Restoring headlights

pudzey101

Hi has anyone any tips on how to clean up the headlights?

my tegs lights are gone a bit dull/yellowish over the years from previous owners

any tips for me to get them looking like new ?

colm_mcm

T-cut/compound/toothpaste.

pudzey101

colm_mcm wrote: »

T-cut/compound/toothpaste.

toothpaste yeah heard that works alright , but does it ?

cgarrad

yeah, works well.

pudzey101

cgarrad wrote: »

yeah, works well.

Ill give it a go tomorrow ha ha hows it work must be abrasive o something is it ::)

blade1

Brasso

pudzey101

blade1 wrote: »

Brasso

Does that really work?

colm_mcm

pudzey101 wrote: »

Does that really work?

Yes.

So does Mustard (the grainy type)

pudzey101

colm_mcm wrote: »

Yes.

So does Mustard (the grainy type)

jesus im learning all sorts tonight haha ill give the toothpaste a go tomorrow think thats the best option on the cheap isint it ?

Lazybones

On my 2002 Passat which had badly discoloured headlights I tried tothpaste it only made a very slight difference.

Depending on the state of the headlamps you may have to use other methods.

what worked best for me was sanding by hand with 2500 grit wet/dry sandpaper (was majorly fearful of doing this - thought I was going to make a mess of the lights!)

I used masking tape to protect the paintwork. Use lots of water (I had purchased a sprayer bottle in Aldi which proved very useful), as you sand you will get a milky residue as the failed protective layer on the lamps come off (they will look worse before they get better).


Wipe the lamps dry with a cloth after sanding.


Next I used Meguiars Ultimate Compound which gave the new look back to the lamps.


Finally I polished both lamps with Simoniz wax to act as a protection layer.

Gave a crystal clean look but does take a fair bit of elbow grease.

There are headlamp cleaning kits from 3M with attachments that you can put on a drill.

The method that works best for you will depend on how badly degraded your lamps are.

Just my experience for what it's worth.

Now I am building up my courage to do some wet sanding on my paintwork to fix some scratches........... maybe next weekend....maybe :-)

peejay01

Lazybones wrote: »

On my 2002 Passat which had badly discoloured headlights I tried tothpaste it only made a very slight difference.

Depending on the state of the headlamps you may have to use other methods.

what worked best for me was sanding by hand with 2500 grit wet/dry sandpaper (was majorly fearful of doing this - thought I was going to make a mess of the lights!)

I used masking tape to protect the paintwork. Use lots of water (I had purchased a sprayer bottle in Aldi which proved very useful), as you sand you will get a milky residue as the failed protective layer on the lamps come off (they will look worse before they get better).


Wipe the lamps dry with a cloth after sanding.


Next I used Meguiars Ultimate Compound which gave the new look back to the lamps.


Finally I polished both lamps with Simoniz wax to act as a protection layer.

Gave a crystal clean look but does take a fair bit of elbow grease.

There are headlamp cleaning kits from 3M with attachments that you can put on a drill.

The method that works best for you will depend on how badly degraded your lamps are.

Just my experience for what it's worth.

Now I am building up my courage to do some wet sanding on my paintwork to fix some scratches........... maybe next weekend....maybe :-)

I recently used one of the 3M kits that attach to the drill. They are really good but you may need to depending on the size of your headlights. I could have done with two for my lights as there were a few imperfections at the end.

peejay01

First pic was before. This is after

Lazybones

Nice work peejay01...... always satisfying to see a job well done, especially when you have done it yourself!

Plus you always have the skills if the works needs to be done again in the future.

pudzey101

are those the same lights PJ ? haha good job well worth the time and effort , fair play ~:D

dredg

Do you seal the lights with anything after? My understanding is that headlights have a UV resistant coating and when that goes the plastic starts to oxidise. By restoring them you've stripped off the oxidation and any protection, which means they'll just oxidise again but faster.

Lazybones

I used Simoniz wax as a protective layer..... I can always keeps this topped up as needs be.

_Kaiser_

So the headlights on my A6 are a little cloudy - it's not bad but that's why I want to do something now before it becomes a bigger job.

A search online suggests everything from toothpaste to vinegar to metal polish as possible home solutions.

Has anyone any recommendations from stuff they've successfully used themselves?

Cheers!

joujoujou

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057084549

peejay01

Cheers lads. Yeh was something I had been meaning to do for a while. Well worth the hours spent on it.

I never considered the uv protective layer being stripped away but am hoping that some sealant and wax will protect it!?

Chimaera

I use Meguiars PlastX every time I wash the car. It's a polish designed especially for plastics andit seems to do a good job on protecting them in between.

JohnBoy26

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

So the headlights on my A6 are a little cloudy - it's not bad but that's why I want to do something now before it becomes a bigger job.

