Retro and vintage YouTuber Tech Tangents, known as Shelby Jueden, showed off the retrobrightening results on his channel after ten years on an elderly Sega Dreamcast. According to YouTube videoback in 2015, he applied the classic method of using hydrogen peroxide and sunlight to the upper and lower casings of his elderly console (excluding the cover), which to some extent reduced the yellowing of the casing that existed at that time. Then he left the whole thing dismantled on the shelf and only dealt with it this year. This type of accidental experiment showed that retrobrighting is actually not suitable for the console, and the untreated surface looks better after a decade.
Jueden says retrobrighting is the process of reversing the natural yellowing that many plastic parts undergo over time. There are many different catalysts for this yellowing process. Still, he explains in the video that plastic parts tend to discolor as the flame retardant chemical in the material oxidizes when exposed to featherlight, UV radiation, oxygen, temperature and many other factors.
Some retro enthusiasts want to reverse this aging process using various techniques. In addition to the one mentioned above, the video also mentions the sous vide method, which involves heating a solution of Salon Care 40 Volume Clear Developer (containing hydrogen peroxide) and water and then applying it to the plastic part for treatment. It showed promise in reversing some of the yellowing, but still did not fully restore the original color. He also tried many experiments using ozone and UV featherlight, but the results were either negligible or worse.
Finally, he concluded that while retrobrighting can temporarily reverse the yellowing of plastic parts, it does more harm than good. Streaks and stains were noticeable on the treated surfaces, and instead of correcting the imperfections, the bleach damaged the plastic. What’s more, he also showed the bottom of the console casing, which has been partially covered with tape for the last ten years. The treated part was yellower than the untreated part, proving that leaving the console untouched was much better in terms of longevity than trying to reverse the march time.
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