Weird Trick for cleaning Plastic Headlight lenses, it works

[Hugh R]

My Son showed me this. Take aerosol bug spray, "OFF" "Repel", doesn't seem to matter. Spray it on the fogged plastic headlight lenses and rub off with a paper towel. Do this a few times, it really removes the fogging/hazing. I don't know if it removes the haze or hides it, but it works well.

Because its bug spray, wash your hands when your done.

[gacook]

Best product I've ever found for restoring headlights is PlastX by Meguiar's. Takes less than 5 minutes to use, and makes the lenses crystal clear again. Follow up with a quick spray of clear coat, and your headlights are good as new.

[wayner]

Bug spray melts plastic. It work because it melts the rough surface.
Similar to buffing paint. The buffer heats and melts the paint just a little bit

[Deschodt]

Yeah. Be very careful with "off". It will mess up the car's paint too !
But it's perfectly safe on your skin to repel insects !

[stomachmonkey]

I tried a bunch of different stuff on my Mazda 3 headlights and made the decision to just replace them.

Was slow getting around to it. Was in the garage one day over the summer and spotted a can of clear varnish.

Figured why not?

Spread a couple of coats on with a clean paper towel.

They look damn near perfect.

Clear as can be.

[Tobra]

I have used the PlastX to good effect also.

My buddy's wife has a Honda that is really bad. I will probably use a little buffing compound to get the heavy grunge accumulation off first.

[Scott Douglas]

I've used the PlastX Meguiar's kit too with pretty nice results.
Before


After

[M.D. Holloway]

I just don't drive at night

[WPOZZZ]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

My Son showed me this. Take aerosol bug spray, "OFF" "Repel", doesn't seem to matter. Spray it on the fogged plastic headlight lenses and rub off with a paper towel. Do this a few times, it really removes the fogging/hazing. I don't know if it removes the haze or hides it, but it works well.

Because its bug spray, wash your hands when your done.

It keeps the mosquitos away, too.

[gr8fl4porsche]

I just worked on the headlights on my wife's van this morning. I just used a random orbital buffer and a little polish to make them look good as new. The problem is, the inside of the lenses gets hazy and full of what appears to be stress cracks.

There doesn't appear to be any way to get to the inside of the lenses.

[sc_rufctr]

(I've previously posted these in another thread)

My daughters car.

[Steve Carlton]

Find out the part numbers and search eBay.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

(I've previously posted these in another thread)

My daughters car.

Depending on the oxidation, I go between 1000-2000 wet sand and then this^^^^^

My original volvo lenses look new.

edit- I remember being in the volvo dealership. The mechanic walked out, and told a customer his car got a reject sticker over the fogged lenses- but he could get new ones installed for $500. I vomitted a little, coughed indignantly like I was getting a rectal exam, and walked away. The guy agreed to it-the lenses-not the rectal exam, although I guess he got both.

[wdfifteen]

I love this place. Where else could a discussion of fogged-up headlight lenses include the phrase "rectal exam"
You know that game where you replace the word "love" in song titles with "lunch"? We could do it here, pick a noun - spoon, guitar, 944, lawyer - in any thread and replace it with "rectal exam."

[cabmandone]

Hugh,
I was sure this was going to be one of those redirect things where you click on "one weird trick"

[Hugh R]

Hah, that about that when I posted.

[Brian 162]

I've used toothpaste with a toothbrush and it actually worked. Not as nice as some of the above pics but the results were o/k.

Plus my lenses have no cavities.

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I've used the PlastX Meguiar's kit too with pretty nice results.
Before


After

Pretty weird how that stuff dented and scraped that bumper. Gotta be careful with it, I guess.

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by Scott Douglas

I've used the PlastX Meguiar's kit too with pretty nice results.
Before

What's in the kit, other than the bottle of polish? At my FLAPS the whole kit is $30, or you can buy the little bottle of polish alone for $9. What else is in the kit for the other $20?

[WPOZZZ]

If you don't have a sealant, it'll haze again.