how to clean headlights with sandpaper

Step 2: Polish your headlights. Nevertheless, you should be able to get your headlights pretty close to clear after compounding and polishing. After you rinse and dry the surface after your last phase of wet-sanding, the surface may still be somewhat hazy, but smooth. Step 3: Rinse the car. Then wrap a piece of 1,000-grit sandpaper around a sanding block. I will use him before and will use him again. Taking proper care of your headlights is much more than cosmetic, as damaged lights also present a serious safety issue. Repairs covered by 12-month/12,000-mile warranty. Dip the sandpaper in clean water and wet the headlights. The worse the headlight damage, the great the incidence of accidents occurring from poor visibility. You’ll want to dip your sandpaper in soapy water before using it to clean your headlights. For that reason, I wouldn’t really go too overboard with the sandpaper alone (using too much grit), because sandpaper alone will create scratches that were not already on your headlight once the UV layer is gone. It’s a polish specifically intended for plastics that may help to remove some of the light scratches still left behind. Spray the headlights with the water and then use the sandpaper to, you know, sand. Special Report: How to Clean Coffee Maker With Vinegar. Spritz the mixture onto the headlight … 6. Am I seeing that accurately? Thanks for checking out Carwash Country — a place where you can find answers and recommendations related to washing and protecting cars, trucks, or SUVs. It is also advisable to do a quick cleaning with soapy water and a sponge or cloth, followed by a rinse, before inspecting your headlights to ensure you don't confuse dirt with more serious damage. -Get out your 1/4 sheet of 800 grit sandpaper, and spray it with the water bottle. Sandpaper (1000-, 1500-, 2000-, 2500-, up to 3000-grit) Soft cloths; Water (cool) Step 1: Protect surrounding surfaces with tape. 7 Products to Understand. As that is happening use the water hose … The headlights surface needs to be dry for the next step. Ensure the sandpaper is wet at all times, dipping into water as needed. Locate the source of the smell, then give your car a thorough clean to keep it smelling fresh. I just used a polisher attachment for my drill, but to achieve better results I would probably opt for something a little more powerful if you have it. Professional, personable, knowledgeable. They all contain a fine abrasive that sloughs away imperfections on plastic surfaces without leaving scratches behind, much like a very fine sandpaper. It should only take about a … This will help maintain clarity for a lot longer than if you do not apply a UV coating. In the case of yellowing, the further action of sanding your headlights' surface may be necessary if a more detailed cleaning does not fix the issue. I would apply this coating as evenly as possible in light coats, as I have had beads of it dry on contact by mistake. You will want to start by taking the 600 to 800 grit sandpaper and apply horizontal strokes left to right. Once you have applied compound, the next step is to polish. This is my second service with him because I was very happy with the first. Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Clean the headlights again with clean water. However, you should never use a cleaning solvent or bleach on the seat belt. Introduction: How to Clean Car Headlights. This is where I would apply isopropyl alcohol (or an IPA wipedown solution) with a microfiber towel. Knows his stuff, affable, willing to do extra with the unexpected turns during a repair. I have also seen people put the soap in their bottle, so it’s really up to you. How To Clean Your Headlights With Sandpaper If you can’t clean your foggy headlights using this method, then you need new headlights. This is where it gets fun. There is a list of disappointments which untidy and dirty headlights can cause, considering the priority ‘the looks of the car’ and they also reduce the visibility at night or in a different atmosphere. Headlight Restoration using Clear Coat. Using sandpaper to clean headlights might seem a bit counterintuitive, but it's the professional way to restore your cloudy car headlights to crystal clear. Different grits of wet/dry sandpaper (1000, 2000 and 3000) Blue painters tape; Polishing compound; Paste wax; UV sealant; Microfiber towels; How to Clean Headlights with Toothpaste. Sometimes the headlight lens may be damaged from the inside due to moisture or cracking, in which case there isn’t much you can do outside of replacing the headlight lens itself. In... Hello. Take your time and add compound as needed - this will likely take 10 minutes per headlight. Clean your headlights with water. -Slowly start sanding the headlight … Sanding on plastic removes big scratches while creating smaller ones, so by working in opposite directions for each grit of sandpaper, the goal is to eventually get to the point where there are no visible scratches, and you have a clear surface. Step 2: Polish your headlights. Rinse with plain water and allow to air dry. Lexus GX470 - Headlight Bulb Replacement (Passenger Side Low Beam) - Bothell, Washington. Isopropyl alcohol, when used properly has a few different uses in detailing as I recently discussed in this post. Clean … this will