How to clean dim cloudy car headlights and get a glossy finish

With a few simple steps you can repair dim headlights again. In this article you will find out how to do this and what you should consider.

Mask and clean the cloudy headlights

It is better not to carry out these cleaning activities under direct sunlight.

• To protect the paint, cover the car body around headlights cleanly with masking tape and plastic sheets.
• Do not use insulating tape, as this can damage the paint and leave residues.
• Before you start the actual work, it is important to clean the headlights thoroughly.

Grind dim headlights

After you have removed all residues, it is time for the actual repair.

1. Get a headlight lens repair kit. This includes all the necessary materials and is available for less than 30 dollars.
2. Sand the headlight glass with the sanding block and the sanding paper with 2000 grit from the set with horizontal sanding movements until no more noticeable bumps are visible.
3. It is important that the sandpaper is always wet. You can soak it in water for several minutes and briefly moisten it again and again.
4. Then remove all residues thoroughly.
5. Now take the sanding block with the 3000-grit sandpaper in hand and this time sand with vertical movements until no more irregularities are visible.
6. Again, make sure that the sandpaper is always wet.
7. Remove the residues again.
8. Now the 5000-grit sandpaper is used.
9. Grind again in horizontal movements and proceed as described above.

Polish the headlights to a high gloss

After everything has been sanded down, it’s time to polish.

1. Put some of the polish from the repair kit on the headlight.
2. Take the cloth and the sanding block and polish the headlight glass with a little pressure and quick horizontal movements.
3. If you still see matt or yellowed areas, polish them with the polishing cloth and the foam block.
4. Take a damp cloth and remove any residues from the polish.
5. You can then remove the masking tape.