All materials suffer the ravages of time and plastic is unfortunately no exception! For him, wear is generally more felt in terms of color and he always ends up deviating from his original white to display yellowish colors which look very neglected. We think in particular of switches or keyboards which perhaps are not cleaned as regularly as they should even though they are constantly used by dirty hands. How to clean and restore shine to these objects? No need for bleach, here are our unstoppable solutions for effectively de-yellowing plastic. They can be chosen depending on the objects cleaned and what you have on hand. PVC is unrecognizable after a good wash without chemicals!
1) Le bicarbonate
By mixing baking soda with a little water in a container. You will obtain a thick paste with very surprising whitening effects. Scrub the surface to be treated well with a non-abrasive sponge or a damp toothbrush before rinsing with clean water and drying well.
2) White vinegar
This maintenance product is excellent for cleaning radiators and also helps to de-yellow, clean and degrease plastics! Make a mixture of water (non-added or soapy) and vinegar and carefully scrub the plastic with a soft sponge. When you are satisfied with the result, rinse and finish, taking the time to dry well with a cloth.
3) Oxygenated water
It is a great household classic for whitening objects or clothes. First wash the surface to be treated with dishwashing detergent and water then leave everything to soak in a bath of hydrogen peroxide (this is therefore better suited for small objects). Place everything in a sunny spot and let the rays do all the work!
4) Soda crystals
Its whitening power is unstoppable for removing dirt and restoring shine to objects! Take a tablespoon and dilute it well in a glass of hot water. Then simply soak your sponge and proceed with cleaning.
5) Household alcohol
Take a clean cloth and soak it with this product. Then rub the plastic material that you want to de-yellow. This will remove dirt in no time!
6) The clay stone
Remember! We told you about the procedure for creating this excellent household product. Just lather a little with a damp sponge and rub in carefully. You must then rinse and dry the plastic.
8) The retr0bright which gives the best results for de-yellowing plastic
This technique is less natural, but has the merit of working wonders. It is particularly popular with fans of older generation consoles whose white has been tarnished by time (GameBoy, Amiga, Super NES… do you feel nostalgia taking over you? :p)! For this technique, you must wear gloves and protective glasses.
Make a mixture composed of 20 cl of hydrogen peroxide at a minimum of 12% (hence the gloves! Product to buy in a DIY store), 1/2 teaspoon of Vanish Oxi Action (to activate the reaction, to buy in supermarkets) and 3 teaspoons of thickener (cornstarch, talc, thickener for baby milk… quantity to be seen depending on the texture obtained). Apply with a brush and leave in the sun (or under an ultraviolet lamp if you have one). Monitor and then rinse with great care so that the product no longer attacks the plastic.
Please note:
However, we do not recommend using acetone which whitens, but also strips the protective varnish from certain plastics.