What Is The Best Headlight Cleaning Kit

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This IS the all-time DIY headlight restoration kit that you lot tin buy! This method works every single time, even if your lights are rough. You lot can save money, and exist done in an hour – restore your headlights with this elementary DIY.

Headlight Restoration Kit Before and After

I get it – headlight restoration is boring. But it's a necessary evil, if you're wanting to sell your car or merely desire your ride to await nice. Many people think if their headlights go cloudy – they need new headlights (which tin exist a fortune!).

That is absolutely NOT true and y'all can clean your headlights yourself using this method.

Restoring Headlights

Searching for options for headlight cleaning is time consuming, so we plant the all-time headlight restoration kit based on the advice of a professional motorcar detailer we know and our online research. I learned and so much about the procedure. I'm sharing my knowledge below!

Why Are My Headlights Cloudy?

Your headlights oxidized, just what happened? Well, the US government only requires auto manufacturers to produce lenses that don't fog for three years. Across that, it's up to you to clean off the accumulated oil, route grime, and other airborne contaminants!

The rut from your headlights bakes that grime into the lens, and eventually that build-up will start to dethrone the UV coating on the calorie-free. You'll see that yellowish color which means you're likely going to have to invest in headlight restoration of some sort.

Cleaning vs Restoring

Headlight cleaner tin can piece of work (take you seen the toothpaste hack?), but honestly if your headlights are even shut to what ours look like above, y'all're going to have to use a headlight restoration kit.

You tin try a headlight cleaner first. Information technology depends on what yous are looking to spend. When we become to this stage of crud, we typically forgo the headlight cleaner and go right to the headlight restoration kit. We know it'due south going to piece of work!

Professional Cost vs DIY

After a lilliputian investigating nosotros discovered that headlight restoration is about $100 – $150, merely a headlight restoration DIY kit is about $xv – $20, and information technology typically does 2 – 3 (even 4!) cars.

We have v cars, and so multiply that first number and you see that we're going to do a DIY headlight restoration every single time.

All-time Headlight Restoration Kit

If y'all're wondering how to clean your headlights, we found the best headlight restoration kit that money can purchase. And I think if y'all check out the results above (the earlier and subsequently), yous'll run across that this kit achieves perfect results! Forget all the other products out there . . . this is it.

We added the water step and the ultra fine wet sandpaper to get the headlights looking every bit crystal clear every bit possible. Are you lot fix to learn nearly the all-time headlight restoration kit (and our modifications)? Keep reading!

Assemble These Supplies

3M Headlight Restoration Kit – includes all the sanding discs referred to below
Drill
Painter's tape or masking tape (it comes in the kit but we used our own)
2500 – 3000 grit wet sandpaper (extra step which we'll explain)
Spray bottle filled with water
Cleaning solution/rubbing alcohol

Here's the before photo. Purchasing new headlights tin can cost anywhere from $150 – $1,500 PER headlight depending on the car. No reason to exercise that!

3M headlight restoration kit, Bestine Solvent and thinner, Hitachi drill, wet/dry sandpaper, painter's tape, and a spray bottle

Gather Your Supplies

Here are the materials. For this 3M Headlight Restoration Kit yous're going to need a drill for the sanding. The drill is primal to buffing the headlights out more than just headlight cleaner alone could do. This is why it's the best headlight restoration kit!

Cleaning a headlight with Bestine solvent and thinner

Prepare the Headlights

Clean the headlight. I used a solvent and thinner solution, but rubbing alcohol would work too.

Headlight taped off with blue painter's tape

The kit comes with tape – however, nosotros needed a wider record due to the chrome rim around these particular headlights. So nosotros used a wider painter'southward tape that we already had. Do this on both lights.

First Sanding

Put the foam velcro buffing pad from your kit in the drill, then place the 500-grit sanding disc on the pad.

Spraying water on a taped off headlight with a spray bottle

Then spray water on the headlight and on your sanding disc. This will continue everything lubricated so it can flow and prevent scratching.

Sanding a headlight with a drill and sanding pad

Using a slow to medium speed on your drill, apply medium pressure and keep the pad flat on the headlight. Brainstorm sanding, moving back and forth over the surface until yous see the xanthous UV damage and oxidation start to come off the surface. Reapply water as needed so that you lot are always sanding on a wet surface.

The sanding disc may occasionally load up with cloth; use your spray canteen to clean off the disc. It will expect similar you're applying paste simply that is merely headlight grunge!! :0

Headlight in the process of removing the oxidation

This is what the headlight will await similar every bit you are working with it. Make three or four complete passes with your drill and sanding pad, adding water as needed.

