How to remove yellowing from old plastic (retrobright) the BEST method

In this video I will show you how to remove yellowing from old plastic. This process is also called retrobrighting or retr0brighting. You might have old electronic, toys or car parts that have an ugly yellow tint and you which to restore it back to it's former glory. In this video I will show you the way I've found to be the best, most reliable and most concistent. Bellow I have linked what you need to do this yourself.
What you'll need:
Power source: amzn.to/35zDBzT
Hydrogen peroxide: amzn.to/2K5OmTS
UV LED strip: amzn.to/2IqLmOA

[@MrandMrsSmiths]

Anyone who takes the amount of time to share the knowledge like you have deserves a standing ovation. I appreciate your time my friend. Definitely ignore the negative comments but enforce the constructive ones. Hats off to you.

[@alexanderthegangreviews5141]

I definitely agree . I never knew about this process and it had amazing results. Didn’t realize how much peroxide I needed lol .

[@JestersDeadUK]

I just don't like all the bloody commercials haha, why what's everyone else being neg about? the vids are GREAT!

[@MrandMrsSmiths]

@@JestersDeadUK Gotta make money somehow.

[@JestersDeadUK]

@@MrandMrsSmiths every three mins though? 🧐

[@MrandMrsSmiths]

@@JestersDeadUK Times must be tough haha

[@glorytoukraine.against_wars]

The plastic turned yellow so evenly that I thought it was its original color. Great restoration!👌🎮

[@Odd_Experiments]

Thanks. You can find full restoration videos from my main channel Odd Tinkering, unless you came from there. I made this video to show this process in more detail than I can in my restoration videos

[@JS-sv4ol]

Odd Experiments so impressed and makes me excited to try your techniques!

[@shadanino725]

Awesome tutorial im gonna try this to unyellow my shoe soles

[@ethankempista625]

@@Odd_Experiments have you had any issues with the plastic turning back to yellow shortly after the restoration? I’ve seen this technique used in the LEGO community but have had a few people say the discoloring comes back quickly

[@mikuri_13]

@@ethankempista625 as far as I know when plastic parts are manufactured, there’re antioxidant added to protect the plastic (polymer material) part from oxidation, obviously, that cause yellowness. This antioxidant consume over time, so maybe plastic yellows fast because it’s just not protected after cleaning. But I don’t know the technology of adding this to a polymer or even how exactly chemical processes works, so can only suggest you to try finding info about this somewhere on the internet. This is just my thought, maybe I helped somehow.

[@joelrdizon]

Just ignore any negative comments. This is really good unselfish sharing. Thanks.

[@linc0646E]

JOEL DIZON btw why didn’t u just say selfless

[@ФедяБудкин-с1ъ]

Сколько варить

[@arthurcollector4002]

which ones, all are deleted anyway

[@kapilarius]

Rule nr 21 Don't read comments

[@UnitAlir]

What negative comments? I can't see any. What criticisms were people making?

[@LithicKing]

A WARNING TO ALL, for I am currently in significant discomfort (by significant discomfort, I really mean great pain)! While setting up your tinfoil and the parts to be brightened, wear sunglasses! Everyone knows not to stare directly at UV LEDs/bulbs - what you may not consider is that even if you don't, the tinfoil will actively reflect the rays straight back up into your eyes without the sensation of pain that comes from directly staring at the bulb! It only took about ten minutes of fumbling around with my setup to burn my eyes and I didn't even know it had happened until a couple hours later. Now I have a case of photokeratitis, and let me tell you, it hurts. Bad. I just wanted to give everyone a heads up, because although I took care not to stare at my uv lights, I did not consider how much light would be reflected directly back into my eyes from the tinfoil. Be safe everyone! - Damn, it was hard to right this post half blind. On the bright side, if there is one, my Dreamcast looks as new as the day I bought it... But I discovered I didn't need the UV to achieve this, see in the comments below 👇.

[@rap3208]

Or you just plug it in when you've done all the necessary things.

[@OhPleaseMary]

Thanks for taking the time to relay your experience. You're probably single-handedly responsible for saving thousands the agony you went thru. I didn't know that and I'm of an age where you'd assume I would! Thanks again!

[@LithicKing]

@@OhPleaseMary no problem my friend! Agony is the best descriptor, and I wouldn't want anyone else to experience it, I had to drink myself the sleep the first few nights. The UV lights can cast shadows that will cause uneven lightening ie dark and light spots on the finished part, so many people will be trying to adjust their parts with the lights on so they can see and eliminate those spots like I did. As long as you know the danger you can take precaution! I should mention too, I did a second batch of parts after a week of recovering, and this batch I used just heat as an additional catalyst instead of UV light and my results were just as good, Incase you'd rather go that route!

[@darylcheshire1618]

I use a UV-C wand and I got these special industrial glasses which are supposed to be UV proof. They just look like clear glass. Sunglasses probably won’t protect you.

[@mikewhocheeseharry5292]

Thanks for the warning!! What about our skin? Should we protect all skin too like the face?

[@cliveradvan3414]

Wow, that's amazing. I never knew the yellowing was reversible. Thanks for the demo.

