Oppo, I has question!

"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform) 02/23/2016 at 02:09 • Filed to: None

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Does toothpaste actually restore headlights? I’ve been hearing about that for years but never actually believed it for some reason.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:26

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It does. There was a mighty car mods video about it where they tested out common myths for restoring headlights. It works but not that well.

You’re better off going to Target or O’reilly’s to get some cutting compound and using some elbow grease if you don’t have a DA.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:29

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It works, but you can get a restoring kit for about 20€ that will work way better.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:30

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Tried it, didn’t work.

Birddog > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:33

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Never tried it. Toothpaste is that one thing I always forget to buy. It’d make me pretty mad if I ran out because I blurred my headlights with it and left my toothbrush in the garage.

Now OFF!™ I have tried and.. That didn’t go too well really. Little white fuzzies stuck in the semi-melted plastic and all.

MultiplaOrgasms > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:43

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TheHondaBro > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 02/23/2016 at 02:47

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I’ll probably just do that.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 02:51

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Keep in mind the cutting compound will make them look like new if you apply enough elbow grease but you will ultimately need to seal them with a UV protective coating. If you don’t they’ll just oxidize and turn hazy again over time.

facw > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 02/23/2016 at 04:20

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This is the important thing. Regardless of what you use to polish the lens, if you don’t put on a sealant, it will just cloud up again.

Leon711 > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 04:55

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Yeah cutting compound and elbow grease, plus a sealer. I did mine mine for about $8 with plenty left over.

That's gonna leave a mark! > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 02/23/2016 at 05:27

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I did that. Bought a kit with 2 grades of sandpaper. I used the sandpaper by hand but used an electric buffer and compound to finish. It was still a LOT of work. Can’t imagine how long it would take with toothpaste -as it has a much finer grit. The grit is special silica ( man made sand basically) though made to a very tight grit specification. When brushing, grind your teeth together before you spit and you can feel the grit. Anyway the kit came with a sealer which was definitely needed.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 05:57

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Headlight kits are like $20. Don't use toothpaste.

jariten1781 > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 06:31

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If you get toothpaste with an abrasive, yes. There are tons of better ways though. Look up what top plastic modelers do with airplane canopies if you want the absolute clearest possible.

Probenja > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 06:57

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I tried it and it worked although the headlights were worse than the image above, make sure you put on some wax after so it lasts for longer.

I used this video for reference:

The Ghost of Oppo > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 07:20

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Or spend $16 and get the resto kit with the drill attachment and it takes much less elbow grease

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 07:39

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I have used toothpaste by hand with a rag with great success. It works pretty well but doesn’t last nearly as long as a good compound with a DA of some sort. Now that I have used Meguiar's Plast-x with a DA attachment for my hand drill, it has lasted much longer. As a temporary/cheap solution, I definitely recommend toothpaste though!

Mustafaluigi > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 08:53

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Just buy the $30 3M kit from an auto parts store and be happy.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 09:12

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If I ever see you, I’ll give you my bottle. I have no clue why I’d ever need it, but it was among my huge random bucket of car cleaning supplies my girlfriend gave me for Christmas last year...

greenagain > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 02/23/2016 at 09:21

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Operator error. I’ve used it with success. The cheap white stuff is best, no gels.

AM3R shamefully returns > AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC 02/23/2016 at 09:41

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Can you recommend a good sealer for headlights?

gawdzillla > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 09:54

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for a quick and dirty job just use some bug spray

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 10:02

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I might do this when it warms up a bit outside on the Milan, they’re bad.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 10:11

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I believe I’m going to be using this kit when I get to it

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/sylvania-hea…

Milky > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 10:22

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I had sand paper, polish and clear coat laying around and did mine. so it cost me “nothing” and its lasted 2 years so far.

for Michigan > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 10:43

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I used 3M’s kit that hooks up to a power drill. Takes a lot of the effort out.

Disclaimer: Did this in April and the lights started glazing over again by September. I think that’s partially my fault for not being as thorough as I should’ve been. 3M also recommends re-sealing the lights every three months and I never did, so that may factor in, too.

MonkeePuzzle > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 10:58

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the headlight restoring paste at an auto shop will be far more effective. it’s pretty heavy on harsher chemicals, but worth it.

http://oppositelock.kinja.com/polished-the-w…

Rico > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 12:49

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Get the 3M kit with the different grit sandpaper sit works really well just continue to mist the water while you sand it. It looks worse before it looks better after the last step you'll see the dramatic difference.

AddictedToM3s - Drives a GC > AM3R shamefully returns 02/23/2016 at 13:27

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I honestly couldn’t give you a firm recommendation since I haven’t actually bought or used a stand alone sealant before. I usually go for the headlight restoration kits simply because they include sealant.

With that said, you should be okay with a UV pretectant coating. Key word is should as I’ve never tried. There have been cases where people have clear coated their plastic headlights and that seems to work. Although the cost of that might be counter-productive.

pjhusa > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 14:43

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It worked. And then they got dirty again in about two days.

Jayvincent > AM3R shamefully returns 02/23/2016 at 18:42

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any clear gloss UV protection rattle-can spray should work. I used Rustoleum because it was cheap and it said "works on plastics," your mileage may vary. (I take no credit for the idea, I read it six months ago on Oppo on a post I'm too lazy to re-find right now).

I tried to include a picture, but the Kinja gods rejected my offer.

jkm7680 > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 19:34

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Not really.

Tried it on a Subaru Outback. Didn’t work at all. The haze came right back.

TheHondaBro > jkm7680 02/23/2016 at 19:35

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That’s because it Cameback on the Outback.

jkm7680 > TheHondaBro 02/23/2016 at 19:37

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yes, sure