How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

[danielhaze]

Hi.

Does anyone knows how to clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine, now they look yellow instead of white. The method I know needs to remove completly the plastic part and expose it to the sun, but it ist not easy to do in all the cases so I'm looking for a simplier way to get the job done.

Thanks

[Phil B.]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

Hi.

Does anyone knows how to clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine, now they look yellow instead of white. The method I know needs to remove completly the plastic part and expose it to the sun, but it ist not easy to do in all the cases so I'm looking for a simplier way to get the job done.

Thanks

put them in a dishwasher load with soap.... let it run the cycle

sounds like someone was using a cleaner with ammonia in it. ( yellow )

[copyman]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

I don't think there is anything you can do if covers are yellowed from the sun. That fading from sun goes deep into the plastic and nothing with cleaning will bring them back. Weird thing is I've seen different light color covers on same machine, exposed to same sun light and one is faded and other is not faded at all. Usually the front covers always fade while most smaller covers usually don't.

When I buy off lease machines I've picked higher meter machines over lower meters because they had nice white covers. I think white covers and the cosmetics of a machine can add $500 to $1000 on top of regular price!

[mikadonovan]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

As far as I know, you have to use a peroxide of some sort for the sun bleached yellow covers, and it is a long process with sometimes less than desirable results. 20 years ago we would send ours out to get painted, but the paint they used was hard to clean, and we quit doing it.
I recently started using this stuff, and it is by far the best cover cleaner I have ever used in the 30 years I've been doing copier repair.

Cleaner.jpg

[DRichard]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

Hi.

Does anyone knows how to clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine, now they look yellow instead of white. The method I know needs to remove completly the plastic part and expose it to the sun, but it ist not easy to do in all the cases so I'm looking for a simplier way to get the job done.

Thanks

If it's the same yellowing I see, It is caused be long-term exposure to sunlight like when it has been placed near a window. If you see a difference in color between adjacent panels (one original color and the one under it yellowed) there will be no fixing it unless you sand the surface off of it. We have seen this from time to time. The plastic used for each panel are of different compositions. Usually the DF and the upper front panel are most affected. My advice is to let it go dude.

[blackcat4866]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

It's the plastic gradually losing the resin/solvent in it's composition. You can't really put it back. You can paint the covers, like Ikon did on it's refurbs, but the painted covers are not washable any more. Zep Fast505 does a pretty decent job of removing the scuffs but won't do a thing for the yellowing.

You can buy new covers, paint them, or leave them as is. Each has drawbacks. =^..^=

[fshead]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

ALSO a smoking office will tend to have discolored covers.
Way back when i use to rebuild large 62cpm sharp copiers I use to send out all the panels and
had them painted and redone.
It wasnt cheap but the few hundred spent added value to the machine..
I cant remember the name of the company but i think they were in N.C

[Polarbear]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

We used to spray our machine covers using 2k automotive paint that contains hardener, so it was as durable as the original colour. One could wipe the painted covers with soap and water and the colour would not come off.

[FrohnB]

Re: How safely clean the plastic covers of a ricoh machine?

"Mr. Clean - Magic eraser pads" have outperformed anything we've used in our shop. Usually wipe everything down with a little alcohol, and then go back over it with the Mr. Clean pads. It gets 80 -90% of the yellowing out, depending on how bad it is. Some covers just can't be saved, the combination of fluorescent lights and sunlight are too much sometimes, not only for copiers, but office furniture too.