cleaning plastic headlights - use simichrome?

[bmwjohn]

I bought some German Simichrome polish from Amazon for about $11 delivered - small tube. Used it to polish Mazda cylinder head. On a whim I put a small amount on paper wipe all and rapidly cleaned a patch of 1996 Mazda 626 plastic headlight. Late afternoon and overcast so I'm not sure of result or longevity but initial impression using finger and paper towel seems very good. No buffer or power drill. Anyone else tried this?

 

[Corvette Owner]

Almost any abrasive will clean plastic. But to keep it clean you need to have UVA/UVB protection.

 

[Vikas]

Which other metal polishes have you tried apart from Simichrome? I am trying to find which is the best stainless steel polish. Mothers is pretty good but it still has not made the iTouch back flawless.

- Vikas

 

[friendly_jacek]

Today I was going to use 3M headlights cleaning kit. First step calls for cleaning them with water+soap. I used 91% rubbing alcohol instead to save time on drying and to my amazement, 70% of yellow discoloration washed away with alcohol. I aborted the 3M kit.
Even if it doesn't last, it's cheap and easy.

 

[jcwit]

I tried the alcohol trick, seemed to melt the surface of the lens, Luckyly I was able to rub that out with Meguiar"s PlastX.

Really, really lucked out, it was the wifes car!

Be careful with the alcohol trick.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
I tried the alcohol trick, seemed to melt the surface of the lens, Luckyly I was able to rub that out with Meguiar"s PlastX.

Really, really lucked out, it was the wifes car!

Be careful with the alcohol trick.


I'm not sure what you mean by melting. Alcohol is not such a potent solvent and comes in plastic bottles. The initial rubbing did produce some cloudiness, that disappeared by more rubbing with alcohol and a clean rug. It's possible that I removed the yellowed UV protection layer, but mechanical buffing would do it anyhow.

Notice this link recommending rubbing alcohol in one of the initial steps of the last method (lasting clean method):
http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Headlights

One more thing, according to wiki, polycarbonate has good resistance to alcohols.

 

[sciphi]

Those headlight lenses better have resistance to alcohol, considering folks wipe down their headlights with alcohol-based windshield washer fluid all winter long up here.

Plast-X will work nicely, but needs additional protection to last longer than a couple weeks. Plain-Jane Turtle Wax seems to work nicely over top of Plast-X.

 

[jcwit]

Well I was using paper towels with the alcohol and the paper towels ended up glued to the lens, sorry, but thats what happened.

Think it might have been the high concentration? 91% versus the much smaller concentration of windshield washer fluid?

Only reporting what happened to me.

Regarding the plastic bottle the alcohol came in, gosh people, battery acid comes in plastic containers but I doubt it would clean my headlight lenses well.

There are many types of plastic for many different uses.

 

[sciphi]

It might have been the concentration. The Xpel film for our Honda's headlights recommends using a dilute solution of rubbing alcohol for installation. I feel they wouldn't recommend that if it damaged the headlights.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

I used Colgate whitening toothpaste on a small buffer wheel for a friend's '87 Cougar. It worked ok.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
Almost any abrasive will clean plastic. But to keep it clean you need to have UVA/UVB protection.



What is good to use for UVA/UVB protection? Banana Boat, Coppertone??? JK.
Really, what keeps the lens clean afterwards?

 

[urchin]

I remember seeing somewhere that there is a clear spray paint for plastic that have the UVA/UVB blocking components in it, but I don't remember what it is called or where you can get it.

Anyone? It is specifically designed for applying to plastic headlamps.

 

[ms21043]

I have a micromesh kit left over from my general aviation days. I use it with a little elbow grease and finish with plexus plastic polish. Headlights look new again..

 

[Rick in PA]

I'd be reeeely careful with solvents and plastics. Yes rubbing alcohol and other solvents come in "plastic" bottles... polyethylene plastic bottles. Headlights are usually polycarbonate, taillights and marker lights acrylic (at least to the best of my knowledge). I've seen solvents do some wicked things to both of those plastics.