Headlight sprayed with water after initial dirt removal

Spray water on the light and wipe off with a clean rag and this is how the headlight will appear. Information technology will wait worse before it gets better!

2nd Sanding

Now apply the 800-grit sanding disc from the kit and repeat the steps you used with the 500-dust disc (then yes, use the h2o again).

Torn painter's tape on the edge of the light

If you lot impairment the tape while sanding, repair the record before continuing so you don't sand the trim effectually the low-cal.

Spray and wipe off the low-cal again. This is how the light will appear afterwards making 3 to four complete passes over the light with the 800-grit disc. Looking merely a chip meliorate now, no?

3rd Sanding

2500 grit wet sanding paper sanding the headlight

We added this step outside of the kit to increase the crystal-clearity (yes I made that up) fifty-fifty further. Employ your 2500 grit wet sanding paper – spray water on the headlight and directly on the sandpaper, then first sanding the light by hand. Utilize circular movement.

Recall to reapply h2o as it dries so yous will always be working with a wet surface (equally yous did with the sanding discs). The 2500 grit sandpaper will reduce the size of the scratching on the headlights to very fine.

Sanded headlight with painter's tape around the edge

When finished hand sanding, wipe the light dry and you will come across that you are getting closer to the desired result.

Final Cream Sanding

Now yous are going to apply the "magic disc" to the foam pad on the drill. This is the 3M 3000 grit Trizact foam sanding disc. This disc truly has magic properties!

Utilise this disc as yous did the other discs: proceed your surface wet as you make three to 5 passes over the headlight. You will run into the haze brainstorm to disappear.

Continue applying water and passing over the headlight until y'all become the desired amount of immigration. Then wipe off the light with a clean rag until dry. This is how the light should appear. Looking much meliorate now!

Foam Polishing

Using the foam polishing disc provided in the kit, apply a quarter sized dab of the Synthetic Wax Protectant (also provided in the kit) to the pad and smear on the light without the drill on.

This will keep the wax from slinging everywhere. And so you begin polishing past turning the drill on. As you make more passes the light will become completely clear.

When you are happy with the result, wipe make clean with a make clean rag.

Removing painter's tape from the DIY headlight restoration

Then remove the record and you are finished!

What do you lot think? Sparkling make clean and much amend than before! Just as expert as when in came from the dealership from where I sit.

Mini Cooper with a DIY headlight restoration

What do you lot think of our DIY headlight restoration? Do you lot think we found the best headlight restoration kit? Nosotros definitely think and then!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Agile Fourth dimension 2 hours

Total Fourth dimension two hours 15 minutes

Difficulty Like shooting fish in a barrel

Estimated Cost $15

Materials

3M Headlight Restoration Kit - includes all the sanding discs referred to beneath
Painter'south tape (information technology comes in the kit but nosotros used our own)
2500 - 3000 grit wet sandpaper (extra step which nosotros'll explain)
Cleaning solution/rubbing alcohol

Tools

Drill
Spray bottle filled with water

Instructions

Clean the headlight using a solvent or rubbing alcohol.
Tape off the headlights using painter's tape.
Put the foam velcro buffing pad from the kit in the drill, then place the 500-grit sanding disc on the pad.
Spray water on the headlight and on the sanding disc.
Using a ho-hum to medium speed on the drill, apply medium force per unit area and keep the pad flat on the headlight. Begin sanding, moving dorsum and forth over the surface until y'all see the xanthous UV damage and oxidation start to come off the surface. Reapply water every bit needed and then that yous are always sanding on a wet surface.
Make three or iv consummate passes with your drill and sanding pad, adding water as needed.
Spray water on the calorie-free and wipe off with a clean rag.
Apply the 800-grit sanding disc from the kit and repeat the steps used with the 500-grit disc.
Spray and wipe off the lite again.
Use the 2500 grit wet sanding paper - spray water on the headlight and direct on the sandpaper, so start sanding the calorie-free past hand. Employ circular motion.
When finished manus sanding, wipe the calorie-free dry.
Add on the 3M 3000 grit Trizact foam sanding disc. Use this disc equally yous did the other discs: keep the surface moisture as you brand three to 5 passes over the headlight.
Keep applying h2o and passing over the headlight until you go the desired amount of clearing. Wipe off the light with a clean rag until dry.
Using the foam polishing disc provided in the kit, apply a quarter sized dab of the Synthetic Wax Protectant (also provided in the kit) to the pad and smear on the light without the drill on.
Begin polishing by turning the drill on. As y'all brand more passes the light volition get completely clear.
When y'all are happy with the result, wipe clean with a clean rag.
Remove the record to stop.