[@tomyyoung2624]

yes safety warning about protecting the eyes from UV light

[@HarrisonHanson-hy7or]

Neither did I! So hats off from me as well!

[@thekronkavirus8717]

No shit or annoying music, facts and what materials to uses. Amazing

[@MuddyGlocco]

perfect tutorial as they all should be

[@ColinTimmins]

I know, it's nice for a change. I HATE when people add obnoxious, loud music to their videos.

[@OhPleaseMary]

Restoring old things to like-new condition is my guilty pleasure. Yellowing, until now, would usually dissuade me from taking on a project, but now, I'm excited to try this method. Much appreciated!

[@dlk8439]

Just make sure as one of the commenters mentioned you wear sunglasses while doing it, as he burned his eyes from the led reflection while working.

[@smallfeet4581]

​@@dlk8439 didn't know those lights did that , I have them in my kitchen

[@Cyberglyph]

Killer video, clean concise and no annoying music. Just exactly what I am talking about. My friend you are a gold mine of information! Thank you!

[@kareninthevalley]

The ASMR was so satisfying.

[@johntimbrell]

I also liked the obvious previous preparation that went into the making of the video showing that the presenter had come up against problems and overcome them and then explained the necessary precautions in the video. What a refreshing change. Of course this new to me process, caused more questions than answers which I researched to find this - - For yellowing, there is a technique called retr0brite that has proven successful, and essentially involves using MORE UV light to break apart the bromine-oxygen bonds. Hydrogen peroxide is then used to get in there and fill the broken bonds with hydrogen, making the bromine more stable and reversing the yellowing

[@eatmenickers6238]

Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[@OgbondSandvol]

I've done some research, too, and I found a lot of sources that says that the understanding that the yellowing is caused by bromine flame retardants is a very common misconception introduced by Nintendo. Those sources says that yellowing is entirely caused by the degradation of ABS, and is not bromine-related.

[@danzita5320]

I came to this video because my overflow for my Porsche was yellow, a replacement is $400! I am really glad you took the time to show and explain how to fix this! Thank you!

[@Reploidservices]

Learned a lot. Perfect explanation and that without background music! a perfect satisfaction. Keep going for it!

[@baconmaster095]

Thank you for sharing a passion you are so clearly well educated on. It's always impressive and satisfying to watch you work your magic on your restorations. You've inspired me to give some TLC to some of my old machinery and I couldn't do it without videos like this, thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@robertz5958]

Post KZbin comments.

[@edog1955]

Variation: I am using “salon care 40” on a couple old coolers with yellow tops, and it is working very well. The salon care product is a bit thicker than water, so it’s easy to spread on. I covered the surfaces with plastic wrap and put them out in the sun. If I had something small like what you were whitening, I would put it in a Ziploc bag. Great technique; thanks for sharing!

[@C_U_R_I_E_L]

Salon care 40 is actually hydrogen peroxide. Thank you for the tip because i bleach my hair often. Makes me wonder if hair bleach will work as well.

[@C_U_R_I_E_L]

Also i think the container needed to be square for the light angles in this one instance hence the big plastic thing

[@sarag1158]

I have so much hair developer laying around. Thanks for the tip!

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

It came to my mind about using developer , used for bleaching hair. 🤔

[@marissa4603]

Do you think this would work on white plastic sandals that were yellowed by the sun?

[@poneill65]

I've had good results with an alternative "dry (ish)" method 1) taking a cardboard box and completely cover its inside with Aluminium foil. 2) evenly coat the yellowed parts with a strong hydrogen peroxide cream like "SalonCare 40" (the cream adheres to the part without submersion) 3) suspend the parts in the cardboard box with fine wire/fishing line 4) hang a UV source inside the box (I used a small fluorescent tube but It seems that LED strips are now good enough too!) 5) close up the box, turn on the light and wait. (basically the same i guess except for the submersion and the parts being suspended instead of sitting on the bottom, to get all around bleaching.)

[@Eeu94]

This method worked for me, however, it only worked with my Nike shoes. With other hard parts it didn't work. Do you have any tips?

[@poneill65]

@@Eeu94 All the parts I tried were hard plastic, and all worked well. The only things I can think of to suggest are 1) use the stronger version of this salon gel (Salon 40?) 2) try to get a consistent thick coating all over. I used a paintbrush with delicate bristles to even it out. 3) The power of the UV source you use may be an issue. I haven't tried the LED's, I used the tube UV light in an old fly/bug zapper, so I can't really say what the UV power of that was. Also, maybe the "spread" of the light from a tube is wider than from the LED's and so gets bounced around the box better??? You could combat that with multiple strips at various angles, maybe stuck to a cylinder? Sorry, all of this is a bit of a repeat of above, but I kind of laid out everything I know up there so,.. :-(

[@Eeu94]

​@@poneill65 Thanks for the answer . My uv lamps are 3, they are lamps that are used to paste glass films on cell phones with a curved screen. My product is 40 volumes. I suspect it's the lamp, I'll try to leave it in the sun wrapped with plastic wrap (in a comment here on this video, someone mentioned that this worked for fridge parts)

[@peffken8834]

Nice! A suggestion for keeping the parts on ground and not floating without moving the bolts & screws; a vertical grid of Plexiglas , which presses the parts to the base , if necessary with a weight on top.

