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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
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6th Mar 2023, 8:21 pm | #1 |
Triode
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Gillingham, Kent, UK.
Posts: 22
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Plastic case cleaning
Hello everyone. I am restoring/modifying a ivory/white GPO 706 telephone but it has a badly stained case. It looks like nicotine or UV light has made it go off white. I have tried all the usual cleaning methods but it doesn't do anything, has anyone any tips please? I was wondering if a water and bleach solution would help or would it ruin the finish? Many thanks.
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6th Mar 2023, 9:16 pm | #2 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Plastic case cleaning
Plastic ivory phones are famous for UV/age related yellowing. I've used the retr0brite process to restore the colour of a number of ivory/cream plastic cases and it works well. There are various approaches but the process basically involves the application of peroxide and exposure to UV (strong sunlight will do). A bit of googling will give you the information needed.
Nicotine itself is colourless and it's the tar in tobacco smoke that leaves unpleasant deposits but any staining is readily removed with traditional cleaning products. Alan |
6th Mar 2023, 9:40 pm | #3 |
Nonode
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 2,583
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Re: Plastic case cleaning
The pictured Commodore datasette was an obvious candidate for the Retr0brite (Retr0bright) treatment as illustrated by the first photo. This was very much a 'quick and dirty' trial so I wasn't expecting spectacular results. Basically I brushed a coating of cream peroxide (hair product) on to the top half of the case, wrapped it in cling film and put it on a roasting tray lined with aluminium foil which was then postioned outside on a south facing window sill for four hours (turning occasionaly). The second photo shows the outcome. There was no apparent surface damage but I've not tried chlorinated bleach.
Alan |
7th Mar 2023, 7:33 am | #4 |
Heptode
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Hakadal, Norway
Posts: 640
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Re: Plastic case cleaning
Alan has right, but it may be quite a job to get it 100% perfect.
Here is a thread, it has link to another thread that links to.... Plenty of reading http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/f...8773#msg238773 |