Used Aerus vac... yellowed hose options?

[djub85]

Happy weekend! I made a knee-jerk decision and purchased a used Aerus Guardian Ultra on Ebay today when I temporarily forgot that I'd given up on collecting vacuums. Oops.

I've regretted selling my old one 2 years ago and had been looking for one of the final model year versions to replace it with. I've always thought the Ultra represented the final evolution of the classic design language that started with the 1205. The black Legacy (which I own) and Classic are technically newer colors, but the Ultra's more modern/rounded top handle, controls, and the HEPA filter make it the most advanced/evolved of the traditional-looking Aerus/Electrolux machines.

I found this Ultra at a really good price from a vac seller with great feedback, but the hose has yellowed a bit. I'll have to post photos once it arrives, but I'm wondering if there's anything that can be done to remove the yellowing without destroying the hose. All of the accessories and the PN and canister themselves are all fine, but the hose is fading a little.

What works? Peroxide? Car headlight restoring compounds? Bleach? Toothpaste? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I don't particularly want to buy a new hose, as this one is only 6 years old and in fine working condition. It isn't badly faded, but I'd gladly spend a few hours polishing it to remove the oxidation.

Any tips for preventing further yellowing? Can I hide it away in a dark closet, or will it even go yellow there like a Super Nintendo? lol. Those faded even when factory-sealed for years.

Thanks guys.

 

[madman]

Assuming it isn't yellow just because of general filth, the only option for yellowed plastic is the peroxide + uv light method. Car headlight restoration kits are almost exclusively polishing kits, and I've never seen one that promised to de-yellow headlight lenses. In fact, they all specifically say that they won't do that. Toothpaste in terms of other uses than brushing teeth, is also only any good as a polishing compound, but it's really a joke, because you could just buy polishing compound instead of wasting expensive toothpaste. Bleach won't actually do anything to plastic other than sanitize it.

You can youtube videos of people using peroxide to de-yellow plastic stuff. It's a high concentration peroxide used by hair salons for bleaching hair, the stuff in your medicine cabinet won't cut it. (Also, peroxide is super toxic if it enters the blood stream, so it's kind of useless as an antiseptic anyway.)

With something flexible like a vacuum hose, there is a possibility it may become *slightly* more brittle than before after using peroxide. Just fyi.

 

[huskyvacs]

I am not sure if it would work, I've never tried it, but if the hose is made of rubber, maybe some kind of rubber polishing paste - like for car tires maybe - would be enough to also act as a bleaching agent? Something kind of like this?



Bleach, peroxide, isopropyl alcohol and even vaseline will all eat away rubber gradually, so I wouldn't advise on those. As far as I know there is no fix for this problem aside from reproducing the part with modern materials. There is the RetroBright technique, but that only works on hard plastic components, I do not believe it would work on rubber parts without damaging it.

I found a blog post here explaining how this process happens in a simple way: https://www.polymersolutions.com/blog/what-makes-plastic-turn-yellow/

If you know how to spray paint evenly and good, perhaps just completely re-painting it with white (or whatever color the hose is) spraypaint for rubber and giving it a glossy finish would work, but not sure if it would crack apart or get ruined when the hose is stretched out.

 

[human]

If the hose doesn't have any leaks, I'd leave it alone. Discoloration won't harm functionality.

 

[completenutt]

Great purchase, Dave!

I've made those knee jerk on-the-spot decisions to acquire a vac before I'd really given it the twice over, and still been super happy.


 


I bought a Aerus Lux Legacy last year from a thrift store benefitting sports programs at local high schools that were underfunded and the kids needed bucks for supplies and uniforms, etc.


 


It was rough, but the bones were good.


 


I got it home, cleaned it up but was still grossed out by the hose, which had probably picked up way to much sticky food and other substances which completely lined the length of the hose.  Like a clogged artery.. I exaggerate, but still it was caked up.


 


Anyway, a new hose can be found quickly on-line from ebay or evacuumstore, etc. who sells oem style hoses that are good quality, moderately affordable, and will maintain the suction and flexibility of your original hose but give you a fresh start.  In this case also it may be worth indulging in a new hose so you can start enjoying your new machine to it's fullest!


 


Either way, enjoy!  I think you're super lucky to have it and agree it is a direct link to the design language created for the 1205.


 


Bill