Hydrogen peroxide for headlights

[xgmad]

Hey guys, so the Camry has very yellow headlights, a couple months ago I bought a bottle of hydrogen peroxide solution to deyellow them.

It did work! I will post pictures of them later, I do not believe I have before pictures.

Here is what I did:

----You need good amount of sunlight for this to work, you can apply it anytime, but it will take longer without sunlight. Make the car face the sun.

1.I cleaned the headlights of grime with that rain-x / windshield cleaner and rinsed with water.

2. I then applied this stuff with a paintbrush on the headlights (make sure to have a thick coating) : https://www.amazon.com/Super-Stabil...sprefix=hydrogen+peroxide+cream,aps,93&sr=8-5

If you get this stuff on the paint, clean it up with a wet rag.

3. I then took some cling wrap, make sure to cover the whole headlight and then use some masking tape to secure it

4. Let sit for like an hour or two

5. Rinse with water, and if you want, clean it again with that rain-x/windshield cleaner

6. you can repeat this process anytime, but remember to seal it with wax or something.

I will post after results and possibly before results if i have those pictures.

6. See results.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I wonder what the peroxide content is? The stuff you buy at the grocery store is 3%. But I'm guessing this stuff is different? Some kind of cosmetology chemical?

 

[Oillover]

Man, things were much easier when headlights were made of glass.

 

[DemoFly]

You can waste all the time you want sanding and buffing and bleaching a headlight but the problem is that the UV screener in the plastic has worn out. They will turn yellow again quickly. The sun is very powerful.

 

[RooflessVW]

Man, things were much easier when headlights were made of glass.

And the output was great!

 

[aquariuscsm]

Man, things were much easier when headlights were made of glass.

Amen!! My 300ZX has glass headlights. 26 years old and still like showroom new!!

 

[xgmad]

I just seal them off, but I will post pictures after my sister brings back the camry, wherever she went

 

[RDMgr]

I wonder what the peroxide content is? The stuff you buy at the grocery store is 3%. But I'm guessing this stuff is different? Some kind of cosmetology chemical?

The SDS states <12.5%. I used a pool sanitizer based on hydrogen peroxide at 27%. That caused blistering burns of it got on your skin.

 

[xgmad]

Here is the after photo:

before photo (couldn't find a front headlight shot but this should give you an idea:

 

[atikovi]

Here is the after photo:View attachment 96642

Not to be critical, but that still looks a little yellow or hazy from this angle. This is what a 16 year old headlight can look like,

or a 20 year old one,

with proper headlight restoration products.

 

[xgmad]

Not to be critical, but that still looks a little yellow or hazy from this angle. This is what a 16 year old headlight can look like,
View attachment 96648

or a 20 year old one,
View attachment 96649

with proper headlight restoration products.

You have to do it 3 to 4 times to get rid of all the haze, and thats not haze thats an oil covered rag that I used to wipe off the solution from the headlights. The problem is that there is not enough hydrogen peroxide in some of these creams. This method I used does work very well, it just uses more time, but less labor involved.

 

[atikovi]

If you're comfortable with it, great.

 

[HankHill]

You can waste all the time you want sanding and buffing and bleaching a headlight but the problem is that the UV screener in the plastic has worn out. They will turn yellow again quickly. The sun is very powerful.

Wonder if you could use a sunscreen on them? Like some titanium dioxide in the sealant to beef up its UV rating?

 

[xgmad]

Wonder if you could use a sunscreen on them? Like some titanium dioxide in the sealant to beef up its UV rating?

I will try this. No really I will, but this method I have shown does work great.

 

[HankHill]

Seriously though, I'd be putting on a serious uv protectant coat of something like the following:

https://www.wurthusa.com/Chemical-P...t-Restoration-UVCure-Sealant-Kit/p/1893573850

People swear by using a clear coat on the lens after polishing. I will do that next time after I restore them. I'll do some more research before I pull the trigger on something, but the product below may just suit our needs:

https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K01305-Coatings-11-Ounce-UV-Resistant/dp/B00397STRW?th=1

Give it a try, can't hurt anything.

 

[xgmad]

Seriously though, I'd be putting on a serious uv protectant coat of something like the following:

https://www.wurthusa.com/Chemical-P...t-Restoration-UVCure-Sealant-Kit/p/1893573850

People swear by using a clear coat on the lens after polishing. I will do that next time after I restore them. I'll do some more research before I pull the trigger on something, but the product below may just suit our needs:

https://www.amazon.com/Krylon-K01305-Coatings-11-Ounce-UV-Resistant/dp/B00397STRW?th=1

Give it a try, can't hurt anything.

clear coat and then seal with car wax.

 

[Fabulous50s]

I've used Maguires ultimate compound on 13 YO yellowed headlights with good results also. Have to do it annually though now.

Glass really is the best headlight material. Our 01 Volvo S60 was about the last car to have glass composite headlights AFAIK.

Honestly....any car or truck I've driven with quad sealed beams had just as good or better vusion output as anything I've ever driven. Especially on high beam with four 60+ watt filaments going. Sylvania Silverstars made it even better.

I've had H6, HID, and LED. Still favor the Sealed beams overall. I know the optics suck, but the quads just make it so you can see well.