I've used the toothpaste method... it worked fine.

The Meguire's kit requires a little less elbow grease.

 

 

If they aren't bad, this should work. I used it on my headlights and tail lights and it came out great.

My headlights were REALLY cloudy when I bought the car and I tried a lot of things (I've restored lights before) and these would not polish out no matter what - so I replaced them I polished the new set as well as I could and lamin-Xed them.

 

You need to remove material to clean them. Any of the headlight kits will do this. A DIY wetsand / polish "kit" will also do this too... as will toothpaste, since it has abrasives in it.

The issue is that you also remove the UV protection, and now they will yellow / cloud MUCH faster than they originally did. You either start cleaning them more often or you put a sealant on that protects against UV (automotive clearcoat) so you can extend the time between cleanings.

Basically take the headlight body out and go to town with your wetsand / polish kit, then spray them with a clearcoat for UV protection.

 

Lol lets take a step back and analyze. WHY does toothpaste seem to work? Who can answer that question? You'll get a cookie.


Another follow up question... WHY would you ever use toothpaste on your car?

 

I know jack ish about detailing, but I will bite...First part, I am guessing because toothpaste has some abrasive properties to it (whether chemical or physical)? It is made to clean enamel afterall, which is a pretty tough/hard material.

Second question, you probably shouldn't, but you do 'cause you are a broke @rse/cheap skate?

 

I use CV headlight restorer. I is by hand not drill so it take a little more time and elbow grease... but it has a lifetime warranty so if it clouds again (and it will eventually) they send you another kit.

If you really wanted to be pro-active, you can put lamin-x over your freshly cleared lenses. That way the lamin-x takes the brunt of the weathering. Then rather than sanding/clearing them each time, you just replace the lamin-x.


And yes toothpaste works because it has micro abrasives in it. You can use toothpaste to remove LIGHT TO MEDIUM scratches on CD/DVD's...

Second question - Because you are on a deserted island with only your car and toothpaste and you need to clear your lenses to signal passing ships or airplanes.

 

Toothpaste has small pieces of limestone in it, which is an abrasive. So I guess it would be just like wet sanding it. I don't know if the actualy "paste" part would do any good..

 

The force is strong with this Russian. You get a radioactive cookie!

I like that answer, cookie for you also!


Now initially I had forgot to mention the use of clear protective films to maximize the period of clarity on your lens. Not only will this help with clarity, it will also help with rock chips and road debris pitting. In the long run, this is a very good alternative. I have glass headlights, so I use protective film myself ( to stop from cracking the lens, not yellowing).

Over the years, people have been trying out professional products used for other purposes as an alternative to headlight restoration and protection. One of those was a semi-permanent clear coat protector called Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 (used for paint finishes). On true wear tests though, the results did not exceed 6 months of regular driving. Optimum had gain word that their products had been used and figured this would be another good market for them to investigate and research on. They are currently working on a new clear formula called Opti-Lens with a lot more UV inhibitors in the formula, making it more ideal for headlight sealant and protection purposes. Now a 20cc syringe of Opti-coat 2.0 is around 70 dollars, so I am not sure how much exactly the Opti-Lens formula will be priced.


All in all, there are plenty of dedicated and formulated products out there for automotive purposes. With the right procedures and techniques, you might not have to spend an arm an a leg ( and it might not be that much more expensive than just an extra large tube of tooth paste). I for one would never use toothpaste or any other cheap house hold alternatives...... I mean why would I need to. The correct procedures go a long way.

 

How much would a body shop charge to "re-clear" the headlights? Would that last longer and cost less $$?

 

Depends on the body shop. Depends on what they have to do in terms of labor. Depends on what their rate is. Depends on the type of clear you use. Depends if you bring in your car or just your headlights. Depends if you have already prepped and sanded down your headlights or you will be requesting that they do the prep work. It can be anywhere from 60-150, which is only a guesstimate since each body shop works at their own rate depending on their experience and qualifications. When I do headlight restorations, I do a hand applied clear.

 

I had the dealer have my lenses polished when I bought the car because they were cloudy when I bought it. That lasted about a day and they were hazy again AND they didn't mask the paint around them when they did it and marred the paint.

Toothpaste is a fine polish (duh) but it wasn't meant for your car. Will it work? Sure, but I don't eat soup with a knife. Like Pho said, do it right.

Because his example is a Civic?

 

So who wants to do my headlights for me? My elbows are low on grease