[@resonancegaming3572]

I just used clear shot glasses to weigh mine down.

[@gustavo_vanni]

7:23 I think you put the aluminum foil backwards. The reflective surface is facing outside of your container. The way you put it, it's still reflecting some UV light, but less. And it's worth to mention that some containers are not "transparent" to UV light, so that's another thing to keep an eye on when buying. A simple test to know if the container is transparent to UV light is to put something that's reflective to UV light inside and see if it "lights up" when you turn the UV led strip on. Love your channel, keep doing these things!!

[@stephenphillips7642]

I believe you mean "reactive" such as fluorescent or phosphorescent materials? This could be used to gauge how much UV light is absorbed to by placing the material directly in the light first then afterward outside the container. Unfortunately you are correct that, most plastics absorb (or block) UV (400nm to 10nm is UV but UV has 4 bands in it) however not UV-A which is the spectra specifically of interest for this reaction. Well actually violet to LOW UV is another way to say it. 450nm to 300 nm range. So LEDs of the 395nm and 385nm range would work as well as LED's (called Royal Blue) from the 450+ range.

[@hausofluzon]

@@stephenphillips7642 thanks for the info. 👍🏻

[@yves2348]

Would a glass container (eg aquarium) be better ?

[@dtvjho]

I'm thinking that a small mirror would do the trick. A common mirror is made from glass with one side coated with aluminum. Since most metals don't have color (just "silver"), they should reflect UV evenly, the same way as regular light.

[@helder4u]

@@dtvjho no standard glass lets UV trough either, but the lead-crystal kind does.

[@susangz]

Ps5 owners in 5 years be liking this video.

[@parrishharris3008]

Lmao yessssssss 😆

[@thienviet3429]

You mean this, don’t you? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH_YlKWarKmfeMU

[@The77Game]

I think i will probably just get black plates instead.

[@MaxKoenig-Mk001]

If they have one by then^^

[@filthyhernandez8657]

More like 10

[@tkjho]

this is basically the same principle as teeth whitening using peroxide gel and UV light

[@benjaminnewlon7865]

didn't even think about that, it would be...

[@tkjho]

@@benjaminnewlon7865 ??????????

[@ndnaf3705]

Yup. Pretty much the same!

[@hausofluzon]

@ThinkNClick maybe yes, if that gel contains H2O2

[@hausofluzon]

@ThinkNClick wow good to know 👍🏻👍🏻

[@aldrinmichael2296]

This is Definitely worth sharing....and you literally took time and care to Define and make the Process completely understandable.... Explaining every Step and Why you are doing it... Cheers Man!!! I would have never known that plastics can be turned back to white again. Subbed And Liked. Keep Up the Good Work.

[@LosDaniellosB]

This is, single-handedly, the best video on the subject. Period

[@korakcolour]

I am probably never going to do this, but I really appreciate you sharing your wisdom!

[@87Wayne]

Excellent resto technique. Great stuff. I can think of many early "tech" products this could help with.

[@RestoreTechnique]

"Resto technique" 😃

[@ExamineLife4]

I know what I'm doing with the trim in/on my RV. This must be a similar concept as used in teeth whitening. I particularly enjoyed the illustration of the UV light through a prism. Thanks so much for posting.

[@antonio_carvalho]

This is amazing, I never thought it was possible to bring it back to the original color like that, I'm in awe!

[@Tboorohn]

Thank you so much for sharing the process. This is how we advance faster as a society. We learn from each other.

[@doubleeggbert5642]

Great video, and very well explained! I might try this method for myself, because my NES is pretty yellowed.

[@VidelicetMoi]

What I want to know is, what is the new timeframe for reoxidation of these cleaned plastic parts? Keep us posted. Thanks for your time and disregard the rubes who criticized your efforts.

[@ms-dosman7722]

In my experience you'll notice slight re-yellowing in about 6 months after you've treated it with the hydro peroxide. But that's also dependant on the place you store the items. Best is to keep them out of the sunlight and in a cool place. The things I have retrobrighted (retrobritten?) last summer are noticeably yellowed now. I expect I'd have to redo them every 2 to 3 years to keep them from going back to a yellowed state that I would consider bad enough to take them apart again. This technique only reverts the yellowing for the top layer of the ABS plastics, underneath the chemical reaction is still going.

[@primusoriginal8648]

@@ms-dosman7722 Have you tried to use a non-grease anti-dust UV resistant protection?

[@ms-dosman7722]

@@primusoriginal8648 No, neither have I heard of such a thing. It sounds interesting, although I can image that you'd have to reapply this spray regularly to keep it working. Next to UV, heat is also a factor in the yellowing process. I have a kitchen appliance made of ABS plastics in the cupboard above my oven. This thing never sees any sun light but the heat from the oven is making it yellow still. So UV protection is only half of your worries.

[@samdeen95]

@@primusoriginal8648 Any links?

