How to clean the headlight and rear light lens?

During our 35 day, 13000 mile trip we broke the right rear taillight lens cover (head butted by a bighorn sheep in Jasper Nat'l Park, Canada) and had it replaced. With the shiny new one in place, the other lights/lens look noticeably 'smoky' -- l;ot of tiny scratches - even on the headlight lamp covers.

whats the best way to clean these? i think the gas-station squeegees and anti-freeze windwasher fluid may have done the damage as we had to clean all lights frequently driving in the snow and freezing rain in Canada and Montana/Idaho.

During our 35 day, 13000 mile trip we broke the right rear taillight lens cover (head butted by a bighorn sheep in Jasper Nat'l Park, Canada) and had it replaced. With the shiny new one in place, the other lights/lens look noticeably 'smoky' -- l;ot of tiny scratches - even on the headlight lamp covers.

whats the best way to clean these? i think the gas-station squeegees and anti-freeze windwasher fluid may have done the damage as we had to clean all lights frequently driving in the snow and freezing rain in Canada and Montana/Idaho.
Hi palo-alto. You may try plexiglas polish on a small test area and see if it removes the scratches. This process worked on my dad's badly faded F-100 Headlight lens.

head butted by a bighorn sheep in Jasper Nat'l Park, Canada
Holy Cow..err..umm..I mean sheep.:D
Poor Ridgie. :(

Meguiers makes a great clear plastic cleaner and clear plastic polish. I use them and am very happy with them.

thanks - i will try both suggested solutions.

btw, i washed them again today with soap and warm water and it is clear that there are thousands of mini-scratches everywhere. the truck is only 40 days old - i guess Honda did not use the higher quality acrylic or at least glass on the headlamps.

Try this, it's from Meguiar's, I use it on all sorts of clear plastic and it honestly does work.

http://www.meguiars.com/?boat-plastic-care/PlastX-Clear-Plastic-Cleaner-Polish

If you want to fix them to just like new-take a look at this Hall of Fame post on Autopia. http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38972&highlight=light+polish

You could probably work from any point in the middle to the last step as well, depending on how far you want to take it.

Three Weeks ago, I found a new product called Nu finish Scratch Doctor Clear Coat Scratch Remover.......Removes Surface Scratches, Swirl Marks & Haze. I think I found it in the automotive dept at Super Target.

It put a really nice shine on the Head LIghts. It also removed the bug gut a lot easier.:)

Meguiars SCRATCH EX works also.

Also, isn't there a type of film that you can put on clear enough to let light through but tough enough not to let the lense scratch? Like a clear Vynal clear coat sticker type...similar what you would put on a PDA to prevent the screen from scratching.

You just have to wonder if the Ram won or the Ridgeline ;) Okay not really a Ram I guess but still it paints an interesting picture.

Keyword Ridgeline On Ebay, They Have Headlight Protectors On There.

I've used Novus (#30 I think) scratch remover for motorcycle windshields on headlights with good results. They have a few various media compositions, depending how wacky yours is it might not be a bad idea to go with the finest (which I do not remember at this moment).


Always try a can of Honda Polish first though - also avail @ m/c stores - that stuff works wonders :)

I've used Novus (#30 I think) scratch remover for motorcycle windshields on headlights with good results. They have a few various media compositions, depending how wacky yours is it might not be a bad idea to go with the finest (which I do not remember at this moment).


Always try a can of Honda Polish first though - also avail @ m/c stores - that stuff works wonders :)

Hi,
just reviving this thread as I did a quick search to see how others dealt with a scratched headlight lens. I'm sold on the Novus plastic polishes. I bought it to use on the dust cover on my 30 year old Technics turntable.
For those of you wondering, a "turntable" used to be used to listen to "albums". "Albums" were what we used to use to listen to music. :rolleyes:

The "Novus system" is a three-step polishing method:
#3 - to repair & prepare - removes heavy scratches (but not for "coated" plastics)
#2 - to restore & refinish - removes fine scratches and restores fading and discoloration
#1 - to clean & protect - leaves a great shine that resists fogging, repels dust, eliminates static

I had some deep scratches on the dust cover, so I started with the #3. It took out the scratches as well as the "beer bottle circles" that had added to it's "character" over the years. Then after cleaning then #3 off, I went with the #2 to remove the fine scratches that the #3 left. After cleaning/buffing the #2 off, I was amazed what it looked like! Just like it looked when I bought it 30 years ago! I used the cleaner #1 on it, and have only had to lightly dust it once-inna-while over the last two years.
It did such a good job, I decided, what-the-heck! , I'll try it on some "unplayable" albums I had from my college floor-party days. I used the cleaner #1 and on some deep scratches the refinisher #2... they sounded great! No "Pops"! No "skips"! I was further amazed! :eek:

Over the years, I've used the cleaner on some stubborn CD's, Playstation games, display cases, the plastic front over the gauge cluster in the car, and most recently on my RL's headlight lens.
The company's been around since 1973 and recommends the polish for use on Plexiglas, Lexan (polcarbonate), Lucite, Uvex,and Acrylite. It's non-toxic and non-flammable.

There's a website at http://www.novuspolish.com
and a toll-free number: 1-800-548-6872 Novus Inc.
They sent me a sample of each to try before I bought it. Iliked it so much that I bought an 8oz. bottle of each. That has lasted me for years!

The cost is reasonable and the stuff is easy to work with. Just a soft cotton, lint free cloth is all that's needed, but I found that a microfiber cloth worked well on my headlight. And then I buffed it with a 100% "luxury cotton" cloth that's really soft.

I haven't checked this product out in detail but it looks like it might help:

Paint and Headlight Protection Products (http://www.interwestdistribution.com/productsearch.asp?prevyear=2006&prevmake=15&prevmodel=0&prevsubmodel=0&prevseries=0&year=2006&make=15&model=1141)

Toothpaste is a great plastic polish.

So is any brass cleaner..
/uses it on my ibook, and ipod.

Try this, it's from Meguiar's, I use it on all sorts of clear plastic and it honestly does work.

http://www.meguiars.com/?boat-plastic-care/PlastX-Clear-Plastic-Cleaner-Polish


That's what I use on my Convertible windows... it's pretty amazing stuff.

I had a jeep with the soft top once, I used ARMOR ALL on the clear plastic windows, They never scratched or faded like the ones you see on the road. You can also use it on head lights, tail lights, black plastic mirrors and parts, wiper arms, and some engine parts. It keeps them shiney and the bug splats just wipe off. Thats just ON the outside parts!:D

Hi everyone palo-alto try tooth paste I saw it work and it's amazing

During our 35 day, 13000 mile trip....

NICE mileage. I thought I was up there quickly (29,000 miles in 15 MONTHS).
So, where are the pictures of this epic journey? We would love to travel with you vicariously.:cool:

Oh, Meguiars works great!

Just finished "restoring" the headlights on my 95 Ford Ranger. They were really bad. No light at all through the right lens, and very little out of the left one.

Spend a lot of time researching this and decided "restoring" the lens was a better way to go. Found a product at WALMART called CV (Crystal View) Headlight Restorer/defogger. Kit costs $20 and contains materials for 2 headlights. I also did the turn lights.

Basically, sand down the lens with two grits of very fine sandpaper and a polishing compound and then put on two coats of a chemical that finishes the job. They don't look brand new because they have lots of little hairline cracks in the lens, but they are purt near perfect! ;)

The companies website is myheadlight.com