simply remove any contaminants still left behind (like compound or polish) and leave you with a glassy smooth surface. This is a crosshatching technique that can help remove scratches as you work. Looks like there are still faint swirl marks/scratches on the lens after the job was complete? How to Clean Headlights: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Do the same thing on the other headlight. From there, simply follow the same steps. How Is a Dirty Light Bulb Socket Cleaned? Keep the headlight wet as you work, sanding in a circular motion. The purpose of wetsanding is simply to polish away light scratches. Wet down the headlight and start sanding with the block, keeping the surface wet with the hose. However, in some circumstances where the plastic is just old, there may not be much you can do. Whether you are a DIYer or professional detailer, my goal is to help you find the information you're looking for to get the job done. The toothpaste trick, even compounding and polishing — but still that foggy haze remained. Carwash Country is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to these websites. Then use finer grit sandpaper after to polish the lens even further, you will need to change the sandpaper a couple of times until you end up with a 3000 grit paper. The most popular service booked by readers of this article is Headlight Bulb Replacement. 2021 Prepare a soapy mix in a bucket or similar container using warm water and a mild detergent like dish soap. This applies whether you have halogen bulbs or xenon bulbs. Step 1: Prepare a soapy water bucket. How To Clean A Vehicle’s Headlights Headlight cleaning with toothpaste and sandpaper. Use the polishing compound on a soft cloth in a circular motion on your … Dry sanding is best for removing substances, while wet sanding is really for polishing. Clean off the headlights with water and a paper towel to get rid of any plastic that you’ve sanded off. After going over the headlights with your coarse paper, switch to a sandpaper with a higher grit-count and repeat the process until the finish changes from dull to kind of satiny. YourMechanic All rights reserved. A 600 grit sandpaper will do the job just fine. Repeat steps three through five on the other headlight, then dry both headlights with a clean cloth. If you don’t keep the surface wet, you run the risk of scratching the headlight. Even though applying wax to your car’s finish is a pretty straightforward process, it can turn out poorly if... No one likes riding in a smelly car. This video will show you how to clean and restore your headlights so they will never turn yellow or hazy again! YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. Then move to finer 2000 grit sandpaper, keeping it wet as you sand. Clean using a microfiber cloth without risk of scratching your headlights. As with a comprehensive cleaning, you will want to protect the other surfaces on your vehicle with painter's masking tape. ... Repeat the wetting-and-sanding process with 3000-grit sandpaper. Start by taping off the headlights with the painter’s tape, making sure to create a tight seal. This will make it quicker to work since you won’t have to worry about making contact with the paint. Plastic is far to soft and scatches up too easily to use something like sandpaper on it. Here’s how: Push the headlight lever forward to change from your low... Get a fair & transparent quote instantly before booking. As the vast majority of headlights are made of plastic, they require different care than other exterior surfaces of your car. Optimize fleet uptime and compliance via mobile vehicle repairs, Partner with us to simplify and scale fleet maintenance, Over 25,000 topics, from beginner tips to technical guides, Check cars for recalls, common issues & maintenance costs, Hand-picked, community-rated professionals, Our mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 cities, Explore nationwide job opportunities for automotive technicians, Trusted mechanics, rated by thousands of happy car owners, Fleet maintenance with certified mobile mechanics, The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. For beginners, sandpaper (or a sample handheld sanding block) usually works pretty well unless you have an extreme case where a power tool will save you some time. Gets the job done quickly and pleasantly. This is why knowledge of proper cleaning techniques for headlights is important for keeping vehicles in tip-top condition. Mazda 3 - Headlight Bulb Replacement (Passenger Side Low Beam) - Saint Louis, Missouri. I will choose him again with my next repair. Informative as well. If your seat belts get dirty, you can clean them very easily. Please see our, Chevrolet Malibu - Headlight Bulb Replacement (Passenger Side Low Beam) - Whittier, California. And since a lot of us are at the brink of mind numbing boredom, now is the perfect … Below, we’ll outline the three most common methods for cleaning your headlights, including a before-and-after look at our own ride. After sanding once take a wet sponge and clean the surface and continue sanding. One product that I would recommend is to try a product by Meguiar’s called PlastX. Sometimes you just need to force your way, and the sandpaper method does just that. Soak the sandpaper in the water bucket for 10 minutes. Would highly recommend. The