Polishing mat / blind headlights - how it works!

• Polish headlight made of plastic
  • Operating the polishing machine
• Headlight made of glass
• Important tips and hints
• Quick guide

Milky spotlights not only look ugly, they also affect safety. If the lighting effect has become extremely bad, then the vehicle may no longer be out on the road and at the TÜV investigation difficulties arise. You should therefore read how to easily polish the dull headlights again.

Blind headlights are created for a variety of reasons and occur mainly in older cars. But even newer vehicles may be affected by this problem. However, if the wrong polish is used, then there will be damage to the cover, which requires replacement. In our guide you will find out how best to proceed and which products are suitable. It is important to distinguish between glass covers and headlamps with a plastic cover. The procedure differs so that we provide different instructions for you.

Polish headlight made of plastic

Required materials and tools:

• soft car sponge
• car shampoo
• water
• bucket
• fine sandpaper (1, 500 to 3, 000 grit)
• Polishing / toothpaste
• microfiber cloth
• Tape for masking the edges
• Water hose and connection
• Plastic Primer

Step 1: Pre-inspection and cleaning

Road debris, mosquitoes, rain debris and many other particles stick to the headlamps and can interfere with visibility. In order to assess the extent to which damage to the headlamps is present, you must therefore first perform a cleaning. This is also important in terms of polishing because dirt must not be rubbed over the headlights.

• Use a soft sponge, car shampoo and warm water. Make sure that you never wipe dry over the potholders, but always work with enough liquid. This will prevent damage.
• Then let the headlights dry well.
• Check the headlights for scratches and damage. Milky discoloration and small scratches can be removed by polishing in most cases. However, if it is cracked covers or heavily scratched headlights, then an exchange is necessary.

Step 2: Glue the edges

To prevent damage to the paint, you must first tap the edges. Otherwise, when polishing, you may accidentally touch and damage the paint.

Step 3: The grinding

Use very fine sandpaper. You should choose a grain size between 1, 500 and 3, 000. Moisten the paper and then gently pull it over the headlight cover.

Tip: Work without much pressure and gently rub across the surface. Within the span of 1, 500 and 3, 000, you can start with a coarser sandpaper and then choose a finer version.

Step 4: Clean the surface

Rinse residues from grinding with water. Use enough water so that the grains will not scratch.

Tip: A garden hose is very well suited to rinse off the residues fast, uncomplicated and effective.

Step 5: The polishing

Now you have to polish the headlights. Use a special polish, for example an aluminum polish. But toothpaste can also be used.

• Apply the polish with a microfiber cloth.
• Polish in circular motions.
• First concentrate on a smaller area and work your way slowly.
• Give yourself plenty of time as polishing requires patience.

Step 6: Seal headlamps

In the car accessory trade plastic bonding agents are offered. These are suitable for protecting the headlights.

Step 7: Final check

In the dark place the vehicle in front of a smooth and white house wall. Turn on the headlights and check the lighting effect. The luminosity should be high and the transparency must be given.

Polish by hand or use a polishing machine ">

When polishing, you have the choice between manual work and the use of a polishing machine. The advantage of the technical support lies in the particularly uniform result. The polish is easy to apply and the result improves. The disadvantage is the increased effort. If you want to be in possession of a polishing machine and invest the necessary time, it is worth using the device. However, you will need to remove the headlamp cover.

Tip: To avoid damage to the material when removing the cover, you must know the specifics of each vehicle. Be careful not to damage any brackets.

Operating the polishing machine

When working with the polishing machine, proceed as follows:

Required materials:

• Hot water, soft sponge, car shampoo, bucket
• polisher
• Plastic polish

Manual:

Step 1: Remove the headlights and clean them thoroughly.
Step 2: Apply the plastic polish to the surface.
3rd step: Set the polishing machine to a low speed.
Step 4: Apply little pressure while polishing.
5th step: polish for about 1 minute, now the glass should have become clear again.

Headlight made of glass

Especially with older vehicles, the covers are often made of glass. Polishing is also possible in this case, but more complex and associated with a higher risk in terms of damage.

Method 1: For light scratches in the glass, do the following:

• Thoroughly clean the headlights with warm water, a soft car sponge and car shampoo.
• Let the headlights dry well afterwards.
• Apply toothpaste with a soft cloth. Then rub in uniform circular motion over the glass.
• Then wipe off excess toothpaste from the glass and check the result.

Method 2: Try out an ammonia solution

• Mix 0.75 liters of water with approximately 15 milliliters of ammonia.
• Moisten a cleaning cloth with the solution.
• Rub in circular strokes over the glass, more precisely over every single scratch.
• Wipe the surface clean and check the result.

Method 3: The procedure for larger scratches

• Choose a product that is suitable for removing scratches in glass.

Tip: Corresponding funds are offered in hardware stores and often also in furniture stores. Ask for a special kit and describe the glass and scratches precisely as different products are available.

• Follow the instructions in the instructions. Often the kit includes a grinding wheel, which you can attach to the drill. In this case, set the drill to the lowest level. Grind until an improvement is visible or it can be seen that the procedure is not effective.

Method 4: Baking soda

• Mix water with baking soda. There must be a soft paste. The consistency should be similar to a pudding and liquid as well as loose. Stir the paste with a spoon and make sure that the formation of lumps is prevented.

Tip: The mixture must not be too dry, otherwise scratches may occur during use.

• Apply the paste and rub gently and circularly over the glass.
• Then clean the cover with a soft, clean cloth and water.

Important tips and hints

Typical mistakes when polishing the car headlights

1. If the headlamps are treated with a conventional car polish, then the material will be damaged. Therefore, you must use special products.

2. The headlights are not cleaned before polishing. In this case, you would rub the dirt particles over the glass during polishing and thus produce small or larger scratches. Even the finest dust particles lead to damage that may not be visible at first glance. Due to the incoming light, however, there is a scattering and thus a poor lighting effect, which can be a danger.

How do I notice matte or blind headlights "> Quick guide

• First, clean the headlight
• Car shampoo, warm water, soft car sponge
• let dry

Plastic:

• fine sandpaper: 1, 500 to 3, 000 grit
• Use toothpaste or special polish
• Apply with microfiber cloth
• circular movements
• Seal headlamps
• final control

Glass:

• buy special kit
• Follow instructions