[@primusoriginal8648]

@@samdeen95 I haven't tried it after retrobriting but I used it on my white consoles to preserve them and it works like a charm theres a big difference. www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBCURW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_Ssq5EbM2HHYVM

[@mateuszpatua3016]

8:30 people who are trying to open their own candy bars and crisps during a film at the cinema be like

[@cometh4124]

bri ish

[@japanboys13]

Omfg hahaha very relatable

[@pufifa]

😂😂😂

[@Venim1ceblade]

So underrated channel ! You deserve more respect. Greetings from Algeria 🇩🇿🇺🇸👍

[@safimansoft]

Today, I just learnt something that I never thought it can be done. This is a precious knowledge if everyone would knew. I appreciate your time to show us this method. Hats Off to you.

[@Wedontbase]

I thought it was some kind of special edition Gold Dreamcast

[@ahmadbidmeshki]

Yes and nice color 😂

[@1cmman]

It was, just by the sun, not the factory. :)

[@parrishharris3008]

Lmao that's a good one 😆

[@SumDumGy]

It is. It was worth about $1500. He ruined it.

[@migavik9828]

@@SumDumGy no

[@vanessawhittaker6818]

And here's a suggestion you can get 32% food grade hydrogen peroxide at some health food stores and since it's concentrated in in a small bottle or a pretty good size bottle you can dilute that to 12%

[@blauer2551]

Isn’t it caustic at that percentage?

[@lapin46]

it is. And if you try to purchase a little more of it, you might get interesting visitors.

[@JohnSmith-pn2vl]

anything over 12% is only for companies where i live

[@robstclair]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge about this in a way the novice can understand! Based on your videos I've tried it myself on several vintage yellowed plastic toys and have been amazed that it worked for me too!

[@everenigmatic5805]

This is honestly one of the most useful things I've seen this year. Thank you so much.

[@claudiamiller7730]

This whole process is amazing and strange and weird…and I thank you for your interest and sharing your expertise with us!

[@bytcheeto077]

This is good for clear cell phone cases that yellow through time too.

[@dan_6915]

Not sure if it's worth the financial effort. New silicone phone case is like 1$. Also not sure if this video is real. He could have just bought new old stock parts.

[@bytcheeto077]

@@dan_6915 go find me a 1$ otterbox clear case then.....since mines cost me 39.99$ ..... I beg to differ

[@RedzeeTV]

@@dan_6915 why go through all this effort just to make a lie

[@artaway6647]

@@dan_6915 this method is pretty well-known, it's not fake

[@harrietjameson]

Dan _ should have listened in science class

[@TheCuccoLady]

I know I can take everything apart and lighten it, I just dont know if I trust myself to remember how to put it all back together haha

[@angeldiaz9634]

If you record the process you can rewatch it as a reference to put things back together.

[@SumDumGy]

Video or pictures make all the difference. You got a phone... use it!

[@Xboxeffect1]

I get your point 😂

[@urirknme4172]

My HP laptop is already getting yellow which is what brought me here. Thank you for sharing this!

[@straingedays]

Many of my old Hot-Wheel collectibles have yellowed on the clear plastic, perhaps one day a technique with retrobrighting may be created for unopened blister packs. You gave us hope, these new possibilities are endless. Great Video !!

[@nkdfun]

I wonder if the salon care 40 would work for those since they are attached to cardboard.

[@fredscallietsoundman9701]

The on screen text is a nice touch, because I can fast forward to the info I need instead of having to hear you out for 10 minutes. Thanks!

[@VVayVVard]

It's interesting that you can use an oxidizer to reverse the yellowing, given that it is caused by gradual oxidation. I wonder if a similar process could work for oxidation-based yellowing of other polymers, like silicone.

[@fiftysixcar5047]

Its yellow because of Bromine release.

[@VVayVVard]

@@fiftysixcar5047 A literature search ('abs yellowing ncbi') suggests that the yellowing is caused by gradual photo-oxidation. I looked up 'abs yellowing bromine' and found a Medium article which suggested that the notion that the yellowing would be caused by bromine release is a misconception. The article also stated that the yellowing is caused by photo-oxidation, citing a book titled "Polymer Photodegradation: Mechanisms and experimental methods" by JF Rabek.

[@uncle_cezar]

Suggestion for the weights: Perhaps you can use glass slides (🔬) so you don't have to move them around during the process?

[@ryanlovesmicrowaves]

You could tape/ use something to stick them to the underside while in the container so you don’t have to move it

[@alfwaibel4773]

@@ryanlovesmicrowaves Glass reflects UV, plastics normally don´t do that. Just, when they are coated with an UV shield.

[@markverde8666]

I'm restoring a Dreamcast and this is the exact video i was looking for.

