Cloudy lenses

cwms

cwms

Moderator
Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2002
RO Number
7357
Messages
2,389
OK, this is for my car, not the boat, but a lense is a lense.
I've got a 10 year old Accord and the headlight lenses are Very cloudy. All you detailing gurus...what's the best way to clean them up?
 
Rubbing compound. Same as you would so your boat. I did mine and they came out almost as good as new...
 
That's what I was thinking. I tried some heavy duty cleaner/wax that didn't do much. I guess it just wasn't aggressive enough.
 
If there not to bad, try some toothpaste first..It will work if they arnt totaly fogged....
 
I've had good luck with a Turtle Wax lens cleaner (I think it was TW, may have been Rain-X). It came with some rubbing compound, different grit sponges, etc.
 
Headlamp lenses are clearcoated just like paint.
If the clear has yellowed severly it has to be removed. Wet sand with 600 grit followed by 1000. Then finish sand with 2000, then wheel with a fine grit compound,then follow with 3M Finesse It. It should look like new. Unfortunately it has to be polished once or twice a year to stay that way.

Don
 
You can use any rubbing compound then hit them with a final wax, they'll looks like new, toothpaste works too but it'll takes little longer, if you want them to last, wet sand them then polish/wax them.
 
Our 2006 Corolla has sat in the FL sun since new. I was polishing it last month and decided to try the dulled headlights. I was using a one-step liquid polish/wax called Blue Poly. Don't know if it's even still available since I'd had it a long time. The lights turned out like new with only hand rubbing.
 
Thanks guys for all the suggestions.
 
My 2001 Lexus' lens weren't real bad. I used my huge Milwaukee buffer and some rubbing compound. I made sure not to gouge or heat up the lens. I finished with Fineset(?) Looked great 'til the wife totaled the car!
 
I bought a Restore Kit made by Sylvania. It was a 4 or 5 step process. The final step is a UV Blocker application which if you do not apply, the lenses will just fog up again.
My lenses were pretty bad and I had serious doubts about the Restore kit. I was amazed at the results. Looks new
 
Back in the "good old days", headlights were made of glass and didn't need to be polished. One of these days I'll have to tackle the headlights on my wife's 2007 car. Or trade it in!
 
They forgot that lexan or polycarbonate, while tuff, is not UV stable.
So we polish and wax.
 
k2-_cad813b9-c0d0-401d-8a1d-9e6f2de03794.v1.jpg


I got this at Walmart worked pretty well
 
I have a '95 integra with those small round plastic lenses. I also have a buffing wheel on my grinder. Get white buffing compound on a clean buffing wheel. Comes out 100% new as long as you don't buff too long on a single spot(gets hot)
 
If you have a can of spar varnish you can also restore using that.

1000 grit sandpaper first, then a coat of varnish.

Presto.

Clear and like new.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Bliss

My 2001 Lexus' lens weren't real bad. I used my huge Milwaukee buffer and some rubbing compound. I made sure not to gouge or heat up the lens. I finished with Fineset(?) Looked great 'til the wife totaled the car!

Click to expand...


She blamed you for the lights being too bright didn't she? [:-banghead]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top