Reddit Enthusiast Shares 'Stupid Strong' Method to De-Yellow SNES

For anyone who grew up with the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), the sight is all too familiar: a once-pristine grey console that has slowly morphed into a sickly, uneven shade of nicotine yellow. This degradation, caused by the bromine flame retardants in the ABS plastic reacting with UV light, is often considered irreversible without painting. However, a dedicated enthusiast on the Console Repair subreddit has shared a detailed success story, using a precise "retrobrighting" setup to restore the hardware to its factory glory.

The user (SlingingBits), posting under a thread simply titled 'Before and After', detailed a process that goes far beyond the typical advice of leaving the console in the sun. 'First, I cleaned the crap out of them', they explained, setting the stage for a procedure that looks more like a laboratory experiment than a quick clean-up. The key to their success appears to be a controlled environment using specific ultraviolet lighting. The restorer noted that while 265nm UV lights were their first choice, they were prohibitively expensive, leading them to settle for 285-400nm lights sourced from Amazon. These were mounted on a custom 2x4 wooden frame, angled at 45 degrees to ensure even coverage—a crucial step to avoid the dreaded "streaking" effect often seen in amateur attempts.

The chemical component of the restoration involved a potent 12% hydrogen peroxide solution, which the user described as 'stupid strong'. This was diluted slightly with water in a clear container lined with aluminium foil to maximise light reflection. In a clever piece of improvisation, they used clear glass pebbles as typically found in vases, to displace the liquid, allowing them to use less peroxide while still fully submerging the console shell. Shot glasses were then used as weights to keep the buoyant plastic parts from floating to the surface, a common pitfall where bubbles formed by the chemical reaction lift the plastic out of the solution, causing uneven bleaching.

The process wasn't without its risks. The user issued a stark warning regarding printed labels, noting that 'the printed ink will dissolve' if left in the solution too long, a hard lesson learned from a previous attempt on a controller. After a 48-hour bath, the console was removed and treated with '303 Aerospace Protectant', a product originally designed for aviation and marine use. This final step not only provides UV protection to prevent future yellowing but also reportedly restored the console's original texture and 'feel'. The user did, however, offer one final, wry piece of advice regarding the spray: 'Just don't spray on a floor! It's slippery AF'.

While the "retrobrighting" technique is well-known in retro gaming circles, this documented approach highlights the importance of specific wavelengths and concentrations. For collectors looking to banish the yellowing from their own setups, this Reddit thread serves as both a helpful guide and a reminder that restoring 30-year-old hardware is as much a science as it is an art.