[@estebangodoy386]

You have inspired me to start learning new skills and repair my own devices. Thank you and keep up the good work. 🇨🇱

[@R2scal]

Bruh, that dreamcast turned from a block of cheddar to a block of parmesan. 😂 Great video man thank you for this well needed information! 🙏

[@username110893]

6:27 "I might also bleach your clothes or other things" is that a threat? Lmao

[@vanessawynnewidodo1618]

Dont do that

[@ScarLeRenard]

" it " He just wrote like shit

[@hectorcorona9536]

Thanks for this video, I haven't got consistent results with the classic hair cream/sun formula, I definitely will try to use this approach. I have heard that heat has something to do with the reaction, I'm thinking of using something to add controlled heat, like a reptile heated blanket

[@Odd_Experiments]

Just make sure the heat doesn't go too high. Based on my experince you can really are the results at +50 Celsius but I shouldn't go over 60 to prevent the parts from warping

[@MadMax78526]

Great stuff and techniques...thank you for sharing with the rest of us...my deepest sincerest respects to you sir... Quick questions: - can the used hydrogen peroxide be reused or once used throw out? - how do we dry the items once taken out: cloth, air, rinse with water?

[@Klajwert]

Have you ever got answers to your questions? Or have you tried it yourself? Im having exactly the same questions before I start 😅

[@MadMax78526]

@@Klajwert No response thus far boss...let us know if you try it out...good luck...

[@MazSwanboroughSmith]

Absolutely amazing! I didn’t know yellowing was reversible! Fascinating to watch you work, thank you so much for sharing! ❤ My problem currently is the decorative plastic front panels on the two doors of my 1975 Austinsuite wardrobe and the drawer fronts to the matching dressing table and chest of drawers. It was a white suite but the plastic parts are now yellowed. I don’t know what to do! 😊

[@tmptjohn88]

When you are finished, can you reuse the hydrogen peroxide, or will it eventually weaken, and you need a fresh supply?

[@N0zhit]

Actually a good question...... Looking forward to the answer :-)

[@ShackledStream]

also really interested in that !

[@sotem3608]

It will eventually weaken.

[@tmptjohn88]

@@sotem3608 but how many uses will you normally get? I would assume there are a few factors, like how yellowed the items are and all, but 3 uses, 5 uses? it can't just be one and done.

[@fixxerautomotive4917]

I also am curious as to the reuse of peroxide. Lets say you have to do a big item like a printer... 4 or 5 gallons of peroxide gets expensive for one use.

[@fjzj.0104]

i was expecting a brush, a soap, and a hard process of scrubbing until the led strip appears

[@carlos.mz7]

Same

[@PredictableEnigma]

Nope! It isn't dirt at all. Can't clean it. The actual plastic itself changed color

[@juanfeliperubiano215]

You can just put it to the sun instead.

[@darrell5363]

Yeah but I live in Canada and it’s winter, so yeah good luck with any kind of strong UV

[@juanfeliperubiano215]

@@darrell5363 Well, in that case you should order an uv led strip or ligh bulb instead.

[@Nonresponder01]

Next video: fixing and restoring UV LED lightstrip

[@mangekyos82]

What?

[@Mrhackerpro8167]

Just a meme

[@Nonresponder01]

@@mangekyos82 at around 5:20 he talks about the LEDs being ruined. Gosh, pay attention.

[@mangekyos82]

@@Nonresponder01 ok

[@josedias4664]

Ótima dica, ótimo trabalho, parabéns.

[@mrmacross]

How does the effectiveness of using UV lamps vs. direct sunlight compare?

[@AjitKumar-tq5nj]

What a great idea! Thank you very much for sharing this wonderful project. I have many items with ugly yellow tint . Will start the project ASAP.

[@treborg777]

Use a glass container like an aquarium rather than a plastic container for the H2O2 bath. “Clear” plastic absorbs much of the UV light, glass will absorb less so the process will speed up. Try Goodwill for an old aquarium.

[@greatdaneacdc]

treborg777 That’s a great idea ! And get a big enough tank and put plastic discoloured Headlights along with other parts and pieces! And that might real clean them up!

[@GhostWolf141]

I always wondered if uv led lights would do the same job. Now I know. Thanks. Good work 👍🏻👌🏻

[@pedroamares8464]

Thanks for the vid! If I may, it would be great if in future videos you could explain why things happened (like why did the plastic turn yellow over time) and why you are doing what you are doing (why UV lights, why hydrogen peroxide, why both together, what is happening there) like you did with the laser. Not sure if this is too complicated for the KZbin format, but still. Keep them coming :D

[@johnny_phouc_21]

Pedro Amares it was explained dipshit

[@FinnickH]

@@johnny_phouc_21 I'm pretty sure the person was referring to the actual chemistry behind this process such as the chemical reactions with UV light and hydrogen peroxide or the detailed explanation of why plastic turns yellow in the first place. What was explained in the video was mostly about physics, not chemistry. It's enough to understand how it works to be able to replicate the process but some people like to learn more about the way things work in life, you should probably try that one day.

[@eclecticinspiration5064]

Just wondering if you tried the peroxide without all the rest? Thinking 12% long enough would turn anything white! Sorry just thought i would ask! I could be wrong at i only have a small plastic piece of yellow on a microwave that is about 8 years old now it is weird only that piece so it's probably not a well made plastic in the first place. So now I'm going to try i will wrap it in 12% peroxide maybe foil to hold in place and see what happens never know!

