Cleaning up vintage water slide decals

[HerrOtto]

I have a 1975 yellow Schwinn varsity, and the clear part of the water slide decals has turned brownish. Besides replacing the decals, is there anything I can do to clean them up without ruining them? Thank you

 

[fat tire trader]

Picture?

 

[Kramai88]

Carefully with a magic eraser

 

[HerrOtto]

Here's a couple of pictures

 

[cyclingday]

Carefully with a magic eraser

Ditto!
This is a painstakingly slow process, but with due diligence, it is quite effective, at cleaning up the unsightliness of grungy margins on decal graphics.
Take your time, and be careful around the edges of the graphics.

 

[koolbikes]

My favorite go to products ...
PPG Acrylic-Clean SX330 Grease & Wax Remover ... available at Automotive Paint stores but banned in California.
Meguire's Cleaner Wax

 

[cyclingday]

Just about everything that ever worked is now banned in California.
I went to buy some Semi Chrome, but Nooooooooo!
It’s no longer available in California.
Best chrome polish there ever was, but apparently it is too dangerous to use here.
But the guy at the automotive shop says not to worry, because pretty soon, there won’t be any chrome to polish, as they will be doing away with that as well.

 

[GTs58]

Just about everything that ever worked is now banned in California.
I went to buy some Semi Chrome, but Nooooooooo!
It’s no longer available in California.
Best chrome polish there ever was, but apparently it is too dangerous to use here.
But the guy at the automotive shop says not to worry, because pretty soon, there won’t be any chrome to polish, as they will be doing away with that as well.

It’s noted in the state of California. Everything causes cancer. And in the meantime, It is hunky-dory for food manufactures to sell food that causes cancer. Just incredible poop today.

 

[HEMI426]

I was wiping down a Schwinn frame once with Bleech White Whitehall cleaner and accidentally went over the top and down tube and the brown, yellow age stains on the water slide Schwinn decals cleaned up nicely but I learned then not to do it to the chain guard it wiped them off completely. Try aa small spot to see if that will work.

 

[HerrOtto]

The magic eraser worked well. My main idea was to remove some of the brownish color.
Hemi426, like an idiot, I just cant seem to remember to gingerly wipe down the chain guards on Vintage Schwinns. I have ruined more than I like to admit.