Retrobright ATARI 1040 STF – attempt no. 1

Two weeks ago I bought a considerably yellowed ATARI 1040 STF. After watching various YouTube videos and reading discussion forums about whitening plastics and restoring their original appearance, I decided to try the process myself (or rather, on my own ATARI). There are several possible methods, but they all have one thing in common: peroxide. Its action together with UV radiation restores yellowed plastic closer to its original colour.

I tried whitening with the hairdressing product Fanola (12%), which is sold in one-litre bottles and has a slightly gel-like consistency. A litre costs around CZK 100 (from my mum’s hair salon). Some whitening experts also recommend 30% liquid peroxide and immersing the plastic in a bath. Given the relatively aggressive nature of peroxide and my limited home conditions, I chose the less aggressive 12% solution, which is generally considered entirely sufficient. After thoroughly washing all the plastic parts in warm water with a little detergent, I left them to dry in the sun. I then poured about 200 ml of 12% peroxide into a bowl and carefully coated every part with a brush.

I did everything in the bathtub in our flat. I wore protective gloves and was careful not to splash myself, because peroxide can leave painful burns when it comes into contact with skin. I carefully wrapped the coated plastic parts in stretch film to prevent air getting in and placed them by a roof window in direct sunlight. Roughly every half hour I turned the parts to different angles so that the sunlight would reach all areas evenly. After about two and three-quarter hours I removed everything and thoroughly rinsed it with lukewarm water.

Once the parts had dried, I could hardly wait to see the result. I would rate it only halfway successful, because the stretch film left visible patches on the plastic. Even the “whitened” areas still looked yellowish. According to information on a discussion forum, when wrapping the parts you need to use only a single layer without unnecessary folds, which is not quite as easy as it sounds. So I am not satisfied with the result and will continue whitening the ATARI.