Step by Step Guide to Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration

In this article, we take a look at a subject that affects nearly all car owners at some point in time – that of Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration. One of our regular customers recently pulled up outside our premises and asked me to take a look at his headlights which had become extremely clouded and dull over time from a combination of fine scratches and the effects of UV on the clear plastic.

Afraid that they were going to fail his upcoming MOT and not being able to afford a new set of headlights he wanted to know how he could restore the clarity back to his headlights.

I advised there are a number of different products available on the market which enable you to polish away light scratches, scuffs, haziness and surface marks from your headlights to leave them looking like new.

These range from single stage polishes, two step cleaning and polishing compounds to multi-step headlight restoration and protection kits.

Single Step Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration

Meguiars Plastic PolishProducts such as Meguiars PlastX are single step products that are best used on fine scratches and haziness. They tend to contain a blend of micro-abrasives and oils to restore the clarity together with water-resistant polymers for added protection.

Whilst simple to apply, needing only foam or microfibre applicator, they can however require a fair amount of “elbow grease” to get that like-new finish. As some of our own customers’ reviews testify:

Excellent Product  I had a Ford Focus Mark 1 with foggy headlights, which would have not passed the next MOT. After one application the headlights were clear and bright – made night time driving a lot clearer. I saved at least £200 over a replacement set of headlights. A second application made them look like new.   Kevin – Essex

However, being around £10 and under, they are very good value for the money.

Two Step Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration

Meguiars 2 Step Plastic Polish & CleanerIf you are looking at potentially the next level in your clear plastic headlight restoration a two step method may be the system to look at. This generally involves a separate clear plastic cleaner and clear plastic polish – another popular system, again from Meguiars, is the Mirror Glaze M10 (M-1008) and M17 (M-1017).

Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner is a non-abrasive, alcohol-free Plastic Cleaner that aggressively cleans and removes hairline scratches without harming the surface.  Whilst the Clear Plastic Polish provides the second step to protect the previously cleaned headlight and leaving behind an anti-static coating that helps repel damaging dust and dirt.

Headlight Restoration Kits

Your final choice in DIY headlight restoration is a multi step kit. These are very effective systems combining extremely fine abrasives and polishes to remove the scratches and dullness from your headlights and followed up a separate sealant and protectant.

Whether using a headlight restorer kit or supplies from your local auto store the following steps will help to restore that like-new clarity to your plastic headlights:

  1. First clean the headlights using your usual car wash shampoo to ensure all the dirt and bug splatter etc is removed
  2. Using a very fine 2000 grit wet and dry paper, work is over the surface of the headlight, keeping it moving so as not to concentrate in one area for any length of time
  3. Fill a spray bottle with clean water
  4. Fix a 2 inch (approx 5cm) backing plate to your electric drill (ensuring it is one that does not operate above 2000-2500 rpm)
  5. To the backing plate fit a
  6. Apply a suitable clear plastic polishing compound to the centre of the pad, place the face of the pad to the headlight and start the drill. Again ensure to keep the pad moving across the surface of the headlight. Do not keep the pad in contact with any one area of the headlight for more than 15-20 seconds
  7. As the polish drys out, stop the drill and using the clean water in your spray bottle, wet the pad and continue polishing until the haziness disappears
  8. Buff off any remaining polish with a clean microfibre cloth
  9. Next using a clean section or another clean microfibre apply one or more coats of a plastic protectant, allowing it to dry in between coats.
Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration Before Pic
Volvo V70 Before Using Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration Kit
Clear Plastic Headlight After Restoration
Volvo V70 After Using Clear Plastic Headlight Restoration Kit

You will have then finished your clear plastic headlight restoration and will now have very clear and bright headlights that not only look much better but also allow the light to shine through brighter during nighttime driving.

Meguiars Headlight Restoration Kit

Meguiar's Two Step Headlight Restoration Kit, Car Detailing Supplies for Restoring and Protecting Clear Headlight Plastic, Father's Day Gift with Headlight Coating and Cleaning Solution On the back of their already successful plastic polish and cleaner products a couple of years ago Meguiar’s introduced a completely new headlight restoration kit.

It is not surprising that this also become an extremely popular product. The kit is based around the two-step process without the need for a drill attachment or polisher and inlcudes:

  • – Meguiars Headlight Cleaning Solution
  • – Meguiars Headlight Coating
  • – 2 x Cleaning Pads

It retails in the region of $20.99 depending on where you purchase from, with some of the better deals being found online.

Read reviews

3M Headlight Restoration Kit

3M Car Headlight Restoration SystemFor many years a number of specialist suppliers would combine a number of 3M plastic restoration products and compounds to create their own individual kits.

Seeing the success of these products 3M then launched their own headlight restoration system.

This kit has gone on to become one of the best selling headlight restoration kits available.

It’s sucess is not only down to the quality of the products but also their attention to detail, even including the required masking tape within the kit.

Many other kit manufacturers leave this to the user to supply.

The 3M plastic headlight restoration kit also comes with a drill bit attachment as well as the abrasives pads and polish.

This kit retails around the $45.57 mark.

Read reviews

Below is a short video of the 3M kit in action – just see the difference it can make to your headlights.

MOTHERS NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit

Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Restoration KitSimilar to the Meguiars and 3M kits the Mothers kit is based on using a household drill to speed up the process and results.

In all the kit contains:

– 3” Backing Plate
– PowerBall 4Lights Polishing Tool
– Headlight Lens Restoration Discs
– 8 oz. Headlight Polish

The headlight lens polish included within the kit provides a hard and long-lasting weather-proof gloss protection and smooth dirt repelling surface keeps keeping your lenses cleaner for longer.

With the inclusion of the unique powerball tool it’s one of the more premium options but has great reviews and retails at around $22.88.

Read reviews

Specialist Headlight Polish Kits

Specialist Headlight Restoration KitOne particular manufacturer produces specialist kits based on the level of restoration required, not only for clear plastic, but also for glass. They have two headlight restoration products in kit form; one for scratches and also one for haziness, dull, faded or discoloured headlights.

Depending on the level of restoration required dictates the contents of the kits.

Their kits are based around a 3″ drill bit attachment together with the appropriate pads, abrasives, polish and sealant.

 

Read reviews

Over To You

Have you tried any of the products or kits available? How successful have they been? Do you have any other tips for headlight restoration you can share with fellow readers? We would love to hear the details. Please share using the comments box below.

 

 

2 Comments

  • Chris C
    Posted April 16, 2011 9:34 pm 0Likes

    Nice post.

    I have a few friends cars whose headlights are desperate for restoration.

    I will point them in the right direction now

    Thanks
    Chris

    • Rob
      Posted April 27, 2011 2:15 pm 0Likes

      Thanks Chris – appreciate that.

      Rob

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