[@gregghernandez2714]

This is so very cool. I wish I had seen this about a week ago. I was in a thrift shop and I saw a VHS to DVD product that I remember I wanted when I was younger. It was in the box, with full instructions, but it was pretty yellow. Other than that it appeared to be in great shape. I didn't really need it, but I thought it was pretty cool tech at the time. I love collecting stuff like that. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Once I find something I can do this to I will follow your instructions. One thing I might do is just get a dedicated container from somewhere like the dollar store, then hot glue the strips of light to it. Should be pretty easy to do. Thanks again!

[@humphreybienfufait7323]

Outstanding! Thank you for sharing the process! Question: can you use the same hydrogen peroxide several times? Thank you.

[@DeathNeos]

I am also interested in this

[@CaptainSunFlare]

No. Another commenter explained why in another comment as follows: UV lights cause the H2O2 to decay into water H20 and the free oxygen atoms oxygenation of the plastics makes it light again

[@lorijames3974]

Yes, that’s why hydrogen peroxide is sold in dark brown bottles because any light degrades it.

[@AlexandeRSciswoR]

@@lorijames3974 I didn't know that! I thought it was more of visual decision than a chemistry decision to use the brown bottles.

[@suzywilliams6610]

I can't believe what I'm seeing I wanted to see how I could get a bathroom ceiling extractor white as the new ones seem to be smaller & I'll have a hole in the ceiling! I'm normally game for anything but this looks too scary for me but well done that's incredible.

[@mcblaze1986]

I nearly had to run to the toilet for a piss when you was pouring that h202 in to the container..

[@hausofluzon]

😂😂😂

[@Frank183847572828]

0:32 Cigarette and smoke turn these yellow real fast man, bough a Playstation 2 from a smoker a while back and restored it with minimal knowledge and a LOTS of IPA but your method is much more efficient. Keep it up.

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

F D This won't remove yellowing from exposure to tobacco smoke. The normal yellowing of plastic consoles, appliances, etc. isn't primarily caused by smoke, although a layer of smoke on top of yellowing plastic will (as you unfortunately found) make things much worse. The yellowing you see in most old plastics is the result of brominated flame retardants in ABS plastics used for game consoles, computers and components, small kitchen and bathroom appliances, synthetic fabrics, and even household paint. As the plastic ages the bromines destabilize and migrate to the surface; this happens faster if the plastic is exposed to UV rays, either from indoor lights or the sun. (This is why all other things being equal, the top surfaces of consoles are often darker.) The H2O2 and UV light remove the free bromines at or very near to the surface, which whitens the plastic until more bromines migrate to the surface. (Edited for typo.) By the way, if you ever have a piece of plastic you can't soak, go to your local beauty supply store (like Sally Beauty in Canada/US) and buy what's called 40 volume creme developer. It's 12% H2O2 in a cream format, which can be painted onto surfaces. Cost: $2.89 here in Canada for a small bottle.

[@andy86i]

the myth that yellowing to plastics is caused by cigarette smoke is a very old and untrue one. its the bromine in the plastic reacting with heat and light.

[@JANNIKSCHMITZ]

You were in the Google News Feed. That's why I'm here. 👍👌

[@momoqahtani6545]

Sunlight works well for removing yellow parts and bring it back to original color depending on how deep yellow and how much the temperature of sun in your area. I am confusing that some people are saying the biggest reasons for being yellowing is sunlight directed into plastics for long time. If it is true, why sunlight removes it too. I believe the reason is humidity and high temperature and maybe smoking a lot can affect too.

[@hsp1316]

Sunlight as UV source you mean. Yes it works in sunlight but it takes about the time required becomes x3 than UV leds. You still need to dip the parts in h2o2.

[@117celtico]

You might shorten the process time by using UV lamp with lower wave length for example 265nm. The UV led strips are usually around 400nm. I think that’s why it takes 12-24h for the process.

[@illuminaqib]

Hey I dont have the uv light? What options do i have?

[@Ottero87]

@@illuminaqib I've read you can just soak them in the peroxide without the lights. It'll just take much longer. I haven't tried it myself so take this with a grain of salt and good luck.

[@illuminaqib]

@Ottero87 thanks for the reply. I ask my friend and he is kinda expert in refurbishing old game consoles, he said if using this method, the yellowing will be worser than before after 6-12 months.

[@Ottero87]

@@illuminaqib Oh, that's not good! Good to know.

[@mikee5215]

@@illuminaqib the sun works well

[@rogernasiols]

Could you explain if the percentage of H2O2 influences the speed or the final result of the process? Here in Brazil we can buy from various percentages, from 3 to 50%. And once used, do we discard it or can we reuse it? Great video, thanks for the tip.

[@hausofluzon]

Even i also wanted to know that can that used up solution of H²O² can be reused or not?

[@lesiliegreer1257]

Used h2o2 loses an oxygen, making it h2o aka water. It will for sure be a lower percentage of h2o2 after, but if it potentially could have a little life left in it, bht it may just be mostly water

[@hausofluzon]

@@lesiliegreer1257 yeah that's what i was thinking

[@amadeusavogadro3419]

At 6:30 he use 12%😂

[@albertwesker4266]

@@amadeusavogadro3419 so ??? at 1:22 too ...

