Frustrated By Heavily Oxidized Headlights? Here's What Worked

H

Hot_Ajax

Joined
Jul 14, 2012
Messages
195
Location
Bucks County, PA
Just stumbled on an outstanding product to get rid of that ugly haze on your headlights. It took me roughly 10 minutes per light, and was a piece of cake to use. The stuff is called "Miracle Shine", made by GMS products in the People's Republic of California. I bought it about a year ago, just to clean and polish the exotic metals on my bathroom fixtures. It cleans, shines, and gets rid of all the water marks, and does a fantasic job. So, my headlights look like a little kid with a cold rubbed booger all over them. It was time to clean them. So, instead of buying a headlight restoration kit, just for kicks I grabbed the Miracle Shine. Did an absolutely amazing job. They look pretty close to new, except for the nicks in the plastic ( the truck is 11 years old, after all, and still has the same headlights which were never refinished. ). I finished it off with some wax. I'm really pleased with how they turned out, especially since I didn't have to go buy a restoration kit, and waste an afternoon using it. Caution: Remove it while it is still wet. Probably some people will say I'm making money off the post. I'm not. For the record, I have no financial interest in "Miracle Shine". I don't sell it, don't own stock in the manufacturer, and make absolutely nothing for telling you guys about this stuff. Comes in an 8 oz squeeze bottle, and costs about $13.00. Use it on EVERYTHING that has a non-porous surface. Bottle says it is "Safe - Nonabrasive". Have fun and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Really easy to rub on.
 
Last edited:
I use Pepsodent toothpaste, 99 cents a tube. I also brush my teeth with it.
 
If the oxidation is heavy enough, the easiest way is to wet sand the entire layer of oxidized clear coat/plastic with 400/1000/2000/2500 grit, then compound and polish with a drill polisher kit.
 
about most toothpastes they should NOT be used as intended!!! search a bit you will see some VERY questionable ingredients!!
 
I used the 3M restore kit on our 06 Pilot. Several steps and some serious sanding and the lights look nearly new. 1 year later they still look great.
 
Originally Posted by JeffKeryk
Pics of the result?
Originally Posted by 28oz
Lots of things will polish them well. How long they stay clear is what counts!
Understood. But since it only took about 20 mins to do the whole job, not concerned. I'll just do it again if it needs it, Faster than making breakfast.
 
On an old beater I used some off deep woods(deet) on a sock.. worked pretty good about 2 mins per light. I then cleaned them really well with dawn.. let dry wiped them down with rubbing alcohol and sprayed them with clearcoat spraypaint... Rust-Oleum IIRC. worked just fine but I only had that car for about 1.5 years after that.
 
I use this stuff from Turtle Wax made for headlights (T-43) its a Headlight Cleaner and Protectant. Its not really sold in stores but Amazon has it at a low price and a bottle lasts forever. If the lights are real bad, I wet sand with 2500 and polish with a foam pad on a drill. Looks amazing when finished.
 
Originally Posted by c502cid
Originally Posted by 28oz
Lots of things will polish them well. How long they stay clear is what counts!
^^^this!^^^
+100......... And it won't be for long if you park outside, in an area of the country with a high UV light index. It becomes a losing, never ending battle to say the least. Unless you change how your car is stored, they'll just oxidize again in almost no time. Because nothing has changed. My 1991 truck was always garage kept, and my plastic lenses remained clear and bright. Through most of this time I worked nights, which really helped in keeping them from oxidizing. For the last year it was parked outside, and the lenses oxidized in a matter of just a few months. I polished them, and within 3 months they were deteriorated. Now that we have moved into a home with a 3 car garage, I took the time to completely polish and detail them to all but new condition. Now they'll stay that way because the vehicle is out of the weather. Point being, plastic will begin the deterioration process as soon as it's exposed to ANY UV light. And nothing can be done about it. With all of the "engineering" that has gone into making modern vehicles more maintenance free, plastic headlight lenses sure weren't one of them. Now we can add, "Headlight Lens Maintenance" to our list.
 
Originally Posted by c502cid
Originally Posted by 28oz
Lots of things will polish them well. How long they stay clear is what counts!
^^^this!^^^
ya come back in a month and then 6 months.clear coating after cleans helps a bit.
 
I don't understand why anybody would waste their time polishing headlights. Sand them and shoot them with clearcoat. It's the longest lasting and least expensive (in the long run) there is. [Linked Image from i35.photobucket.com] In the above, the driver side had just been sprayed with UV clear. The passenger side was sanded using 800, 1000, 1500. No polishing or waxing whatsoever. Sand, wipe clean, then spray. Below is 5 years later... [Linked Image]
 
I've suggested this before and will do so again. For those tired of refinishing their lenses, why not just have a clear bra shop apply a piece of film to the headlights for like $20 a side? That should preserve the newly refinished plastic. That's what I did on our 2015 Corolla when it was new and the plastic is clear as day 1. GoldDot40's solution also sounds reasonable and similar.
 
Originally Posted by billt460
Originally Posted by c502cid
Originally Posted by 28oz
Lots of things will polish them well. How long they stay clear is what counts!
^^^this!^^^
+100......... And it won't be for long if you park outside, in an area of the country with a high UV light index. It becomes a losing, never ending battle to say the least. Unless you change how your car is stored, they'll just oxidize again in almost no time. Because nothing has changed. My 1991 truck was always garage kept, and my plastic lenses remained clear and bright. Through most of this time I worked nights, which really helped in keeping them from oxidizing. For the last year it was parked outside, and the lenses oxidized in a matter of just a few months. I polished them, and within 3 months they were deteriorated. Now that we have moved into a home with a 3 car garage, I took the time to completely polish and detail them to all but new condition. Now they'll stay that way because the vehicle is out of the weather. Point being, plastic will begin the deterioration process as soon as it's exposed to ANY UV light. And nothing can be done about it. With all of the "engineering" that has gone into making modern vehicles more maintenance free, plastic headlight lenses sure weren't one of them. Now we can add, "Headlight Lens Maintenance" to our list.
Absolutely. This is one thing I like about my 300ZX. Actual glass headlights, lol. 30 years old and they still look new. On my Quest, I sanded them and sprayed them with clear coat. Looked great and lasted 1.5 to 2 years before the clear coat started flaking off. Now they're as ugly as ever again. grin
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Owen Lucas
Restoring black plastic grill
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
Jdeere562
1 SX
Do NOT use DEET on your headlights!!!!
2
Replies
29
Views
6K
CheezWhiz
S
TR-3 Resin Glaze Review
2
Replies
38
Views
3K
f355spider
KrisZ
Oxidized aluminum polishing - pretty good results
Replies
7
Views
770
BigCahuna
L
Amazon headlights
2
Replies
20
Views
2K
LavaRand
Top