Crazy yellowing of TRC

[casinoman]

Is the any way of reverting the yellowing effect of a TRC (other than replacing it)? As you can see in the picture, I have one that yellowed quite a lot. Plus, why does it happen at all? This particulart example was never exposed to any unusual light conditions...

[jps]

My guess would be atmospheric conditions (nicotine, for one).

[DriftSpace]

I don't know if the black paint will hold-up after this process, but the following works pretty well for whitening plastic which has been yellowed due to exposure from dirt, oils, and/or smoke.

1. Fill a small container with hydrogen peroxide.
2. Add ¼ teaspoon of Oxy laundry booster for each gallon of peroxide.
3. Place the yellowed plastic pieces into the solution and allow them to soak.
4. The soaking time will vary with most pieces whitening in 2-6 hours. The mixture will last for up to four days before it needs to be replaced.

(Retr0Bright has also developed a way to make this into a gel that can be spread onto the plastic. This is especially helpful for larger items.)
(You can also use tooth-whitening gel, which will be easier to apply while avoiding the areas with black paint; just paint it on the yellowed parts and put it in the sun.)

5. Set the items under a UV light or out in the sunshine.
6. When the item has reached the desired whiteness, remove and rinse thoroughly to remove any remaining cleaning products.
7. If necessary, wash with dish detergent and water.

Since your TRC has raised lettering: it would be super easy to repaint if the paint did come off during this process.

[casinoman]

thanks for the advice, sounds like I'll have to set a fun little chemistry lab