Has anyone here tried this?

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

"Have you got some foggy headlights? Dropping by the auto store
could be a pain especially when you're in a rush. Maybe you
have something in your bathroom you can use. It's toothpaste!
It works well on teeth because it has mild abrasives that can
clean enamel. Your headlight will be clear again, just don't
mind a bit of toothpaste and elbow grease.

--- OpenXP 5.0.51
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

On 01 May 2022, Ogg said the following...

Has anyone here tried this?

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

I've used toothpaste in various restorations (furniture, musical instrument) but the headlights I've done required more abrasive than toothpaste offers.

So I used an auto parts store kit with a couple grits in it.

--- Steve K9ZW via SPOT BBS

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/02/11 (Linux/64)
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Hello k9zw!

** On Monday 02.05.22 - 07:54, k9zw wrote to Ogg:

Has anyone here tried this?

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

I've used toothpaste in various restorations (furniture,
musical instrument) but the headlights I've done required
more abrasive than toothpaste offers.

My results with just toothpaste:

[1] In this shot, only the headlight on your right was treated:

https://susepaste.org/49242459


[2] Another shot, next day under a more even lighting:

https://susepaste.org/15171023


[3] A composite including closeups with the job completed on
both:

https://susepaste.org/42428314

I'd say that the results are pretty good, on a 15yr old
vehicle!

So I used an auto parts store kit with a couple grits in it.

I picked up a kit for the task too. The instructions begin by
wet-sanding using the pads that they provide. (Akin to the what
the toothpaste accomplishes). Then the final step is to apply
some kind of chemical wipe. I'll do the kit method later. For
now, the current results with the toothpaste sanding seems
dramatic enough.


--- OpenXP 5.0.51
* Origin: fsxnet/2 (21:3/110.10)

Ogg wrote to k9zw <=-

Hello k9zw!

** On Monday 02.05.22 - 07:54, k9zw wrote to Ogg:

Has anyone here tried this?

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

I've used toothpaste in various restorations (furniture,
musical instrument) but the headlights I've done required
more abrasive than toothpaste offers.

My results with just toothpaste:

[1] In this shot, only the headlight on your right was treated:

https://susepaste.org/49242459

[2] Another shot, next day under a more even lighting:

https://susepaste.org/15171023

[3] A composite including closeups with the job completed on
both:

https://susepaste.org/42428314

I'd say that the results are pretty good, on a 15yr old
vehicle!

Certainly quite impressive.

What did you use to apply/rub the toothpaste in with? Just something
like a damp cotton towel/rag? Or something else?

Also, how much time did you spend on each headlight, roughly?

Thanks for info!



... How do they get Teflon to stick to the pans?
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Hello Gamgee!

** On Monday 09.05.22 - 21:46, Gamgee wrote to Ogg:

I'd say that the results are pretty good, on a 15yr old
vehicle!

Certainly quite impressive.

What did you use to apply/rub the toothpaste in with? Just something
like a damp cotton towel/rag? Or something else?

I just used a damp blue shop towel since they don't break apart
when wet and that I can just throw away when done.

Also, how much time did you spend on each headlight, roughly?
Thanks for info!

Barely 2 minutes per headlight. Day 1, I just did the one on
the right to compare with the untreated one. Day 2, I did one
quick clean on the new one, on the left. Then when that was
still pastey, I did a 2nd final treatment on the first
headlight. Then, I did a 2nd final treatment on the left one.

Total time: 4 minutes.


--- OpenXP 5.0.51
* Origin: Ogg's WestCoast Point (21:4/106.21)

Ogg wrote to Gamgee <=-

I'd say that the results are pretty good, on a 15yr old
vehicle!

Certainly quite impressive.

What did you use to apply/rub the toothpaste in with? Just something
like a damp cotton towel/rag? Or something else?

I just used a damp blue shop towel since they don't break apart
when wet and that I can just throw away when done.

Nice.

Also, how much time did you spend on each headlight, roughly?

Barely 2 minutes per headlight. Day 1, I just did the one on
the right to compare with the untreated one. Day 2, I did one
quick clean on the new one, on the left. Then when that was
still pastey, I did a 2nd final treatment on the first
headlight. Then, I did a 2nd final treatment on the left one.

Total time: 4 minutes.

Wow! Quicker than I would have guessed. Thanks for the info!


... A day without sunshine is like night.
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
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My results with just toothpaste:

What brand of toothpaste?

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Hello phigan!

** On Saturday 14.05.22 - 07:14, phigan wrote to Ogg:

My results with just toothpaste:

What brand of toothpaste?

https://susepaste.org/32904438

Maybe even a baking soda paste would have been enough.


--- OpenXP 5.0.51
* Origin: fsxnet/2 (21:3/110.10)

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

Toothpaste is too mild an abrasive for most "foggy" headlights.

I use a kit from autoparts store and follow the instructions and sand them down and work up through the grits. Make sure you spend plenty of time on each grit after you get the bulk yuck off them so that you sand out each previous grit's sratches and replace them with the ones from the new grit.

