Headlight Plastic Cleaning

[davisinla]

To make a long story short, after an incident with a flying piece of metal, I just replaced one of the headlights on my Highlander.

But after 120,000 miles of freeway flying - very low through Earth's atmosphere - the other headlight now looks pretty bad in comparison.

I've tried #10 (Clear Plastic Polish) and it looks a little better. But is there any technique/product I can use that will do better than that?

I did a search here and saw that someone had used PlastX (after sanding) for great results. Should I do that on my headlight? (Sanding plastic makes me nervous )

Paul

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

Hi Paul,

PlastX by itself will fix about 95% of all haziness and clouding issues with headlight covers as well as all clear plastics. You don't have to wet-sand the plastic first.

M10 is a pure plastic polish and thus has not cleaning ability, thus it's not the right product for job you're trying to do. Pick up some PlastX and apply it by putting a little passion behind your applicator pad and then check your results.

[BlueZero]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

I've had great results using PlastiX and wetsanding. I started with 1500 grit followed by 2500 grit and finished with PlastiX by hand. Superiorshine has a thread around somewhere were he did taillights using a buffer and PlastiX. Do you have the old broken light? Pratice on that one if you do. Don't really thing you can mess up, I just wouldn't go any lower than 1500 grit and you should be ok.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

I've had great results using PlastiX and wetsanding.

Just so that everyone that ever reads this for the rest of the life of this forum, you don't have to wet-sand plastic to get great results with PlastX.

Also, many headlight covers have a coating, so always use the least aggressive product to get the job done.

[davisinla]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately, I don't have the old light to practice sanding. But I'll try PlastX and see how it comes out.

Is there an advantage to using the PC with PlastX, or should hand application be ok?

Paul

[BlueZero]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

Also, many headlight covers have a coating, so always use the least aggressive product to get the job done.

Yep! Also just to point out sometimes the haze is on the inside of the light. And I haven't figured out a way to work plastiX in there... lol

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately, I don't have the old light to practice sanding. But I'll try PlastX and see how it comes out.

Is there an advantage to using the PC with PlastX, or should hand application be ok?

Paul

Just like any cleaning process, the machine will take all of the work out of the process and in most all cases it will produce better results than you can achieve with your hand.

[GTBrad]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

just to add, PlastiX does wonders for headlights.

Pictured below, I set up my tripod while I was detailing a 1993 Lexus GS, these lights are well known for yellowing rather quickly, so here is the result of several applications of PlastiX

[davisinla]

Re: Headlight Plastic Cleaning

just to add, PlastiX does wonders for headlights.

Excellent! Thanks.