Using Peroxide to Clean Yellowed Plastic Pour straight peroxide in a container. Put the plastic in the container. Allow the plastic to soak in the sunlight until the stain lifts. Rinse and dry.
Coat your yellowed plastic gadget and wrap it. In a nutshell, all you need to do is to coat the plastic (cleaned and dried, of course) evenly with the cream peroxide. Avoid having the cream coming in contact with your skin or eyes, as it can cause burns.
For one of the most commonly used plastics, polyethylene, it's long been suggested that ultraviolet (UV) light — the same light that gives us sunburns — initiates reactions in the backbone of the polymer's structure that cause the yellow color change.
Fortunately, you can easily remove oxidation with sandpaper, vinegar, or a bleach solution. Plastic that has faded to a yellow or brown color was made with bromine, which causes the plastic to change color over time. However, you can reverse bromine discoloration with hydrogen peroxide.
If you have concerns about using bleach in your containers, vinegar is a great alternative that is food-safe. Lemon, vinegar, and baking soda are all natural cleaners that will lift discoloration from plastic.
No problem. If you've got a can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product in the garage, your plastic-cleaning problems are solved. Simply spray onto the area you want to clean and scrub a little with a rag until the plastic surface looks clean. As an added bonus, you can also use WD-40 to polish plastic surfaces on your car.
Forte's recipe for stain removal: 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach to 1 cup of water. Pour to just above the level of the stain or put the solution into a container large enough to hold your plastic item. Soak for 30 minutes or until the stain is gone. Then, rinse in warm soapy water.
Hydrogen peroxide works well on plastics that have turned entirely yellow instead of in just one spot. Fill a plastic bag with enough hydrogen peroxide to cover the plastic. Stick the plastic in the bag of hydrogen peroxide and lay it out in direct sunlight. Wait 3-4 hours before rinsing it off with clean water.
Place the plastic pieces under the sun and leave them there for at least a day. It's the UV rays from the sun that in combination with the hydrogen peroxyde will make yellowed plastic white again.
What worked the best was good old baking soda and water. Mix just a pinch of each to form a paste, then scrub the sticky plastic item with bare hands. It worked like a charm.
Luckily, bringing out the plastic's natural luster is easily done. By rubbing olive oil or using a heat gun on the faded area, you can help your plastic look as good as new. And, if all else fails, you can always use black spray paint to give your plastic a sleek shine again.
No problem. If you've got a can of WD-40 Multi-Use Product in the garage, your plastic-cleaning problems are solved. Simply spray onto the area you want to clean and scrub a little with a rag until the plastic surface looks clean. As an added bonus, you can also use WD-40 to polish plastic surfaces on your car.
CLEAR UP CLOUDY PLASTIC
A better remedy for the haze, though, is a dab of olive oil. Pour a few drops on a lint-free cloth and rub the oil into the affected area. Continuing buffing the surface for a few minutes, and the cloudiness will disappear leaving the plastic looking good as new.
To clean foggy plastic, wipe it down first with a mixture of soap and water. If that doesn't help, you could soak or wipe away the fogginess with a combination of vinegar, baking soda, and possibly water. Seriously foggy headlights might require sanding and polishing using a handheld rotary sander-polisher.
If you've got white plastic that's faded to yellow, you can actually restore it with hydrogen peroxide! Tape off or cover any colored areas with some clear tape or masking tape so they're protected. Use a 12% hydrogen peroxide cream instead of the liquid and brush an even layer over the area.
Our top pick is the TriNova Plastic & Trim Restorer. It's currently one of the most popular trims and plastic restorers that shields against UV rays, darkens the surface, and can offer up to one year of protection.
For hard plastics like acrylic and polycarbonate, a buffing wheel is a good option. Turn the wheel on, and then hold the plastic up to the wheel where the scratch is. After a few minutes, the scratch should be gone. It will also work to buff up soft plastics, like motorcycle trim.
Olive oil should not be stored in plastic containers because the oil may absorb PVC's from the plastic.
Boiled linseed oil for faded plastic
Linseed oil can restore faded plastic, but it takes ages to dry.
The over the counter “plastic restorers” are not actually restoring plastics at all. You see, plastics fade and look terrible due to constant exposure to UV lighting and heat from the sun that dries them out. What these over the counter dressings do is hydrate the plastics for the time being.
Although Armor All® Protectant is generally used to clean, protect and shine your car, you can use this product on several household surfaces, including vinyl, rubber, and hard, colored plastic surfaces.
Meguiar's Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer, Car Plastic Restorer Gives New Life to Exterior Plastic, Vinyl and Rubber Trim – 12 Oz Bottle. This product is designed to be used with most types of plastic surfaces. Also, it gives a rich hue and glossy shine that holds up to the elements and lasts for weeks.