Restoring Yellowed Plastic

A quick online search brings up lots of methods for making yellowed plastic white again, the most popular involving hydrogen peroxide gel hair products and sunlight. Some of the before / after pictures are certainly very impressive. I was wondering if anyone had tried whitening yellowed Plarail trains using any method, and if so, how it went?

[Super]

Interesting. I would imagine it depends on what caused the yellowing. Do they have a video of the procedure they used? At first look of the picture the yellow doesn't look like it was from the sun or smoking because its too even all over and I am not so sure the original color was white or the cream color in the after picture. It also looks like they had to have completely dismantled the machine as all the stickers and the burgundy parts don't look to be affected at all by the hydrogen peroxide. However it does look like the pictures are actual as if you look at the circled area it looks like the inside of that tunnel is yellowish. I would like to see how the procedure went.

Here's a relevant video from someone I watch on the occasion.

Perfect, thank you Trainfanz. I think THIS Wikipedia article will answer Super's other questions.

[Ucwepn]

I have done it with several vintage stormtrooper figures, the star wars collecting community absolutely frowns on this practice though. They claim it does weaken the plastic and makes it become brittle. If overdone it can make white plastic turn pink forever also, I have seen some pinking but not weakening myself so do it at your own risk, also know that it will destroy any stickers and fade some printed tampographs

[Ucwepn]

Interesting. I would imagine it depends on what caused the yellowing. Do they have a video of the procedure they used? At first look of the picture the yellow doesn't look like it was from the sun or smoking because its too even all over and I am not so sure the original color was white or the cream color in the after picture. It also looks like they had to have completely dismantled the machine as all the stickers and the burgundy parts don't look to be affected at all by the hydrogen peroxide. However it does look like the pictures are actual as if you look at the circled area it looks like the inside of that tunnel is yellowish. I would like to see how the procedure went.




Hi, it's the fire retardant in 70s 80s and 90s plastic called bromine and it leeches out and causes the yellowing.

peroxide and bleach are also known to be used on yellowed lego, but i have also seen comments relating to weakening if the mix is too strong. i wouldnt try it myself, and tend to leave the bad whites out, however even well kept stuff will turn over the years. my disney castle is primarily white and tan, and will look dreadful in years to come, sadly.