Cleaning headlights?

martyp

Hi all,
This is a frequent MOT failure on my car. I can clean them before as best I can but still fail and the mechanic has to use a process with a special drill polisher tool etc.
He suggested last time considering changing the actual headlamps themselves but that doesn't look like a cheap option.
Can anyone recommend anything I can try that does really work ahead of the next MOT?
I had some ad pop up for "OGAS" but unsure if that is just some gimmicky thing. I've heard people use toothpaste, toilet cleaner and all sorts of things.

Bigwheels1111

First things first.
How long are you keeping the car for.
How much does he charge to polish them each year.
How much are new headlights.
Simple maths question.

Keep 5 years 
Mechanic fee £100
Headlights £600.
Get them polished each year.

Headlights £400, get them replaced.

What is the make and model and year of your car.
One of the good folks on here may provide a link to a well priced set of lights.


This issue is on cars from 2002 ish to 2015 from what I’ve seen.
My 2016 5008 lights are plastic but remain clear as the day I purchased the car.
I was worried myself, but so far all is fine.

My friend got a kit to polish his headlights, cost around £30 from memory.
Worked well, came with a UV sealant that is applied after polishing.
That was 3 years ago and still are fine.

Mildly_Miffed

The headlamp "restoration" kits are just fine - if you have basic hand-eye co-ordination and a cordless drill, it'll take you about an hour to do both sides.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0078IHJ1K

The issue is that, starting around the 1990s, car manufacturers started to change from glass lenses to polycarbonate. That's got a few big advantages, but the lenses were covered with an anti-UV coating. Over time, that starts to yellow... in effect, the car has cataracts.

The kit is a light abrasive and polish - it takes the old coating off, and then polishes the lens back up again. You can get the UV coating as a spray, but I suspect the UK climate makes it redundant. I did a lens on a Panda, and when we sold the car two years later it was still just fine.

kimwp

I used t-cut on mine and it's been fine since (2-3 years?)

fatbelly

If you don't want to use an electric drill, there are kits that use use handheld abrasive papers.

I saw a review of a £8 Lidl kit that worked quite well a couple of weeks ago

https://youtu.be/HtojkRx4te4

Shylock_249

I've used Brasso  with soft corrugated cardboard and plenty of elbow grease. Wear gloves if you can because your hands will get quite black.  You could try baking  soda but its NOT as effective IMO. 

This Google search explains how to do it but doesn't suggest soft cardboard......

"clean my frosted headlights : brasso rub with soft cardboard or baking soda"

martyp

Bigwheels1111 said:

First things first.
How long are you keeping the car for.
How much does he charge to polish them each year.
How much are new headlights.
Simple maths question.

Keep 5 years 
Mechanic fee £100
Headlights £600.
Get them polished each year.

Headlights £400, get them replaced.

What is the make and model and year of your car.
One of the good folks on here may provide a link to a well priced set of lights.


This issue is on cars from 2002 ish to 2015 from what I’ve seen.
My 2016 5008 lights are plastic but remain clear as the day I purchased the car.
I was worried myself, but so far all is fine.

My friend got a kit to polish his headlights, cost around £30 from memory.
Worked well, came with a UV sealant that is applied after polishing.
That was 3 years ago and still are fine.

It's an old car, to me if a car works and is cheap to run I tend to stick with it and have had it for years and probably until me or the car can no longer go. It is over 20 years old, a Renault Clio mk2. I literally try and spend as little as I can just to keep it going really. He barely charges anything to be honest probably a small amount of the total MOT repairs which still work out a lot cheaper than a new car for a years motoring.

martyp

Mildly_Miffed said:

The headlamp "restoration" kits are just fine - if you have basic hand-eye co-ordination and a cordless drill, it'll take you about an hour to do both sides.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0078IHJ1K

The issue is that, starting around the 1990s, car manufacturers started to change from glass lenses to polycarbonate. That's got a few big advantages, but the lenses were covered with an anti-UV coating. Over time, that starts to yellow... in effect, the car has cataracts.

The kit is a light abrasive and polish - it takes the old coating off, and then polishes the lens back up again. You can get the UV coating as a spray, but I suspect the UK climate makes it redundant. I did a lens on a Panda, and when we sold the car two years later it was still just fine.

Thanks, interesting about the lens changes as my other car is from 1991 and seems to not suffer the same. Pretty sure that is glass lenses, it hasn't been used for about 10 years and the headlamps are in better condition.
Definitely agree with the cataracts.

Mildly_Miffed

martyp said:

It's an old car, to me if a car works and is cheap to run I tend to stick with it and have had it for years and probably until me or the car can no longer go. It is over 20 years old, a Renault Clio mk2. I literally try and spend as little as I can just to keep it going really.

That can be an expensive mistake in the long run, though. Spending a little more on maintenance reduces the amount spent on "repairs". Stitch in time, an' all that?

Spending twenty quid and an hour to make your car more visible to others, and to enable you to better see the road and other road users in front? Surely a no-brainer. Even before we consider the MOT angle...

Remember, passing an MOT is the bare minimum standard for a vehicle to be allowed on our roads, not a once-a-year highpoint...

martyp

I did see 3M get a good review, interesting to hear about Brasso and T-Cut successes. I did try the toothpaste route years ago but think I used the wrong type.
I just bought bar keepers friend which I've heard of being used but that's for kitchen cleaning and hadn't planned to use it for this.
Funnily enough I still have the cleaning attachment for the drill as the garage managed to leave it in my car. Still mean to return it.

Mildly_Miffed

martyp said:

Funnily enough I still have the cleaning attachment for the drill as the garage managed to leave it in my car. Still mean to return it.

The £20 kit I linked to contains everything you need bar the drill and a modicum of elbow grease.

It just works. Honestly, it's not worth trying to shortcut with a variety of bodges.