My headlights are oxidized. How do I clean them?

 

Welcome to the forums.

Here is a great DIY thread that is going to hold most of the basic questions you have for our car: https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-1999-2003-98/new-official-2nd-gen-tl-diy-thread-706083/

and here is the specific thread about wetsanding your headlights: https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-photograph-gallery-99/fun-sandpaper-580286/

I usually start with 600 grit (If they are really yellow), then go to 1500 grit, and finish with 2000. ALL THE SANDPAPER MUST BE WET, soak it for 10 minutes before sanding. Next step is usually some kind of rubbing compound to help with the scratches and finish with some sort of plastic polisher.

 

I second the wet sanding; what a difference.
I picked up the various grit papers at Walmart in the automotive section and a bottle of PlasticX fine polish. It didn't take more that a 1/2 hour per light and they look stunning again - it really is so easy.

 

First try some metal polish- quick & easy & worked for me.

 

Has anyone tried the kits you can buy online or an auto parts store, where it includes everything and you use either a drill or polisher and the provided pads etc?

 

The 3M one works, but you can just buy everything separately and you'll have enough to do more headlights if needed.

 

Mines were hazy and yellow.. I just used a mcguairs ultimate compound and it cleared them right up... Topped it off with some NXT 2.0 polish and wax and the shine and clarity are awesome...

 

the kits at harbor freight or part stores work great,
wet sanding is tricky and if not kept wet paper and surface--scratches result


use blue tape to protect the area outside the headlight

 

Just did mine a few days ago with the Meguiars headlight kit. It worked well on the TL, but those lenses weren't all that bad to begin with. To test it out for real, my buddy and I used the kit on the lights of his old corolla, which were completely yellow, and it worked so fast we could barely believe it.
Mask around the edges of the light to protect the paintwork just in case.

 

My only question do they turn yellow again over time? I believe I read you need UV protection to stop that from happening, but I've been unable to find something that isn't really expensive.

 

I used Meguiars Plast-x with the drill attachment that it came with, and it worked out great!
Then I waxed it and hopefully the wax should keep it from oxidizing again...

 

toothpaste works!!

 

Don't use Meguiars. You can get the same results with the $8 kit from Harbor Freight. And I'm not saying avoid Meguiars just because - I say it because your lights will turn hazy again, so you might as well do it the cheap way.

 

The key is to maintain your headlights just as you do the rest of the car. Wax them occasionally and they should be fine. I've seen much newer cars with f'ed up headlights. It just happens. Even wet sanding them and all these kits, they can still get oxidized and hazy.

 

Don't sand unless you absolutely have to. I learned from experience, they still come out nice but you can achieve the same clean look without sanding with the right product.

I use blue magic headlight lens restorer that you can buy at your local auto parts store. Using a microfiber cloth you apply the polish on the light as you would wax on a car and you will see that your towel is becoming yellow. meaning its removing the oxidation. Do this in the shade on a cool headlight (one that hasn't been sitting in the sun for hours) other wise the polish will dry quickly and will be more difficult to remove from the light.