:::RHMT::: Real Home Made Turbo

General Category => Hybrid/Tech => Topic started by: Doug on June 05, 2009, 10:52:01 AM

Title: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Doug on June 05, 2009, 10:52:01 AM
Well I had posted this on OHMT with my Del Sol and the headlights were pretty bad off and came out looking good. I'll have to find those pictures again, but I just did it on my EK headlights which weren't as bad with the same results.

*Note: Yes I know my car is dirty. I park next to a big tree and it needs washed everyday.

Materials needed:

Toothpaste
Microfiber cloths

Ok so my headlights looked like this:

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090723.jpg&hash=3ec3edd3e09f269c049dd42c1e5037d6b3682062)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090723a.jpg&hash=54728880287fa17d174b844fc667f3262e2c6778)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090723b.jpg&hash=236889716463e9ae58e6660c8b2ae6594ed421ff)


So first off wash your headlights off. A little Windex gets the job done. Then take your toothpaste and spread a nice bit out on your cloth. Begin massaging it into the headlight with a bit of pressure. Let it sit until dry.

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090730.jpg&hash=0ed272d86bd141499714bb3b6ffb6a10ba4f5038)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090730a.jpg&hash=5a7bc32d4b667dd22b4d4e15c3542faf35be6bb9)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090730a.jpg&hash=5a7bc32d4b667dd22b4d4e15c3542faf35be6bb9)


Wipe off with a clean cloth. And walla, your done. I plan on adding a little wax later to polish them up better, but still happy with results.

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090903.jpg&hash=36d55efa2395ede1f35211c7fbd68c82a8a7f70d)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090903a.jpg&hash=3b5041094dc139a524703d061e29e5bcf7dd26ab)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090904.jpg&hash=0af314d19707af11aea6eb3efcd57ce9fead57bc)

(https://realhomemadeturbo.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi6.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy205%2Fdoug684%2F0605090904a.jpg&hash=63edcacbd60034be7d4c39c0fccde71a142293d1)
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Loserkidwac on June 05, 2009, 12:17:20 PM
Looks good!  I've used silver polish before and have got good results...My friends neon had horribly yellow head lights and they said it wouldn't pass inspection and said it would cost her $200  ???

So used some silver polish then waxed them and all was good ;)
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Ghetto_D on June 05, 2009, 12:29:23 PM
scratch away works pretty good too.
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: BoostForLife on June 05, 2009, 12:40:34 PM
I used blue magic headlight polish. Look similar to toothpaste, and only cost $5. More than enough for 10 headlight sets to clean.
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: 90boostdaccord on June 05, 2009, 03:32:02 PM
well done
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Doug on June 05, 2009, 11:56:31 PM
I used blue magic headlight polish. Look similar to toothpaste, and only cost $5. More than enough for 10 headlight sets to clean.

I used toothpaste because I'm cheap as hell and of course had some anyways
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: BoostForLife on June 06, 2009, 02:21:34 AM
wetsanding the lens with 2000+ grit sandpaper first will help it a lot. Apply polish and scrub it in pretty good with a cloth or a buffer if you're a baller. Shit comes out to be good as new.

I bouth my CRX with primered bumpers, and the moron had overspray go on the lights. Sandpaper and blue magic made my lights new again.
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Doug on June 06, 2009, 04:07:59 AM
what kind of tooth paste did you use?
my moms driver side light is nasty and we had 2 different kinds of tooth paste.
just wondering if i should run to the dollar store to buy some different tooth paste so i can try to fix it

i'll post some pics too if it works
thanks for the great idea

I used some Colgate with whitening. Use the plain white gritty stuff, not the gel.
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: caged on June 06, 2009, 11:48:23 PM
The only problem is that it take the out uv resistant coating and with need buffing about once a year, But if its already cloudy and yellow I'm shore its long gone anyway. good write up
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: Doug on June 07, 2009, 02:52:42 AM
The only problem is that it take the out uv resistant coating and with need buffing about once a year, But if its already cloudy and yellow I'm shore its long gone anyway. good write up

Yeah I threw some cleaner wax and regular wax on mine for protection.
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: biscuit on June 07, 2009, 04:22:33 PM
I used blue magic headlight polish. Look similar to toothpaste, and only cost $5. More than enough for 10 headlight sets to clean.
+1 That stuff works great. 
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: CRX304 on June 20, 2009, 11:42:59 PM
good job/find/info
Title: Re: Quick headlight clean/restore
Post by: d112crzy on June 21, 2009, 12:13:43 AM
Good shit. Definitely the rhmt way to do it. But for a brand new look, I like using some 2000 grit and then polish and wax. Lots of work, but I've gotten $60 out of people by doing that.