A search online suggests everything from toothpaste to vinegar to metal polish as possible home solutions.

Has anyone any recommendations from stuff they've successfully used themselves?

Cheers!

Cutting compound has worked well for me. In my experience it's more effective than toothpaste and you don't have to use as much elbow grease.

_Kaiser_

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Cutting compound has worked well for me. In my experience it's more effective than toothpaste and you don't have to use as much elbow grease.

Cheers.. something like this you mean?

biko

I've tried several things, incl Brasso and toothpaste and in my view sanding is best to prevent yellowing after a while again.
Then use a cutting compound and lastly seal with something UV-protecting.
It depends on the state of them really. Pics would help.
Are the headlights rough to the touch or smooth?

pudzey101

So i gave the headlights a go with toothpaste today only got one up shining like new , other is a tad bit hazey/yellowish

off to paint the windshield wipers tomorrow , there abit rusted

Zoney

Looking to do this job myself too, and that's the first thing I noticed on a product I was thinking of buying "not suitable for treated or coated plastic" (or somesuch). So I held off on it. Sounds like there's little option but to remove the original coating, but are there any suggestions of something that's easy to apply as replacement protection, and more permanent than wax?

Think I was looking at a Meguiars product alright, it showed a round brush pad on the front.

biko

Most things work short-term, toothpaste included.
In my mind best is very fine grit sandpaper and polish.

Sidewayslarry

Usually if the headlights are gone 'yellow' and the smooth feel is gone off the light, the protective layer on the plastic will already have worn off the light so by sanding/buffing the light you will not make it any worse. The downside is that they will go 'yellow' again pretty quickly.

One great long term solution (12 months +) is to use G-techniq G1 on them which has built in UV protection. Works a treat

Zoney

biko wrote: »

Most things work short-term, toothpaste included.
In my mind best is very fine grit sandpaper and polish.

What do you use for polish?

MetzgerMeister

Sidewayslarry wrote: »

Usually if the headlights are gone 'yellow' and the smooth feel is gone off the light, the protective layer on the plastic will already have worn off the light so by sanding/buffing the light you will not make it any worse. The downside is that they will go 'yellow' again pretty quickly.

One great long term solution (12 months +) is to use G-techniq G1 on them which has built in UV protection. Works a treat

biko

Zoney wrote: »

What do you use for polish?

Some rubbing compound. Then car wax but there is speciality products.
You can also use clear plastic film.

_Kaiser_

biko wrote: »

I've tried several things, incl Brasso and toothpaste and in my view sanding is best to prevent yellowing after a while again.
Then use a cutting compound and lastly seal with something UV-protecting.
It depends on the state of them really. Pics would help.
Are the headlights rough to the touch or smooth?

Sorry for the delay coming back to this.. been a busy few weeks

So today, seeing as I'd also hoovered and cleaned the car I tried going at these headlights with a solution I got in a Motor Factors and after minimal/no improvement I tried the toothpaste option, and a glass/monitor cleaner I have that works wonders on other things.

Not in this case though.. have a look:





As you can see the left side is badly in need of something but the right side has a few spots developing too. Any solution must be doable in a car parking space outside an apartment (:() or preferably I'd even bring her somewhere to get it done (as long as it wasn't crazy money).

Or am I looking at a new headlight do ye reckon?

keithsfleet

I find surgical spirits always works a gem on that problem.
Done a few cars with it.

joujoujou

Honestly - it looks like they're dirty inside, correct me if I'm wrong.

George Dalton

The best way to fix that is to flat it back with very fine wet and dry sandpaper to remove the cloudy layer of plastic (2000 grit works well) and then use fast cut compound to polish the new surface back up again. You can do it yourself by hand but a machine polisher makes it a much easier and quicker job. We can do them for you some day you are passing by if you want, should only take about 15 minutes to do both.

_Kaiser_

George Dalton wrote: »

The best way to fix that is to flat it back with very fine wet and dry sandpaper to remove the cloudy layer of plastic (2000 grit works well) and then use fast cut compound to polish the new surface back up again. You can do it yourself by hand but a machine polisher makes it a much easier and quicker job. We can do them for you some day you are passing by if you want, should only take about 15 minutes to do both.

Sounds like a much better option - thanks George!

How are you fixed over the next week or two?

Roen

Bit of a lurker here so hopefully this will help a little in return for the knowledge gleaned.

I used a 3M headlight Restoration Kit I got from Amazon along with some Glass Sealant, UV Inhibitor and polish to do a number on mine on Christmas Eve.

I could have done with two of the kits as my headlight lenses were pretty far gone to be honest. As such the job isn't as good as it could have been but is still a night and day comparison.