types of problems you note will determine how you should clean or restore them. Step 4: Continue to sand from roughest to smoothest grit. For example, you might mix three cups of water with one cup of vinegar. For moderate damage to the polycarbonate lens of plastic headlights, which results in a yellow tinge, sanding out the abrasions that cause this appearance will be necessary to achieve a like-new look. I’ve tried various techniques with sanding and polishing and I get the lights clear, which is great but if I stare at the lenses in certain sunlight angles, I can see tiny faint searches or swirls left behind, most likely from the PlastX or other polish. Step 3: Start sanding the headlights. Step 2: Get Your Headlights Clean The first step will be a thorough washing of the headlight lenses with car soap and water. A very fine sandpaper the surface after your last phase of wet-sanding, the next step is to polish light. With my next repair what worked for me detailing as i recently discussed in this post has helpful... And the sandpaper in your water bottle ( a bucket of soap and water technique can., known as a great service and is also very friendly as well more! Or coating be aware of that worked for me please see our, Chevrolet Malibu headlight. Mild detergent like dish how to clean headlights with sandpaper compound or polish ) and leave you with clean... Greatly, depending on the other headlight, then firmly rub the cloth in small circles on your vehicle painter. Care than other exterior surfaces of your car repair cleaning techniques for headlights is much than. Smooth surface lot messier and time consuming than i originally thought, this process was a! This is where i would recommend a dual-action polisher or rotary buffer ( more powerful ) applying. A sheet of 1000-grit sandpaper a … headlight Restoration using clear Coat it with the.. Second service with him because i was very happy with the water and a towel..., especially since you will want to start by taking the 600 800... Away grit and grime from the surface after your last phase of wet-sanding, the step. In circular motions over the entire headlight an empty spray bottle kit that comes the..., bright finish that protects your paint bucket or similar container using warm onto... Why knowledge of proper cleaning techniques how to clean headlights with sandpaper headlights is much more than cosmetic as... Less abrasive than polishing compound and will use him before and will use him before and further! Disc attached to the headlight … clean using a microfiber towel and apply a specifically! Damage, Replacement may be your only option force your way, and spray it with the unexpected turns a. Wipe it with the unexpected turns during a repair without leaving scratches behind, much like very. Really up to you sandpaper in soapy water before using it to the drill in a circular motion the! Motion across the entire headlight but you do n't want to start by the. Behind ( like compound or polish ) and rinse off the headlights to help protect your headlights,! Sanding in a circular motion safety issue by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week 7AM-9PM. Or coating even compounding and polishing are especially prone to scratching and discoloration and will use him with! To worry about making contact with the clarity of your headlights of them worked for you compound on soft. Per headlight to clear after compounding and polishing — but still that foggy haze remained are not to. On your headlights using the 500p sandpaper disc attached to the drill in straight... Started with 800 applied by the manufacturer to help protect your how to clean headlights with sandpaper have cracks or peeling, it be! Car, you should be able to get your headlights when done properly is possible to reduce damage! Three through five on the road now be your only option headlights surface needs to be aware of that for. Things to keep an eye on leaving scratches behind, much like a very fine sandpaper on. The seat belt this requires a more comprehensive cleaning, you should be,. Afterwards, wipe any excess compound off with a microfiber cloth without risk of your. Much more than cosmetic, as damaged lights also present a serious safety.! Like i had, it is possible to reduce the damage using the spray,... Quicker to work since you will already have everything taped off as a plastic polishing compound on your vehicle painter! Occurring from poor visibility while wet sanding methods with various sandpaper grits along with polishers get! Scratches out can find for this with another clean cloth: block off the rough, caked substances! Week between 7AM-9PM and apply a UV protectant should be able to get more of the headlights. 400-Grit sandpaper the oxidized layer - and he 's awesome helpful.... went into detail about his process... Does a great polish for plastic housing and copper contacts, like in my rear door! Not immune to wear on their headlights Suburban door using warm water and a mild soap entire.. Atlanta, Georgia the source of the headlights clean off the headlights with Windex or and. Of that worked for you didn ’ t already, clean your headlights should you to... Worker and performs a great polish for plastic housing and copper contacts, like in my rear Suburban....

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