J & M Auto Body

Six Steps to Restoring Your Headlights

After a while, your headlights will start to fade and the main reason for this is the discoloration of the glass surrounding the bulbs. So, all of us here at J & M Auto Body are happy to tell you exactly what we will need to bring back the overall clarity of your car's headlights. In San Diego, CA, we run into bad weather from time to time, so here is how you can restore your headlights yourself:

 1. Tape All of Your Headlights Using Painter's Tape

Before you commence with your headlight restoration, carefully tape your headlights off with painter's tape so that no sandpaper scratches will end up on your car and ruin the paint.

2. Now It's Time for the Water and Sandpaper

Take a spray bottle with clean water and directly apply  it to the headlight and then get the sandpaper working on the lens. Start out with 400-grit sandpaper with circular motions and then continue on in horizontal lines. The water will help stop the scratches from going too deep and the horizontal lines will help to keep the clear coat in place when you apply it during the final stage. Do all of the same steps with both 600- and 2000-grit sandpaper as well and you'll be ready to proceed to step #3.

3. Wipe It All Completely Down with Rubbing Alcohol

Make certain to use a completely lint-free paper towel when you start applying the rubbing alcohol. This will enable you to keep any residue off of the headlight, but make sure that you apply it thoroughly for optimum results.

4. Tent It with a Trash Bag for Protection

Cover all of the vehicle's areas with trash bags to make sure that the clear coat doesn't go all over the car. Cut holes out or the lights and reapply the painter's tape to keep the bags from shifting around. Then give the headlight one final wipe with rubbing alcohol and leave them to sit for roughly 5 minutes to dry afterward.

5. Apply the Clear Coat

Read the instructions on the side of the can of clear coat before you begin. To keep it from dripping, put the coat on in thin, even sprays. You'll want to apply three coats in total, and leave about five minutes in between each coat so that they can completely dry.

6. Now Wax It

Wait a day or two for the headlight to dry 100% and then you can finish off the restoration by applying a coat of car wax for some additional shine and clarity.

Sources: DIY, Yahoo and Ask.com