I use this stuff - already in a cream so you just paint it on with a brush and then put some plastic wrap over it to prevent it from evaporating.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/creme-developer/SL … pd.html#start=9

Artex wrote:

I use this stuff - already in a cream so you just paint it on with a brush and then put some plastic wrap over it to prevent it from evaporating.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/creme-developer/SL … pd.html#start=9

Does that require UV light (sunlight or another source) to work?

Artex wrote:

I use this stuff - already in a cream so you just paint it on with a brush and then put some plastic wrap over it to prevent it from evaporating.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/creme-developer/SL … pd.html#start=9

Ingredients: water, hydrogen peroxide, [...]

So take away the water and you're 95% of the way to retrobright. I bet most of the other formulations that work are based on H peroxide (in other words, use it in whatever format you like, creams or gels might be easier to work with but the active ingredient is the same.)

rick12373 wrote:

Artex wrote:

I use this stuff - already in a cream so you just paint it on with a brush and then put some plastic wrap over it to prevent it from evaporating.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/creme-developer/SL … pd.html#start=9

Does that require UV light (sunlight or another source) to work?

Either will work. I've put mine outside but others use black lights (uv) which work just fine too!

Artex wrote:

rick12373 wrote:

Artex wrote:

I use this stuff - already in a cream so you just paint it on with a brush and then put some plastic wrap over it to prevent it from evaporating.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/creme-developer/SL … pd.html#start=9

Does that require UV light (sunlight or another source) to work?

Either will work. I've put mine outside but others use black lights (uv) which work just fine too!

I might need a black light, we might not see much sun here until next summer. 😢

Don't plastics crack easier after using hydrogen peroxide on them though? Haven't tested it, but always wondered about negative consequences of retr0brite-like substances... There's too much information out there on whether it's dangerous or not, I don't really know who to believe.

psychz wrote:

Don't plastics crack easier after using hydrogen peroxide on them though? Haven't tested it, but always wondered about negative consequences of retr0brite-like substances... There's too much information out there on whether it's dangerous or not, I don't really know who to believe.

I used it on some Commodore 64s about 5 years ago and the plastic is still OK.

Awesome. Might help brighten my Amiga 500 someday.

psychz wrote:

Don't plastics crack easier after using hydrogen peroxide on them though? Haven't tested it, but always wondered about negative consequences of retr0brite-like substances... There's too much information out there on whether it's dangerous or not, I don't really know who to believe.

There have been more and more reports within the last few months of people starting their second application after a number of years (it's temporary to begin with as the yellowing isn't actually reversed) and the plastics are getting more brittle. The tradeoff of a nicer looking machine at the cost of durability is too much. I wouldn't do it.

Yeah, I started de-yellow my 486 case when I heared of that. And since I messed it (the white wasn't uniform), I painted it instead. Not as great as if the plastic itself was white, but not as bad as before. But I think that the paint that I used wasn't the best in term of how it attach to plastic. What would you recommend ?

I've recently done quite a bit of retrobrighting using only the Salon 40 vol 12% creme solution. Some of us might remember the old Castrol GTX ads from years ago,
"Oils ain't Oils". When it comes to retrobrighting "Plastics ain't plastics".

For the most part My retrobrighting has been successful. Amongst the successes are my Amiga 500, Vic 20 case, Front of my 486 AT case, also my beige AT keyboard.
All those have now got a mostly even whitening and look really good.

What didn't work well was that I tried this on my Vic-20 keyboard that has the PET Style keys and it has wrecked them by turning them a lot grayer. The same happened
to the top of my c64 keyboard. Also my Beige ATX case from 2000 has got a streaked look now. I think if the plastic is more porous this doesn't work very well.

The best bit of advice might be to NEVER try this on keyboard keys that aren't beige or white coloured. Also only leave some items in the Sun a few hours. In Brisbane here
the Winter sun is powerful enough, in the Summer the plastic will likely melt.
The writing on the top of the keys was yellowed which was why I tried it. The good news though is that I have found Creme Cleanser will get the colour back, but it's a lot of hard work
and it is very hard to keep the printing that is on the front of the keys, although I can redo that with a White on clear printing cartridge and a Brother label printer.

The N and M keys have new petscii characters on the front from a brother label printer.

I saw 8-bit-keys guy talking about this for keys, and he just puts them in a bag with hydrogen peroxide and lets it sit out in the sun for the day

https://youtu.be/fXMY-XLa8s0?t=206

It seems less messy than working with a paste, and the results look pretty good.

I did use the 'hair developer' cream ( i think it's the correct english name?)
The one with high concentrated hydrogen peroxide.

It's cheap and i've obtained good results. This PC case in the photo was literally cooked, not even yellow, but orange in colour. It's not 100 perfect now, but it's mostly grey !. I used natural sunlight.
Depending on the plastic and the level of yellowing , you can obtain a perfect result in just 5 minutes (like when i used it on a Olivetti pcs86), or you have to put it multiple times and for many hours (like that plastic frame in the photo.
The cream is dense enough to stay on the plastic parts and be effective.

Just a bit of advice. That stuff is really powerful, use plastic gloves and a brush. Wash everything really well when you are done.

Eyewear too!