Author Topic: Faded or clouded headlight covers  (Read 5138 times)

Denis

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Faded or clouded headlight covers
« on: December 14, 2017, 11:31:55 AM »
My Jazz headlight covers are dull, great when wet but have a cloudy look otherwise. Can anyone recommend a perspex cleaner or some sort of buffing paste that will restore them?

culzean

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2017, 11:46:20 AM »
My Jazz headlight covers are dull, great when wet but have a cloudy look otherwise. Can anyone recommend a perspex cleaner or some sort of buffing paste that will restore them?

Fenwicks caravan window cleaner applied with cotton cloth as advised on bottle (does not work with microfibre - I know I thought I would be clever and try it LOL).

Do not be tempted to take an angle grinder and sandpaper to the plastic as advised on some forums, just destroys what is left of UV coating on plastic.  Keep plastic well waxed after you have removed haze,  I do mine at least once a month (but rest of car hardly gets cleaned or waxed its all about priorities).

It may take a couple of sessions to get plastic completely clear of hazing,  but it is not hard to use, and is gentle on the plastic.

http://www.halfords.com/camping-leisure/caravan-motorhomes/chemicals-cleaning/fenwicks-windowize-scratch-remover-100ml
« Last Edit: December 14, 2017, 11:50:23 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Denis

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2017, 04:50:58 PM »
That sounds like a good call,  thanks!

Ozzie

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2017, 05:04:46 PM »
Although I have never needed to try it, Arm & Hammer toothpaste is supposed to work on headlight lenses.

culzean

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2017, 05:18:01 PM »
Although I have never needed to try it, Arm & Hammer toothpaste is supposed to work on headlight lenses.

I have used the Fenwicks on a few headlights and it works very well,  it can be found cheaper on Ebay.   Keeping headlight plastic well waxed will stop atmospheric pollution affecting the plastic and also help with UV (it is like suntan cream for the plastic).
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

guest4871

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2017, 05:41:41 PM »
It depends how far they have gone but Meguiars PlastX Car Headlight & Clear Plastic Cleaner is also a good start.

Toothpaste works well but might leave minor (not serious) whirl scratches particularly if someone has previously used car polish on the covers. You won't know until you have used the toothpaste.

Jocko

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2017, 10:07:37 PM »
Bought a bottle of Fenwicks Windowize off eBay. It was a few pence cheaper than Halfords, and delivered to my door.
It appears to be an expensive (and slightly thicker) Brasso.
I used it today and I think it added a bit of sparkle to the lenses, though mine were not too bad to start with.
What I did discover is that part of both lenses appear to have some sort of coating on them, and the Windowize really revealed it. No amount of rubbing at it with the Windowize would remove it. I don't know if the lenses have been aggressively polished, some time in the past, or if this over-spray of lacquer, from some sort of repair.
As culzean says, I'll give it a couple of goes to see how things go.

culzean

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2017, 09:48:41 AM »
Bought a bottle of Fenwicks Windowize off eBay. It was a few pence cheaper than Halfords, and delivered to my door.
It appears to be an expensive (and slightly thicker) Brasso.
I used it today and I think it added a bit of sparkle to the lenses, though mine were not too bad to start with.
What I did discover is that part of both lenses appear to have some sort of coating on them, and the Windowize really revealed it. No amount of rubbing at it with the Windowize would remove it. I don't know if the lenses have been aggressively polished, some time in the past, or if this over-spray of lacquer, from some sort of repair.
As culzean says, I'll give it a couple of goes to see how things go.

There is a harder skin of UV protection on the headlight lenses,  I would not try to remove it as the plastic will degrade much faster when it is not there.  If you are happy with the clarity of the lens I would use a decent wax on the plastic and this should also help keep it clean as well as protecting it from further degradation by sun and road gunk.

There are clear laquers available which are supposed to repair or replace the original UV coating but I don't know how effective they are.

I apply wax to our headlights about once a month,  they are the only part of car that sees wax on less than annual basis.  I am also confident that the LED bulbs fitted earlier this year,  the front end of which which run much cooler than filament bulbs will help keep lenses in better shape.   I do worry that the 150% extra xenon/halogen filament bulbs that get fitted hasten the plastic getting cloudy.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2017, 10:01:15 AM by culzean »
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jocko

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2017, 10:12:06 AM »
There is a harder skin of UV protection on the headlight lenses,  I would not try to remove it as the plastic will degrade much faster when it is not there.  If you are happy with the clarity of the lens I would use a decent wax on the plastic and this should also help keep it clean as well as protecting it from further degradation by sun and road gunk.
The coating I speak off is just round the edges of the lamp lenses, as if Clearkote over spray from a repair to the paintwork.  Either that or the lenses have been partially stripped back at some time, with wet or dry. Either way I am just going to leave it.
As soon as I cleaned the lenses I gave them a good wax polish with the Bilt Hamber wax I use. I keep them regularly waxed. It helps the rain to wash the dirt off! Miss the headlamp wash/wipe I had on the Volvo.
« Last Edit: December 24, 2017, 04:26:54 PM by Jocko »

MicktheMonster

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #9 on: March 21, 2018, 11:44:36 PM »
I cleaned mine today, I tried the toothpaste method first but it only made a slight improvement on the lenses which were opaque (they've been listed as advisory faults a few times on MoTs and got progressively worse as time's gone on), so I tried Mer polish that | had in the garage for about 15 years, it took a couple of go's but came up almost clear, I think a bit more time would have got them perfect.

While I was hard at work, a passing workman told me he'd done his daughter's with a mixture of baking soda and white vinegar, then he showed me before and after photos of them on his phone, the results looked pretty good.

If you haven't used Mer before, it's a bit like T-cut in consistency and can be used as a light cutting paste or as a straightforward polish.

Denis

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Re: Faded or clouded headlight covers
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2018, 02:39:30 PM »
Just to update this thread I did buy Meguiars PlastX and it worked really well. Thanks all.

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