted for this use, but, more importantly, also whether they are fully declaring the contents of their packages to their courier and are following best practice on shipping hazardous goods.


Post# 292677 , Reply# 2   8/10/2014 at 01:35 (3,539 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.)        

cb123's profile picture
Try Murphy Oil Soap.

Post# 292679 , Reply# 3   8/10/2014 at 01:42 (3,539 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.)        

cb123's profile picture
...Or you can go to you local health store and get a bottle of 33% food grade hydrogen peroxide and clean it, and if you want, you can put a drop or two on your skin cancer twice a day and clear it up in about a week or two.

Post# 292680 , Reply# 4   8/10/2014 at 01:45 (3,539 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Wow! Wow and thanks. Holy moly that is interesting.

Post# 292681 , Reply# 5   8/10/2014 at 01:47 (3,539 days old) by cb123 (Mobile, Al.)        

cb123's profile picture
Believe me, It works!

Post# 292703 , Reply# 6   8/10/2014 at 09:09 (3,539 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

My main question is where does one find "laundry booster". Is that something like Shout? I am accustomed to an isle of laundry detergent and bleach choices at the supermarket, not sure I've ever seen anything I would call a laundry booster. Probably just didn't know what I was looking at.

Post# 293139 , Reply# 7   8/12/2014 at 07:22 (3,537 days old) by rjd313 (Capital District, NY)        

I believe the the "laundry booster" they're referring to is OxiClean or any other brand of "oxygen" laundry booster.

Post# 293144 , Reply# 8   8/12/2014 at 08:53 (3,537 days old) by DesertTortoise ()        

Ok, thanks. I was looking at the ingredients of different laundry detergents, bleaches and pre-soaks at the grocery store Sunday and didn't see anything with TAED. Having a brand name helps.


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