Best product/technique to clean headlights?

[ecko813]

Hey guys, Bought my truck last week, noticed the headlights were really hazy, i tried powerwashing them and a cleaning wax compound which brought some of the life back but not as much as i had of hoped. Can anyone recommend a good way to clean them? or should i bite the bullet and buy some new headlights.

Thanks,

[Tweaks]

New headlights certainly reverses the hazy headlight process and keeps them from being a constant battle for a while. I have seen a lot of methods work. Rubbing compound, polishing compound, wetsanding then polishing compound, and cleaner wax. I tend to use cleaner wax and I work the headlight for at least 5 minutes and they turn out looking new. However, all of these are temporary fixes as the aging process has taken hold and every month or so you may have to clean them up again. That's why if it's in the budget, new headlights are nice because you're right back to having clean headlights without having to clean them up often.

[Toolman]

On our Jetta I just wet sanded up to 1500 grit and used rubbing compound that I had for paint. Nothing special :thumbup:

[ecko813]

yeah, my truck is a 98 and i know before i bought it it sat for awhile, luckily the guy i bought it off of certified it before i bought it so i havent had to put any money into it as of yet, which is why im willing to possibly buy some new headlights, plus if its going to be a reoccuring problem i might as well nip it in the bud now.

Thanks for your replies.

[Just2Sweet]

Wetsand 1000 grit, then 1500, then 2000. Buff with any polish.

Just did this to my '97 yesterday, and it worked like a charm! Only took a couple hours (both headlights and signals) and it was totally worth it. They went from a hazy yellowish color to almost new looking.

[BigJake]

I have done the wetsand and buff and it works great, but I have found that toothpaste and buffer works just as well and less time.

[Tweaks]

I have done the wetsand and buff and it works great, but I have found that toothpaste and buffer works just as well and less time.

Exactly. I have done it all and even with the wetsanding away of the top layer of plastic lens material, the cloudy look returns. So, I opt to go with the quicker and effective approach and just keep up on it. Fortunately I don't have to do this to my truck, but I used to have to do this constantly to my brother's Jeep.

[ecko813]

sorry for the noob-ish reply BigJake, but you mean toothpaste and like an electric buffer??

[Tweaks]

sorry for the noob-ish reply BigJake, but you mean toothpaste and like an electric buffer??

Yep. Toothpaste has abrasives in it and folks use it to clean/polish all sorts of things other than their teeth. Toothpaste can be, in a way, rubbing compound for your teeth so that's why it can also work wonders on removing the haze off of headlight lenses.

[black1998z71]

I use crystal view, its the best period. Polishes are great but then must be re done over and over again because there is no sealer in any of those kits except for crystal view. Here is an outdated video of how there system works: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGMBGQUMtOo . I have pics on FB but i dont know how to get them over here.

[asnow]

I found it depends on how bad the lights have hazed. My 97 toothpaste did next to nothing,I see you are from Ontario go to Canadian Tire and get the 3M head light restore kit $25 on sale. All you need is a cordless drill.
I removed my lights to them.