A UV-Free Way to (Retro)Brighten Your Keyboard Keys

Here’s a quick summary of how to retrobright your keyboard keys—without any UV light—using the method I demonstrated in my video about "cooking" keys.

What You’ll Need:

• Yellowed keycaps
• A sous vide stick*
• A pan that fits your sous vide stick
• 600–800 ml ziplock bags
• 12% hydrogen peroxide
• Gloves (recommended)
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Getting Started

1. Remove and clean the keys thoroughly to ensure no dirt interferes with the process.
2. Fill your pan with water and attach the sous vide stick. Heat the water to 60°C (140°F).
3. Place the clean keycaps into a ziplock bag, then carefully pour in enough 12% hydrogen peroxide to fully submerge them.
4. Seal the bag tightly. Use gloves when handling the peroxide for safety.
5. Submerge the bag in the pan of heated water. To keep it from floating, you can tie it to the side of the pan.
6. Set the timer for 3 to 4 hours and let the keys "cook."
   
   

After the Treatment
After 3–4 hours (depending on how yellowed the keys are), the retrobrighting should be done. I usually turn off the sous vide stick and let the keys sit in the warm water a little longer before removing them.

Results
The results shown in my video were achieved after 4 hours of soaking. The yellowing was significantly reduced, and the keys looked much fresher.

* I used a Princess brand sous vide stick, but the brand doesn’t matter—as long as it can maintain 60°C (140°F).