[@rizwanallahi7765]

I have a few questions: do the bolts not cover a bit of the plastic? Can you reuse the H2O2? And isn't it a good idea to put the uv leds on the bottom to get exposure there as well? sorry for the many questions and love the video

[@agustincarrizo5606]

i have the same questions :(

[@TortleTimez]

I mean, you could glue legs onto the container so the container isn’t sitting on bottom LEDs

[@cathyserafinowicz6374]

You have the hands of a master safe blower! Intriguing,great job! 👏🏻👏🏻

[@johnvodopija]

I did not think it was possible to do that. They cleaned up like new. Top job and thank you for sharing. Cheers 👍😎🇦🇺

[@bigpurpleflower2185]

Sega Dreamcast: Hey You, Pikachu! Edition 😂

[@xaviercaballero4102]

I bet you won every Science Fair project in school huh? Anyways thanks for the helpful video

[@Odd_Experiments]

We didn't have any 🙁 or at least it wasn't mandatory and I have no idea there was one. That might have been pretty cool

[@jamesgilbart2672]

Brilliant! I didn't know this restoration was possible. Looks like a great way of extending product life rather than chucking it away and replacing it. How long does the renewed whiteness last? - does it eventually go yellow again?

[@Dave01Rhodes]

Since the yellowing is usually caused by sunlight, if you keep the restored plastic out of sunlight, it shouldn’t yellow again. Some people say if you spray the plastic with Armor-All, it prevents the reaction from occurring even in sunlight.

[@thevillainofthisstory]

I'm restoring my my childhood GBA and this video has been so helpful, thank you!

[@maryz9319]

How's it going?

[@thevillainofthisstory]

@Mary Z it went well! The shell is clear blue, which (along with the great info in this video) made the process quick and easy. Had to order a new battery cover and clean the inside and it's good as new!

[@JuanJimenez.]

@@thevillainofthisstory what percentage hydrogen peroxide did you use?

[@TheAndymazz]

I thought this was impossible and would have never known you can whiten off colour plastic, Brilliant thank you for the upload

[@Jotdotcom]

Very clear video thank you! Do you find the brightened plastic parts stay bright or do they degrade faster than they originally did?

[@abhainnwright164]

Can you reuse the H2O2 after the process is complete or do you need to dispose of it and purchase a new jug for the next time?

[@Mardy72]

I was wondering the same thing

[@bumbledouche3323]

You need to dispose of it, as it will become effectively useless. The UV accelerates the decomposition of H2O2, causing it to release oxygen. That free oxygen then oxidizes the colourised components, lightening the discoloration. As this process is liberating oxygen out of your solution, it becomes progressively weaker until it eventually reverts to a much more stable molecule, H2O - water.

[@AshuSPVG]

@@bumbledouche3323 I was just hunting for a quick answer to the same question. Great explanation.

[@bumbledouche3323]

@@AshuSPVG No problem.

[@Egel]

@@bumbledouche3323 What an awesome answer. I was wondering the same thing. Thank you!

[@DJ-Foul]

Is it possible to reuse Hydrogen Peroxide several times, or must it be changed each time ???

[@disavowedveteran1391]

Well In This Video He Used The Same H2O2 To Clean The Xbox Controller As He Did The First One. He Even Said "This Was Last Night's Set Up" Or Something Around Those Lines

[@mspirit]

Was wondering the exact same thing. Surprised it wasn't asked before.

[@kobe12345456780]

Im glad the algorithm took me here and great jobs dude! Thanks for sharing!

[@smallville5519]

YOU ARE A LEGEND FOR SHARING THIS KNOWLEDGE UNSELFISHLY WITH US! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@izhanshafiq324]

I guess this should work really well for clear phone cases as well? They tend to turn Yellow.

[@lemau8458]

my guy just buy a new one for like $5

[@LucianoGardim]

Oh, my God!! I'm your big fan!

[@Odd_Experiments]

Thank you Luciano new video will be out on my main channel in few secobds

[@LucianoGardim]

@@Odd_Experiments Yes! I'll watch!

[@RebuiltBurrito2]

@TidyThePyromaniac Odd Experiments is his second channel. It's the same dude.

[@RebuiltBurrito2]

@TidyThePyromaniac But in Odd Tinkerings recent $2 Gameboy Color video he links this video in the description as his full tutorial. But still, who knows

[@RebuiltBurrito2]

@TidyThePyromaniac fair enough mate I'll unsubscribe. Cant be endorsing that behaviour

[@koyurofox]

one thing that would be perfect that I wanted you to do was recover papers, manuals, books, etc. But recovering their normal color by removing the yellow that remains on the paper, I saw a person doing this, but that person insisted on not saying it, as if it were something original of him. How would you do that and show what you used?

[@zgredek1234567]

I guess with UV light alone? Will take a long time but should do the job

[@koyurofox]

@@zgredek1234567 Does it really work with paper too?

[@felixgeraldo966]

Note that he said in this vid, retro brightening brings the temperature up to 70degrees so i don't think this is good on papers.

