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Headlights Cleaner, Anyone?

dandingo

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dandingo Enthusiast

dandingo

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I tried searching for anyone that knows of a good solution to cleaning headlights but the search function isn't working for me. Does anyone have experience with this? Should I buy a kit or will plastic cleaner work fine?? Any help would be appreciated!

marko Enthusiast

marko

Posted
Posted

If you're looking to buff scratches out of them you should go to the eastwood company website and look for their light restoration buffing compounds and wheels.

Zembonez Senior Enthusiast

Zembonez

Posted
Posted

When the plastic starts to get hazy, I use light compound and a wet terrycloth rag. Buff it and follow with a good wax. It performs minor miracles. You'll be amazed how well they come out.

dandingo Enthusiast

dandingo

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When the plastic starts to get hazy, I use light compound and a wet terrycloth rag. Buff it and follow with a good wax. It performs minor miracles. You'll be amazed how well they come out.

 

Thanks for the advice! Quick question, probably stupid. Is the haziness on the inside or outside. I'm asking if I need to take the lenses off or if I can just clean them on the outside. I've never done this before, can you tell?

Zembonez Senior Enthusiast

Zembonez

Posted
Posted
When the plastic starts to get hazy, I use light compound and a wet terrycloth rag. Buff it and follow with a good wax. It performs minor miracles. You'll be amazed how well they come out.

 

Thanks for the advice! Quick question, probably stupid. Is the haziness on the inside or outside. I'm asking if I need to take the lenses off or if I can just clean them on the outside. I've never done this before, can you tell?

 

It's on the outside. It is the outer surface of the headlight oxidizing. If it isn't too bad you can get great results without even removing the headlight.

hubbycap Senior Enthusiast

hubbycap

Posted
Posted
When the plastic starts to get hazy, I use light compound and a wet terrycloth rag. Buff it and follow with a good wax. It performs minor miracles. You'll be amazed how well they come out.

 

Thanks for the advice! Quick question, probably stupid. Is the haziness on the inside or outside. I'm asking if I need to take the lenses off or if I can just clean them on the outside. I've never done this before, can you tell?

 

 

 

A guy that used to work for me buffed out headlights for used car lots. He buffed out my '95 lenses. Honestly, one of my daughters wadded up that truck and naturally they only replaced the one lens. Truck looked as if it had a bad cataract on one side.

 

He took 400, 600, and then 1200 grit wet/dry sand paper and cut the face down a scoche, just below the pitting and surface fogging. Then he buffed with compound and put the final twinkle on it with swirl remover. You really can't tell which lens is newer.

 

Important safety tip: Do not try to clean the inside of these headlight reflectors with acid or vinegar. A very close acquaintance of mine (whom I will not name, but he is extremely close) did this trying to brighten up the reflective mirror coating and cut the mineral deposits from the back of his lens. And dammit I had to buy myself another lens for the effort.

Zembonez Senior Enthusiast

Zembonez

Posted
Posted
Thanks for all the tips, everyone! I'm gonna start out simple with plastic polish and move on to sandpaper if needed. I'll post results.

Take before and after pics and post them if you can. It would help us all.

unit731 Senior Enthusiast

unit731

Posted
Posted

Ahhh . . the good old days when headlight lens was real glass!

 

Never had a fading nor for that matter a moisture problem.

 

And this is progress!

 

Styling and weight, I suppose.

C & A s Dad Senior Enthusiast

C & A s Dad

Posted
Posted

There are several ways to clean these plastic lens' but if you want it to look new and stay that way, I would suggest a product by Symtech. They initially only made this kit in sizes for Collision Centers but now make a smaller kit. We (CARQUEST) sell a lot of both and have never heard anything but praise for how well it works. Unlike sanding and polishing with other products, their product contains agents to help keep the yellow and haze from coming back. There are cheaper kits by Permatex but they do not compare to Symtech.

 

The small kit is part # 75010010. This one sells for the mid to upper $20.00 range.

The large kit is part # 74010030

 

I can promise you that you will not be dissapointed with this product.

dandingo Enthusiast

dandingo

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So first I tried just some compound and a rag. The results were definitely better than it was before but still not up to par. So I tried the sandpaper trial that Zembonez recommended. I'm still not satisfied with the result. So far I've spent about $11 and they're somewhat better but I want to be able to see the bulbs through the plastic. I'm contemplating the kit C & A s Dad recommended but I checked the site and can't seem to find how to search for a product. I'd like to see it and maybe do some research before I commit. Here's a before and after pic...

 

headlightsbefore.jpg

headlightsafter.jpg

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