How to whiten yellowed plastic parts in your van

If you have a van that’s a few years old, it’s likely that the interior plastics have started to turn yellow. This is a common problem, especially in my Volkswagen T4 California Exclusive in places such as the fridge or the upper window frames, which over time lose their original white colour due to exposure to the sun and wear and tear. But after doing a bit of research, I found there was a simple and effective solution for whitening these plastic parts.

By using 40-volume hydrogen peroxide – a product used in hairdressing to bleach hair – you can restore the plastics to their original white colour.

So I went on Amazon and bought Valquer Profesional, 40-volume hydrogen peroxide. The results have been spectacular. With a bit of patience and by following a few simple steps, the fridge has regained its original colour and looks as good as new.

Steps for whitening yellowed plastics:

1. Clean the surface: Before applying the product, make sure you clean the plastic thoroughly to remove any accumulated dirt or grease.
2. Apply the product: Wear gloves to protect your hands and apply an even layer of hydrogen peroxide to the yellowed plastic.
3. Exposure to the sun: This is a key step. Place the object (in my case, the fridge door) in the sun for a few hours. The combination of sunlight and hydrogen peroxide helps to reverse the yellowing. Wrapping the item in cling film also enhances the effect by preventing the product from evaporating too quickly.
4. Repeat if necessary: Depending on the degree of yellowing, you may need to repeat the process once or twice more to achieve the best results.

Next project: whitening the window frames

Having seen how well this has worked on the fridge, my next aim is to use this same method to whiten the plastic on the upper window frames of the van. I’m sure they’ll look perfect too.

If you’ve got yellowed plastic parts in your van too, I’d recommend giving this method a go.