Headlight Restoration
Technique for restoring your headlights to like-new condition
Over time headlight lenses tend to get cloudy and dull. This guide will help you get your headlights from looking like this:
to looking like this:
Materials needed:
- Wet-sand paper (400 & 600 grit)
- #0000 Steel Wool
- Mothers metal polish
- clean rags
Instructions
1. Remove the headlights from the car (you can do this with the headlight on the car, but it is MUCH more difficult to get into small areas and avoid scratching the paint).
2. With water running over the headlight lens, begin LIGHTLY sanding the surface with a small 3"x3" piece of 400-grit wet-sand paper. Continue to LIGHTLY sand in a small circular motion for about 5 - 10 minutes.
3. With water running over the headlight lens, begin LIGHTLY sanding the surface with a small 3"x3" piece of 600-grit wet-sand paper. Continue to LIGHTLY sand in a small circular motion for about 5 - 10 minutes.
4. THOROUGHLY dry the lenses off with a clean towel or rag.
5. Now LIGHTLY sand the surface with the #0000-grit Steel wool. Continue to LIGHTLY sand in a small circular motion for about 5 - 10 minutes. (at this point you should start to see the surface scratches begin to become lighter and fade) Don't worry if the lenses still look "chalky" we'll address that next.
6. Now take a dime-sized amount of metal polish on a clean rag and begin to rub down the lens with moderate force. Continue this for 5-10 minutes. You will start to work the polish until it is absorbed into the rag and the "chalkyness" disappears.
7. Wipe off your "Like-New" lenses, and re-install into the car. You can also apply a coat of wax to the lenses to help bring out the new shine.
