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Restoring Yellowed Plastic

I'm restoring a British sports car. The plastic windshield washer bottle has yellowed with age. Is there any way to restore the white color of the original plastic short of painting? Maybe a dye or chemical treatment?

Thank you in advance.

Tim Stiffy
- Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, USA
2001

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Try some 100% household bleach ⇦ bleach/sodium hypochlorite in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] . Caution on its use don't get it on you or your clothing. It turns everything it come in contact with white. Also clean the container out with water and let dry before using the bleach.

Good luck

Kelly Chadwick
- Ogden, UT
2001

Sorry, Tim, but I think you are up a gum tree.

That 'white' and now yellowed plastic bottle is losing its fight against U.V.

This is a typical behaviour pattern with Polyethylene. In time it should stress crack and fail. That's why all commercial Pe pipe is coloured black along with some other plastics, too.

May I suggest you just paint it. I don't think that bleach will do anything for you.

Cheers !

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).
2001

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As far as yellowed parts go, try this: denture whitener. A friend of mine has refurbished many a weathered GI Joe Storm Shadow figures using this technique.

Steven Ray
- Fishers, Indiana, USA
2004