[@FinnickH]

@@koyurofox I live in a very warm place where the sun is very strong and it's extremely good to remove stains and yellowness on plastic but here we know never to put prints, paintings etc in during sunlight because they will fade very easily. The ink on paper and paint on canvases just lose their pigments extremely fast (a matter of weeks or months instead of years) when in direct sunlight here, so I'm not sure it would be such a good idea but if you have a UV lamp you could try with paper you don't care about and see if the ink is affected! The climate here is very particular so it might be due to something else, or a combination of things, so I think you should give it a try but seeing what sunlight does to ink here, you probably shouldn't try it with something valuable 😅

[@peterjol]

it makes such a big difference to see them back to white again.

[@leguy9396]

Please correct me if I'm wrong for this application but by doing previous in-depth research on indoor growing operations, I learned that aluminum foil is very inefficient for reflecting light, and rather reflects heat thus creating heat spots. It might be different since the reflection is through plastic but either way, mylar would be a far superior material to use for efficient and even light reflection.

[@hlebo]

You've done a great job of demonstrating the "wet" method to reverse yellowing. But there are times when yellowed plastic cannot be separated from electronic components. Would you be willing to try a second demonstration that shows the "dry" method that you mention in this video? You said it could take days to work, but that's ok -- if it works!

[@Odd_Experiments]

I might do a a video where I test some other methods

[@hlebo]

@@Odd_Experiments That would be great. A dry method would be especially useful for tech dummies (like me) who have precious vintage technology, but aren't smart enough to take it apart without wrecking it!

[@petergresham8913]

I have restored plastic wrapped particleboard that wouldn’t take this type of wet treatment with hydrogen peroxide gel sold at hair dressers and sunlight is much more intense than led lights. It only takes 20mins using the sun. The trick is to wrap the part in glad wrap to stop the gel drying out and use reflectors to bathe the part evenly in sunlight.

[@hlebo]

@@petergresham8913 Sounds great; I'll see if I can paint it on carefully!

[@wendyrenzya3978]

@@petergresham8913 hello, what is a glad warp? Sorry for the dumb question but I really have no idea

[@bivashbiswas7235]

can you reuse the H2O2 for the next de-yellowing project?

[@Wanted797]

I want to know this as well

[@darioferaudo8805]

I would like to know too!!!😃👍

[@Wastelander1972]

The solution is used to degrade organic solutions in aqueous material, so I would say no to stay on the safe side. Idk- I don’t know enough about hydrogen peroxide’s reaction or decay in UV light enough to say for certain.

[@jaedenamadeussalim2438]

I dont think so, I read that for storage instruction for H2O2: avoid light, because the H2O2 will turn to water Thats why they came in drk bottles

[@johnbamford1907]

Thank you for putting the time into this video. I found it very informative and I will be using your method! Thanks

[@momoqahtani6545]

Hello my friend, The link of heydorgine is not available and saw many types of it with different percentage. Which one is the best ? And I did a method of keeping at Sunshine ! I remember that I put a yellowing PS1 at sunshine and I saw a good result. It was cleaned ! What do you think? Have you tried it ? Also, do you have other methods as well? Thanks

[@glennlopez6772]

Much needed video! Have you tried strong sunlight insted of the LEDs? It should work quite fast! Just a hunch!

[@SteveDavies80]

Just bough a commodore 64 that looks almost brown. Gonna try this.

[@SteveDavies80]

@Libby Lakhsmi but its a very dark colour. Like a yellowed chocolate.

[@jeffsfolio]

That Dreamcast needed to be in the solution for a few more days. You can really see it when you place the controller next to it. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@Wastelander1972]

I noticed that too... it needed a bit more time but still way better than what it was originally.

[@heard3879]

Interesting. I’ve seen many cases where UV light caused brittling and cracking of plastics and very significant yellowing. I had no idea it could catalyze the opposite reaction too.

[@mikewhocheeseharry5292]

I believe everything has an opposite reaction.

[@KarmaKittyFubarZen]

Thanks so much! This has completely moved the bar for me on what is possible. I had no idea.

[@anuragtiwari9171]

Whoaa ! That's one helluva experiment to get your plastics back to original !😘👍🏼👍🏼

[@4estherv]

What am I doing here? I have a biochem exam in 2 days. This isn't on it But great video :)

[@MizfitZer0]

How did your exam go?

[@4estherv]

@@MizfitZer0 Not well - definitely failed it lol

[@markpaulo269]

"everything's gone green" New Order

[@Chico_Maciel]

Nice video! Two questions: - how long it takes to get back to the yellowish? - what if I use an H202 at 40% concentration? Would it be any faster?

[@sumeeths8423]

Same here

[@philips170t]

I tried 40% concentration, now my Xbox turn into a Playstation. Help!!!

[@alwinkruijt]

Just dilute the H2O2 with 8 parts water. 40% is more dangerous tot handle bh non professionals.

[@billybrooklyn]

I really appreciate the information that you share. My suggestion would be that you find somebody to proofread your text before you post. There were dozens of misspellings in this particular video. It will just make it a more satisfying experience in the long run. Thanks!

[@im_munted]

Thank you! I’ve been scratching my head on what percentage to use, if I need to add water, weather it needs to be heated, but now I know I just need straight 12%