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Handles of the refrigerator or microwave oven, switches, sockets, the washing machine lid, the cooker hood, the windowsill… Although white paint looks elegant on them, if they are made of plastic they very quickly lose their snow-white purity and begin to yellow. That does not mean, however, that we were not washing them enough.
Why does yellowing occur?
Yellowing is caused by sunlight, temperature changes and contact with human fingers or other objects, for example flower pots on the windowsill. It is a completely natural process that, fortunately, is not irreversible. Handy products will help you, some of which you have at home, for others you will have to go to the drugstore. Each of them is equally effective.
The first option is to soak a dish sponge in 70–80% vinegar essence and rub the stains with it. Then let the essence work for a while and rinse with water. Wear gloves when using this method. Laundry soap will also help with stains. Simply grate it into small shavings and mix with hot water to create a paste. Apply it to the affected area, leave it for a while and rinse.
Do you dye your hair? You can use oxidant for other purposes
If you bleach your hair, oxidant will certainly be familiar to you. It is sold in hairdressing supplies and is often included in lightening colors for home use. Rub it onto the yellowed plastics, leave for ten minutes and rinse. You can also scrub plastic surfaces with a brush and ordinary toothpaste. The abrasive particles effectively clean rough surfaces and remove even stubborn stains. This method is best used on window sills.
Before cleaning covers of sockets, switches or handles of electrical appliances it is important to disconnect them from the power supply. Before screwing them back in place, let them dry thoroughly. You should also generally work in gloves to prevent skin irritation. It is not recommended to use products containing chlorine on plastics, as it could cause the material to yellow even faster.
