Headlights – Brighten Up the Lights on Your Ride for Better Sight

Unless you already know how to keep your headlights fresh and clear, you’re likely to eventually see your headlights change from clear to cloudy. The initial protection and coating offered on the headlights of new cars are offered by a UV protective film, but over time this film is destroyed. The plastic your headlight lenses are made of is a high-strength polycarbonate plastic that’s made to handle the harsh road conditions when you drive. Once the film of the headlight lenses is destroyed, you see a haze begin to form and eventually a yellowing of the plastic, but this can be avoided and reversed.

Buy a Headlight Restoration Kit

There are several different kits on the market that make it possible for you to clean your headlights and bring them back to the glory of looking clean and clear when you drive. Check out the link below to learn more about these kits. If you have some of the products contained in the kits and you want to buy the items you’re missing, you’ll want to buy some sandpaper, polishing compound, paste wax, a UB sealant, blue painter’s tape, and some microfiber towels.

Clean and Tape Off the Headlights

Cleaning your headlights should be done when you’ve completely cleaned your vehicle. Make sure you pay close attention to the area around your headlights so the tape will stick to this area. You’re going to start sanding in the next step, and you don’t want to sand away any of the paint on your vehicle. Carefully apply the tape around the headlight lenses so that you can reach all areas of the lenses with the sandpaper. The time you spend preparing the area for the work you’re going to do is important and worth it.

Start Sanding

The sandpaper you use will be extremely smooth because you don’t want to cause scratches and cuts into the headlight lens. The rating for the sandpaper that comes in the kit or that you purchase separately should be 1000, 2000, and 3000 grit. Starting with the most abrasive (the 1000 grit), you’ll sand in straight, horizontal strokes. Make sure you keep the surface wet while you do this so that you don’t scratch the lens. Repeat the process with the other two levels of sandpaper moving to the 2000 grit first and then the 3000 grit level. The strokes with these two should be diagonal and opposite each other.

Polish and Wax

Polish and wax aren’t just for the paint on your vehicle; these items can also offer a level of protection to the headlight lenses. After sanding, wipe off and dry the headlights. Put some of the polishing compounds on a clean microfiber towel and rub it into the headlight lens using circular motions. After polishing, do the same with the wax in the same manner that you would when you wax your vehicle. These two items will help protect the lens for the final step.

Apply the UV Sealant

The final step in the process is to apply the UV sealant because you’ve removed all of the old oxidized sealants during the sanding process. This sealant is the item that provides a protective layer to keep the lenses from hazing over again. Apply this sealant by using a wet paper towel and applying the material in sweeping broad strokes. You need full coverage in this step and you only need one layer of the sealant unless the instruction in your kit says otherwise.
Enjoy your newly cleaned and clear headlights and the clarity you see when you turn your lights on at night for the driving you’ll need to do.