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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ksd5 on Sat, 15 May 2010, 15:53:13

Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: ksd5 on Sat, 15 May 2010, 15:53:13
The keys on my 'board have yellowed. They're printed with pad printing. How would I go about whitening them?

I've read that bleach and hydrogen peroxide are good cleaners, but I don't want to damage the lettering.
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: washuai on Sat, 15 May 2010, 15:57:24
Search is your friend:  http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9099 (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9099).

Actually, I confess, I cheat, I used google.
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: iMav on Sat, 15 May 2010, 21:20:20
Quote from: washuai;182706
Search is your friend:  http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9099 (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Island:9099).

Actually, I confess, I cheat, I used google.


Google + site:geekhack.org is your friend.  :)
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: AndrewZorn on Sun, 16 May 2010, 21:31:45
i heard the denture cleaners work too
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: ch_123 on Mon, 17 May 2010, 04:26:51
Quote from: ksd5;182705
The keys on my 'board have yellowed. They're printed with pad printing. How would I go about whitening them?

I've read that bleach and hydrogen peroxide are good cleaners, but I don't want to damage the lettering.


Do some searches for "Retrobrite"
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: InSanCen on Mon, 17 May 2010, 04:33:58
Quote from: ch_123;183065
Do some searches for "Retrobrite"


Yup, works very well.

http://www.psfk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/after_eight_hours.jpg (http://www.psfk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/after_eight_hours.jpg)

Not mine, but illustrates what it can do.
Title: Best way to whiten yellowed keys?
Post by: itlnstln on Mon, 17 May 2010, 07:27:57
Toothpaste works pretty well, but I would watch out for the pad printing.  When it comes down to it, pretty much all whitening approaches achieve their goal by removing/eroding the yellowed layer of plastic.  There is some bleaching involved, but you will be wearing away some plastic.  Because of this, just about any approach you use will put the pad printing at risk.