I've been wanting to try to "Retrobrite" something and I found the perfect item to test it on.
It is small enough to where I won't need a big ole tub to do it. I plan on just using Hydrogen Peroxide to do it. At first I was thinking about putting it in a container and filling it up with Peroxide but now I'm thinking it might be better to just put it in a zip lock bag and fill it with the peroxide. That way it will be sure to be covered with the peroxide the entire time. I probably won't be able to start it until tommorow because it is supposed to storm later but when I finally do it on a sunny day I'm guessing I'll just sit the bag in a place where it will get direct sunlight all day. From what I've heard I'm thinking it might take two days to fully complete.
If anyone has any tips on retrobrite please let me know. I might do a video on the process just for fun.
"it went from being as yellow as a case that's been on the surface of the sun while a string of chain smokers blew a constant stream of smoke at it for 20 years to the best looking beige I have"
I retrobrited my SNES mouse. I used undiluted bottles of hydrogen peroxide you buy at Walgreens, and while it did work, it took several days under UV LED light strips and didn’t quite get as white as I was hoping. If you go that route, I strongly recommend getting some salon grade hydrogen peroxide.
So I ended up trying it like I said by putting it in a ziplock bag and filling it with peroxide. I had already bought 3 32oz. bottle of Peroxide awhile ago from the Dollar Tree to try this not knowing at the time there were different percentages of peroxide. Most places online recommend 6 or 12 percent but the kind I had was only 3 percent. I used the 3 percent anyway since I already had and it wouldn't hurt to try. I left it outside for several days. I don't remember exactly how many, 3 or 4 I think. I checked on it every once in awhile and would have to make some adjustments to ensure it was totally covered. The bag kept puffing up from the heat and I'd have to let the air out. Next time I do it I'm going to use a clear container like a big bowl or something and do something to weigh it down so it will stay totally submerged without me having to keep messing with it. Anyways after all that here are the results.
I am very impressed with how it turned out. It is a HUGE improvement! In the before pictures it looks like the bottom half is what the original color should be. I only did the top half and now the bottom half looks yellowed when compared to the top. Seriously I am super impressed. I figured since I was using 3 percent peroxide and didn't have it perfectly submerged the entire time that it would maybe lighten it a little bit and end up leaving spots/streaks where it missed part of it, but I was obviously wrong. To me it looks pretty much perfect! The clock was super yellowed. So much that if it wasn't for the bottom half being a lighter color I could see many people assuming that it was it's actual original color.
Many guides online about retrobrite makes it seem like it is a big ordeal to do it. But as you can see I got amazing results using nothing but $3 worth of regular ole peroxide and a ziplock bag! I guess if you use a higher percentage peroxide or some of the other additional things they mention online that it might not take as long but I'm in no hurry. These items have been sitting around yellowed for decades. So what if it takes a few days to get them back to their original condition?
So in closing I am very happy and impressed with the results I was able to achieve. I'm going to pick up some more peroxide tomorrow and do another item. I'll post before and after pictures in this thread.
