A new RetroBrite method was discovered by Simon Lock which generates great results! For those that don’t know, the term RetroBrite is a sort of catch all word for describing methods of de-yellowing aging plastics using hydrogen peroxide products, UV Lights and/or heat.
If you Google the term RetroBrite you’ll find several different methods which utilize Hydrogen Peroxide liquids, creams etc. What makes Simon’s method different is that it uses evaporated Hydrogen peroxide gas.
Plastic Treatment Experiments – 2022
Had some thoughts regarding "#retrobrighting" etc and ways to treat the plastic without causing bleaching to pigments or plastic surface this week.Experimented with a no-contact method using Food/lab grade Hydrogen Peroxide 12% & a container pic.twitter.com/FV5AJWRR8H
— Simon Lock (Aergan) (@A3rgan) June 23, 2022
This method requires placing a small amount of specialized food grade volatile liquid hydrogen peroxide (12%) into a sealed container (must be air tight) with the plastic piece that you want to treat. Placing the container in direct sunlight will help expedite the chemical reaction to de-yellow the plastic. However, Simon indicated that this process can also be done indoors with the container next to a window getting indirect sunlight.
Some of the pros of using this method is that it requires much less hydrogen peroxide liquid since you are not required to completely submerge the plastic piece you want to treat. Additionally, it produces a very even and constant result!
Others who have tested this method with colored shells have found the results to be very good as well. Traditional methods of RetroBrite sometime can bleach the pigments in colored shells producing undesirable results.
once again @A3rgan told me he did an experiment in retrobrighting (easiest solution so far), and I had to try for myself… This is a sun yellowed light blue Game Gear, which only took about 3 hours to get back to this state!
— Dennis van den Broek (@PointerFunction) June 22, 2022
Simon’s Twitter thread showcases some fantastic results this method provides. Also, the shells I treated using this method had great results as documented in my video linked above.
Item 2: Yellowed Famicom shell, washed and chucked in (Still wet) with solution in the tray. 6hrs, returned to original colour 100%. Compared to my now turning again Famicom. pic.twitter.com/QAt3rVcB1f
— Simon Lock (Aergan) (@A3rgan) June 23, 2022
