Removing yellow color from old white plastic - Retr0bright PART 1

Just watch, if interested. To see what the top of my SNES looked like when I first got it, watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFeBd_2Y3OQ

THE INFORMATION IN THIS VIDEO IS NOT GIVEN WITH ANY GUARANTEE. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING CHEMICAL BURNS OR ANY OTHER LIABILITIES.

That being said, I did experience some oxidation reaction burning on my finger on my first attempt. My skin turned white where the chemical burn was happening, and it felt somewhere between burning and tingling. At first, I thought I just had dried cornstarch on my fingers and tried to wash it off. The white color would NOT come off.
I filled a bowl with warm water and added baking soda to neutralize the chemical, and soaked my fingers in it. Within 5 minutes most of the white was gone, and all the pain was gone. Within 15-20 minutes, ALL the white was gone.

KEEP THIS IN MIND!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• retrobright
• retro
• bright
• yellowed
• plastics
• sunlight
• uv
• sun
• light
• hydrogen
• peroxide
• bromine
• oxidation

[unlokia]

Great video, albeit with a little too much chatter. Tell me; what is "like a dollar"? Is that a monopoly money dollar, or just 99 cents? Both of those are *like* a dollar, but not a dollar, nonetheless. This "like" word is extremely over-used by Americans & teenagers, and it's quite meaningless, as it has no relevant context.

I like this, like, like... if you (like) know what I mean (like).

[alecjahn]

@unlokia It's just a part of modern youth American dialect. I admit, the usage of "like" so often is super unfortunate.

[gracer99]

will this work for clear plastic as well as white? I am trying to restore my taillights on my '86 mercedes.

[alecjahn]

@gracer99 Perhaps. Are they actually yellowed or just fogged? Have you tried the procedure for fogged lamps? It could just be a hazed oxidation?

I am curious.

[PeppersOnChili]

what if i just spray painted over that?

[alecjahn]

@PeppersOnChili Then you'd have a spray-painted SNES. This was an experiment in restoration, not modification.

[alecjahn]

@saguire I did it as an experiment. Just something to do with an evening. Why waste time playing video games? Why have any hobby? Why live at all?

[alecjahn]

Except this stuff will give you bad chemical burns. How creative.

[SwankeyMonkey]

Dude, your voice is so smooth, you could probably lull hungry lions to sleep.

So I was taken out of my element when you dropped an F-word... 3:20

Ha! Great vids.

[SwankeyMonkey]

I came across this video, and then noticing that I was subscribed to you.

Now, after seeing a good, detailed and helpful vid I realize why I had originally subbed you, for some other great vid I'm sure.

[baawwb]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to do it. You should do audio books, your voice is awesome :)

[wescoolya]

@alecjahn is it worth doing this to the controllers?