It's easy to think you have done it "enough," so take probably DOUBLE the amount of time you think it should take, and clean and examine the headlight carefully after each grit to make sure you have done a good job.

I like the kits that use your drill -- you will wear your hands out quickly using manual methods which will likely result in you not sanding a given grit long enough. Things to note about the drill-based kits:

1) Keep the headlight damp: have a spray bottle with water handy
2) Don't press hard. Apply gentle pressure and let the drill do the work.
3) Put the drill on its lowest gear (if you have that option)
4) Don't run the drill at full speed. Take your time.

As a final step after using all the grits, I use some PlastX plastic polish as a final step with a buffing pad. Keep the light MOIST!

Then, I use a UV-resistant clearcoat paint on them. This is a critical step: it will fill in any fine scratches on the light, and also protect the light from UV for longer than a regular clearcoat or just applying wax to them.

I have had trouble in the past finding the UV protective clearcoat at local parts stores. We found it on Amazon, it's Krylon K01305.

As always when applying paint, light coats. Don't get crazy. It also may be easier to apply the paint with the headlight assembly removed, but if that is too much of a PITA for your car, just mask it off carefully.

I've done LOTS of headlights using this method and it works well. You will never get the same amount of time out of the redo as when they were brand new, but you can come back and do it again in a couple years if needed.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Ratrace Losers (21:3/166)

On 27 May 2022, 2twisty said the following...

"Toothpaste On Dirty Headlights

I use a kit from autoparts store and follow the instructions and sand
them down and work up through the grits. Make sure you spend plenty of time on each grit after you get the bulk yuck off them so that you sand out each previous grit's sratches and replace them with the ones from
the new grit.

I found a youtube video a few years ago that uses "Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish" to clean up the fog. I've got a 2006 Honda Civic who's headlights were almost useless before trying this. I mask off the area around the light, apply a generous amount of polish and use a buffer wheel to start. Then some 600 grit with water to clean it up. After rinsing with water, make sure there's nothing obvious that I missed. Last step is UV spray from a McGuires(?) kit to protect. I get around 2 years before it needs to be done again.

It's easy to think you have done it "enough," so take probably DOUBLE the amount of time you think it should take, and clean and examine the headlight carefully after each grit to make sure you have done a good
job.

I like the kits that use your drill -- you will wear your hands out quickly using manual methods which will likely result in you not sanding
a given grit long enough. Things to note about the drill-based kits:

1) Keep the headlight damp: have a spray bottle with water handy
2) Don't press hard. Apply gentle pressure and let the drill do the work. 3) Put the drill on its lowest gear (if you have that option)
4) Don't run the drill at full speed. Take your time.

As a final step after using all the grits, I use some PlastX plastic polish as a final step with a buffing pad. Keep the light MOIST!

Then, I use a UV-resistant clearcoat paint on them. This is a critical step: it will fill in any fine scratches on the light, and also protect the light from UV for longer than a regular clearcoat or just applying
wax to them.

I have had trouble in the past finding the UV protective clearcoat at local parts stores. We found it on Amazon, it's Krylon K01305.

I'm going to look into the Krylon product!

As always when applying paint, light coats. Don't get crazy. It also
may be easier to apply the paint with the headlight assembly removed,
but if that is too much of a PITA for your car, just mask it off carefully.

Good advice.

I've done LOTS of headlights using this method and it works well. You will never get the same amount of time out of the redo as when they were brand new, but you can come back and do it again in a couple years if needed.

Has the "fogging" been fixed? If so, what year do they start showing up?

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* Origin: Altair IV BBS (21:2/147)

Has the "fogging" been fixed? If so, what year do they start showing up?

I doubt it. UV light is pretty brutal stuff and tends to degrade plastic over time. The UV resistance of headlight plastic has gotten MUCH better over the years, but I wouldn't call headlights "UV-Proof" by any stretch.

The newest vehicle I can recall doing a headlight restore on was a 2017 F550, about a year ago. That's about the amount of time that it takes for OEM new headlights to get foggy enough to need restoration.

I'm sure that the plastics engineers are continuing to improve UV resistance.... I only wish we could mold glass the same way we mold plastics. My glass headlights never needed this kind of treatment.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/24 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Ratrace Losers (21:3/166)

...

I doubt it. UV light is pretty brutal stuff and tends to degrade
plastic over time. The UV resistance of headlight plastic has gotten
MUCH better over the years, but I wouldn't call headlights "UV-Proof" by any stretch.

I understand the "UV-Proof" statement. I worked in the coatings industry
for much of my career. We would send samples to a lab in Florida for sun exposure testing. Some of the tests didn't make it a year. FYI, red is the
worst for UV exposure. The pigment doesn't like it. It fades and turns to pink!

I'm sure that the plastics engineers are continuing to improve UV resistance.... I only wish we could mold glass the same way we mold plastics. My glass headlights never needed this kind of treatment.

Amen to that!

Scott

... Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film.

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