Headlight Restoration For DIY

Headlight restoration for DIY use to quickly and easily restore your headlights for roadworthy and stop yellowing without too much hard work.

Do Headlight Restoration Products Work?

Headlight restoration products offer a way to enhance the clarity and brightness of your headlights making them safer and more efficient during driving. Let’s delve into their performance.

Effectiveness

Addressing oxidation and yellowing – Most products effectively eliminate the hazing and yellowing caused by oxidation on the headlight lenses. This not only enhances the appeal of your headlights but also boosts their illumination output. The efficacy of different products varies – Some are better suited for removing haziness while others excel in rejuvenating oxidized lenses.

Pros

• Cost option – Compared to headlight restoration services, the DIY products provide a budget-friendly alternative.
• User-friendly DIY approach – Designed for use at home, most products do not require any skills.

Cons

• Not long lasting – Headlights may deteriorate over time due to sun exposure. The longevity of the restoration hinges on the kit’s quality and the application of UV protection. Ok if you are selling a car and require it to pass a roadworthy inspection
• Potential need for repeat applications – Severe oxidation may necessitate rounds of sanding and polishing for optimal results. If not done carefully, sanding may create small scratches that could worsen the issue.

Things to Think About Before Purchase

• Check reviews – Before purchasing a kit it’s advisable to do some research and read reviews to pick one known for its effectiveness and user-friendliness. Please continue reading for our pick of the best headlight restoration kits.
• Think about UV protection – Some kits don’t have UV protection which can help prolong the restoration’s lifespan. You can buy this separately if required.

Restoration kits can be a choice for improving the clarity and safety of your headlights. Just ensure you follow the instructions closely.

Does WD 40 restore headlights?

WD-40 may clear your headlights temporarily but it’s not generally recommended as a headlight restoration solution. Here’s why:

• Temporary fix – WD-40 primarily acts as a lubricant and doesn’t address the underlying cause of headlight haziness, which is the oxidation of the plastic lens. The WD-40 would evaporate relatively quickly, leaving the headlights foggy again.
• No UV protection – Headlights become cloudy due to exposure to sunlight. WD-40 doesn’t provide lasting UV protection so the lenses will degrade again much faster than with a proper restoration.
• Potential damage – Some sources mention WD-40 might slightly degrade the headlight lens material over time.

A headlight restoration kit is the better option. These kits typically use sanding and polishing techniques to remove the oxidized layer and restore clarity, and some even include a UV protectant to prevent future degradation.

Best Headlight Restoration Kit You Can Buy & Use Without Breaking A Sweat

There are many crazy claims about household products working their magic to restore your headlights but do you want to take the time and risk experimenting? Also, they may give you a quick fix but then you keep repeating the process because they keep oxidising. Let’s look at what I think is the best headlight restoration kit in Australia and works with minimal elbow grease (hard work).

Meguiar’s Two-Step Headlight Restoration Kit

You can buy Meguiar’s Two-Step Headlight Restoration Kit* (eBay affiliate link), designed to restore the brightness of headlights from eBay. It can be used to restore old, cloudy, or yellowed headlights.

• Meguiar’s headlight restoration kit is designed to bring back clarity and seal the surface so it stays clear.
• Long-lasting protection – Their revolutionary coatings protect against the yellowing and re-oxidation of metal for up to 12 months.
• Their unique formula restores clarity to oxidized and yellowed headlights.
• No drill is necessary – just simply clean and coat.

Step One – Use the Perfect Clarity Cleaning Solution with the pad to remove any oxidation. After you have a consistent hazy appearance covering the entire headlight, wipe clean. You may have to repeat the process. You should be left with an even foggy appearance over the entire headlight surface.

Step Two – Apply two coats of the coating. This is the step that will bring clarity back to the headlight. Allow at least 2-3 minutes in between coats. This protects your headlights from re-oxidation for about 12 months.

https://youtu.be/Hh2gN_3Asbg?si=wQeg0X-Ng2aF-Nx7

Turtle Wax Headlight Cleaner & Sealant 266ml

Turtle Wax Headlight Cleaner And Sealant* (eBay affiliate link) safely cleans and protects your headlights saving them from damage and looking old. Unlike the Meguiars product, this can save time because it does the two steps together. It comprises a compound to remove the yellowing, oxidisation and other substances that create this problem on polycarbonate car lights with a sealant that goes on top. This is a 2 in 1 headlight restorer and sealer solution.

Turtle Wax produces several products with an option for headlights that are more severely yellowed or oxidised. They also offer a Turtle Wax Headlight Lens Restoration Kit* (eBay affiliate link) containing products like clarifying compounds, abrasives and applicators.

To clean your headlights, give them a good wash and dry, then apply a thin layer of product to the headlights rubbing with firm pressure. Use a lint-free cloth, or microfiber if you have it to wipe off. For severely faded, you may have to repeat the process for better results.

In Conclusion:

When choosing to do it yourself with the help of the best headlight restoration products you will save time. I have used both products and have gotten clear results every time. I prefer the headlight restoration kit by Meguiars because you don’t need to buy additional products like applicators or use a drill to speed up the process or get better results. With a little more money than a single product, you have everything you need to do a good job.