Remove yellowing on old MLP playsets ?

[Annichen]

Hi all - I tried searching for this topic but couldn't find anything.
Have anyone successfully removed yellowing from playsets like Paradise Estate etc ?
Even though I have kept my collection away from the sun all my adult life most playsets have a nasty yellow color now and I really want to try fix them up.
Have anyone tried the usual peroxide/UV light or any such methods ? If this topic is covered somewhere please drop a link - thanks a bunch 

[Artemesia's Garden]

I have the same problem at the moment with my UK Baby Lemondrop Stroller, but I'm not sure that there's a solution. Sunfading plastics is controversial because it might improve the colour in the short term but cause irreversible breakdown in the long term. I look at what happens to plastic plant pots or trays that I use outside or in the greenhouse and it's not great. They just go brittle and crack. But it would be great to hear if anyone has had any success.

[Crowning_Glory13]

Ooo I want to know too. I am having the same issue. Wonder if you can still lighten, but not soak/damage stickers.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

This link isn't specifically for MLP playsets, but it is from the Transformers community, so there's likely to be a bit of helpful tips in there: link
This archived thread details someone who used hydrogen peroxide on a baby buggy: link. The photobucket pics are still up thankfully! I took a screenshot of the transformation just in case it gets axed:
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[Noasar]

I used a peroxide/baking soda paste on the roof of a lullaby nursery a few years ago and it worked a treat. You have to keep scraping the paste off and reapplying as it will stop working. You also need to leave it in a sunny spot. Good luck!

[invaderhorizongreen]

I have used peroxide before, but dont recall how diluted it has to be.

[Loreofyore]

Had the G1 nursery once gave it away to a little girl because I want to move eventually but when I do I really think I might like to collect it again. Am I weird to be drawn to the aged ones? Maybe I'd just stared at my beat up one for so long I got used to it, but once in a while I browse and think... 'after I move' and have noticed for some reason it's the yellowed ones I spend most time staring at... that said I hope next time I find one with it's bow still.
Anyway there is something like a miniature fakie to this lovely playset... for Teeny Weeny families (itself a polly pocket fakie)
https://teenyweenyfamilies.weebly.com/baby-nursery.html
I don't have one but one day I might also find that or that G1 sticker book I'd been outbid on... and it not get away!

[Annichen]

Thanks, ponies  I'll give it a try at some point, don't have peroxide in the house right now..erm..
I found a few interesting videos on YT where collectors had good results with peroxide on Transformers and Masters of the Universe figures and they are basically same as MLP playsets I'd think.

Being a historian, film restorer and archivist I can see how time and the obvious enemies of all things will eventually take away what we adore.
It's been remarkable little focus on preserving and restoring plastic objects and I have been annoyed by the fact that we take action when it is too late rather than when there's still time - that goes for anything really - film, architecture or any design.
Of course historical objects are subject to how important they can actually be ? But as long as we do save certain pieces that are only of design value then all objects should potentially be of historical interest.

I'll do some experiments and post about the results - if anyone else try remove yellowing please let us know how it turns out.
I recall trying nail polish remover on something decades ago and that is a 100% total fail..obviously   
Btw. have any of you seen MLP - or any other 80s toy - in a museum yet ?
We have had 80s interior, and I think it is a permanent display now, at the Norwegian Folk Museum. It would be so darn cool with a 80s toy museum...I die 

[OleGrayMane]

Have anyone tried the usual peroxide/UV light or any such methods ? If this topic is covered somewhere please drop a link - thanks a bunch 

A friend of mine collects 70s-90s video game consoles and computers. Because of him, I know collectors in that area use this technique: https://www.howtogeek.com/196687/ask-htg-why-do-old-computers-and-game-consoles-turn-yellow/

I've no idea how applicable the materials and technique would be to aged plastics in the playsets and especially what you would need to do to preserve stickers. Looks nasty.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

This is an interesting and related article:

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/preserving-plastic-art-spacesuits-science/

[Safflower]

I can't help with the yellowing, but...

Btw. have any of you seen MLP - or any other 80s toy - in a museum yet ?
We have had 80s interior, and I think it is a permanent display now, at the Norwegian Folk Museum. It would be so darn cool with a 80s toy museum...I die 

*raises hand* I have! I went to a toy and miniature museum with some of my family and there were a few ponies (I remember Firefly specifically, and mayyybe a brush n grow, plus a few others, maybe 5-7 in total). It was awesome to see them They had a lot of other 80s toys as well.

[Shaz]

Btw. have any of you seen MLP - or any other 80s toy - in a museum yet ?
We have had 80s interior, and I think it is a permanent display now, at the Norwegian Folk Museum. It would be so darn cool with a 80s toy museum...I die 

I saw a My Little Pony radio (with Sunbeam on it) at the Montacute TV, Radio & Toy Museum (in Somerset, England) which was super exciting! I've been to a few toy museums/museums with toy displays over the years (I like old toys: there's an awesome toy museum in Arne, Dorset, but the toys there are quite old: I usually spend trips there spotting things my grandmother had) but haven't seen any ponies so far. I have seen Barbie in a couple of museums, although I can't remember if they were 80s Barbies or older. An 80s toy museum would be amazing!

Sorry, went way off-topic there . I'm afraid I don't have any advice on the yellowing playsets but I just had to pitch in about museums.

[Taffeta]

I can't help with the yellowing, but...

Btw. have any of you seen MLP - or any other 80s toy - in a museum yet ?
We have had 80s interior, and I think it is a permanent display now, at the Norwegian Folk Museum. It would be so darn cool with a 80s toy museum...I die 

*raises hand* I have! I went to a toy and miniature museum with some of my family and there were a few ponies (I remember Firefly specifically, and mayyybe a brush n grow, plus a few others, maybe 5-7 in total). It was awesome to see them They had a lot of other 80s toys as well.

Can't help with yellowing but can comment on museums and ponies.

The Castle Museum in Turku, Finland had a Sky Rocket (Sparkle Pony) when I was there in...2011 I think. And the Museum of Childhood or whatever it is called in Bethnal Green in London has the UK 2nd edition Cherries Jubilee on display too. There was also a temporary exhibition in Dudley a few years back of Wondermint's entire collection of pony stuff which was very awesome....

[SpaceButtPonies]

Have anyone tried the usual peroxide/UV light or any such methods ? If this topic is covered somewhere please drop a link - thanks a bunch 

A friend of mine collects 70s-90s video game consoles and computers. Because of him, I know collectors in that area use this technique: https://www.howtogeek.com/196687/ask-htg-why-do-old-computers-and-game-consoles-turn-yellow/

I've no idea how applicable the materials and technique would be to aged plastics in the playsets and especially what you would need to do to preserve stickers. Looks nasty.

This article was very informative! May have to try it now since I myself have the old Nintendo system that's super gross and yellow lol.