Lessons learned?
1. Get two kits if your headlight lenses are as far gone as mine. I spread the discs out between the two headlights, doing a better job on headlight one versus headlight two (pictured below).

2. Pick a warmer day. The hands were in pain at the end of it.

3. Don't load the polishing pad with polish and spin the drill up to full speed on a freshly charged battery. Will leave that to your imagination.

Hope it helps anyone in the same predicament and thanks for the advice.

Zoney

Finally got a chance to work on the headlights! Didn't think to order restoration kits online in advance though! Got by today with G3 scratch remover paste, it didn't quite get them perfect, but far better now. Will maybe try wet sanding tomorrow.

Before - passenger side:


After - passenger side:


Before - driver's side (a lot worse):


After - driver's side (not quite enough done!):


Quick look at the lights!


So not quite done yet! I'll be using that Glass sealant Roen mentioned - will order from Amazon. Already looks immensely better though! Amazing how much it spruces up the whole car - looks less tired!

ps_before.JPG
ps_after.JPG
ds_before.JPG
ds_after.JPG
front_done.JPG

Pops_20

One of my headlights is cloudy all over and the other one is perfectly fine. With the lights on at night, one side is much dimmer than the other.






I've tried toothpaste and baking soda, cutting compound and metallic polish, all with plenty of elbow grease and it hasn't worked. It's like the damage is within the plastic itself as opposed to on the surface.

It may not look too bad in the photos but it's noticeable with the lights on.

punisher5112

Pops_20 wrote: »

One of my headlights is cloudy all over and the other one is perfectly fine. With the lights on at night, one side is much dimmer than the other.






I've tried toothpaste and baking soda, cutting compound and metallic polish, all with plenty of elbow grease and it hasn't worked. It's like the damage is within the plastic itself as opposed to on the surface.

It may not look too bad in the photos but it's noticeable with the lights on.

Looks like it could be the inside.

Chimaera

@zoney: Go in to Joe McKennas and get some emery paper there for wet sanding. Looking at your lights in those pictures, you'll probably only want to give a very light rub with 1500 and 2000 grit. Use plenty of water as you're going along. Finish off with the G3 past afterwards.

@Pops_20: The damage at the top of the light fitting shouldn't affect light output for that lamp - it's more of an aesthetic feature. The front surface looks a bit pitted alright - I'd try wet sanding before buying a new lamp. Probably start from 600 grit there.

Zoney

Chimaera wrote: »

@zoney: Go in to Joe McKennas and get some emery paper there for wet sanding. Looking at your lights in those pictures, you'll probably only want to give a very light rub with 1500 and 2000 grit. Use plenty of water as you're going along. Finish off with the G3 past afterwards.

Thanks! Have some 1500 grit paper already, was going to use the G3 paste again after alright. How much of a difference would you say the extra step of the 2000 grit would make, or does using the 1500 grit just really need that next step anyway before the final finish? The advice I got when buying the sandpaper was plenty of water alright!

Haven't done more yet - got sidetracked on Saturday with a different project as it happened (wheels/alloys), then the weather attacked!

Chimaera

2000 leaves less work to do with the G3 and sealant at the end. Last time I did mine, I finished with 2000 and just finished them with Meguiars PlastX each time I washed the car. When I got the DA polisher last summer, I gave them a good working over with G3, mostly because I could

When the weather warms up a bit, I'll probably go back and give them a good sanding again - they've gotten a little pitted in the last few years.

pudzey101

Need to do this again to the missus car guys , what grit sandpaper do i start and finish with again ?

biko

It's mentioned a few times already. Depending on how bad they are use 1500 and then 2000 wet, maybe start lower grit if they are really bad.
Polish after. Finish with wax (pref UV) to protect from further damage.

bartbanis

Can anyone recommend a product to restore headlights of car back to new or close to it? The lights seem to have a scum on them and very hard shifted. Any help greatly appreciated.

jimgoose

Toothpaste and a brisk scrub with a toothbrush. I kid you not! :cool:

bartbanis

jimgoose wrote: »

Toothpaste and a brisk scrub with a toothbrush. I kid you not! :cool:

anything is worth a try!

pudzey101

u used ordinary toothpaste , and autosol metal polish , never got before and after pics but it did the job

bartbanis

i have tried that plastx product , did a good job but problem is back again not long after lights were done.

Bloggerirl

I used the meguiars headlight restoration kit can't recommend it enough practically like brand new lights makes a big difference to the car...the results speak for themselves

I'd upload a pic but it won't let me

Gordy6040

Bloggerirl wrote: »

I used the meguiars headlight restoration kit can't recommend it enough practically like brand new lights makes a big difference to the car...the results speak for themselves

I'd upload a pic but it won't let me

Interesting. I was just considering that kit in halfords.