Whiten up

It was a sad day when my adorable pair of miniature replica Eames chairs came off the moving truck after our recent PCS. Unfortunately the heat from the drive from Alabama to Virginia brought to life some atrocious UV damage. The top half of both chairs had a harsh yellow line. I contemplated painting them but I worried they would never hold up to the abuse my tiny clients inflict upon them.

Before replacing them, I decided to do a little googling. I found a tutorial for how to brighten yellowed electronics like remote controls and smoke detectors using hair developer. Why wouldn't that work on a knock-off Eames chair? Low and behold, it did! With just a few household items and a quick trip to the beauty store, my chairs are now camera ready again.

What you'll need...

A paint brush

Cling wrap

Hair Developer - 40%  - I found a 4oz bottle at Sally's Beauty Supply for $1.49. That was more than enough for both chairs. Definitely go for the creme. It's thicker so it stays in place.

Wipe down your item to remove any stains or debris. Generously brush on the developer. Cover with cling wrap. If your item is small enough, you can put it in a Ziploc bag instead of wrapping it. Either way, the goal is to keep it from drying out. Place in the sun for a minimum of 4 hours. Check it periodically to make sure it isn't drying out. You may also need to change positioning to make sure it's getting full sun.

That's it! Once your item has brightened to your liking, remove the cling wrap and clean it thoroughly of any remaining developer. As you can see from the side by side comparison, the unsightly yellowing at the top of the right chair is now gone on the left chair.