Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
-
- Member
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:24 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
At the request of other fellow forum members I have created a How To guide to help those who had similar issues as me with their head lights being fogged up. I thought Id try it as a last resort before going out and spending some cash on new lights.
Anyway, this is how I did mine:
Equipment:
3M ultrafine wet/dry sand paper
Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction Compound
Meguiars DA Microfiber Cutting Pad
FinishKare 2685-Wax
Megs DA polisher
Lots of soapy water (I used a spray bottle to apply) - made up with zymol on this occasion
3M blue tape
1: 1st I washed the headlights with lots of soapy water and the wiped clean.
2: I then taped the surrounding area with the 3M tape to make sure if I did slip with the sandpaper it would not affect the panel
3: I the used the spray bottle to spray the headlights with soapy water before lightly sanding the headlights. It important here to make sure the suface is kept very wet at all times. Continue to spray the lights and continue sanding until your happy you have sanded the complete light surface.
4: Once happy, wash the headlight again as there will be a large amount of residue- now dry with a microfibre towel (at this point you will think god what have I done-as the light will look worse than ever).
5: Now I used the megs DA with the microfibre pad and the polishing compound but you could use any medium grade polish here, its just what I used when I first got the car. Apply the polish to the pad and go for it- Just keep going over the headlight until you notice the hazy apperance begins to fade will take approx 5-10 mins max.
6: When happy wash the headlight again and wipe with the towel- if it looks good (which it should) then just add a coat of your favorite wax. If not repeat step 5.
Heres my results:
Before-
After-
Appologies if the guide is a bit rough and ready but its my first one.
Hope it helps someone.
Anyway, this is how I did mine:
Equipment:
3M ultrafine wet/dry sand paper
Meguiars DA Microfiber Correction Compound
Meguiars DA Microfiber Cutting Pad
FinishKare 2685-Wax
Megs DA polisher
Lots of soapy water (I used a spray bottle to apply) - made up with zymol on this occasion
3M blue tape
1: 1st I washed the headlights with lots of soapy water and the wiped clean.
2: I then taped the surrounding area with the 3M tape to make sure if I did slip with the sandpaper it would not affect the panel
3: I the used the spray bottle to spray the headlights with soapy water before lightly sanding the headlights. It important here to make sure the suface is kept very wet at all times. Continue to spray the lights and continue sanding until your happy you have sanded the complete light surface.
4: Once happy, wash the headlight again as there will be a large amount of residue- now dry with a microfibre towel (at this point you will think god what have I done-as the light will look worse than ever).
5: Now I used the megs DA with the microfibre pad and the polishing compound but you could use any medium grade polish here, its just what I used when I first got the car. Apply the polish to the pad and go for it- Just keep going over the headlight until you notice the hazy apperance begins to fade will take approx 5-10 mins max.
6: When happy wash the headlight again and wipe with the towel- if it looks good (which it should) then just add a coat of your favorite wax. If not repeat step 5.
Heres my results:
Before-
After-
Appologies if the guide is a bit rough and ready but its my first one.
Hope it helps someone.
- andysat
- Lifer
- Posts: 16731
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
I could do with doing something to mine but tbh i dont fancy rubbing them with sandpaper
Gone but not forgotten.
New ride silver e93.
-
- Member
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:24 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Honestly its not as scary as it sounds... especially with the fine grade wet/dry sand papers. The key is to follow with the polish compound.andysat wrote:I could do with doing something to mine but tbh i dont fancy rubbing them with sandpaper
- andysat
- Lifer
- Posts: 16731
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Thanks-could this be done by hand?
Gone but not forgotten.
New ride silver e93.
-
- Member
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:24 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
No reason why not- would just take a little longer thats all.andysat wrote:Thanks-could this be done by hand?
- andysat
- Lifer
- Posts: 16731
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Thanks -i may give it a go in the future
Gone but not forgotten.
New ride silver e93.
- paddy wright
- Lifer
- Posts: 7676
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:00 pm
- Location: south yorkshire
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
tooth paste works well by hand, takes a long time then suddenly comes good!
Z4 2.2 sterling grey,Msport seats,retrofit cupholders,cruise,footwell lights,sound gen and mfsw,18"ellipsoids,xenons+light washers,ZHPknob,folding mirrors,3"stubby,update wheel caps,gateway300 ipod, wind deflector to keep the wife happy!
-
- Member
- Posts: 81
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:24 pm
- Location: Huddersfield
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
And makes the lights smell minty freshpaddy wright wrote:tooth paste works well by hand, takes a long time then suddenly comes good!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:40 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Think i might give this a go at the weekend, are my headlights actually suitable to try this?
- deka
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2020
- Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:59 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
brill result
what grade of paper did you use
what grade of paper did you use
E89 2.5I Blue rubbish wheels
Gone But not forgotton. Z4 06 roadster 2.5 Midnight blue Hardtop black heated leather, stubby, phone kit, 108's PDC. ZHP
Gone But not forgotton. Z4 06 roadster 2.5 Midnight blue Hardtop black heated leather, stubby, phone kit, 108's PDC. ZHP
- boblez
- Member
- Posts: 196
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2011 6:42 pm
- Location: Formby
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Did mine on Monday, perfectly clear now and didnt use sandpaper! I used this instead:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autosol-Solvo ... 43ab7427c0
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autosol-Solvo ... 43ab7427c0
108's, stubby, Aux input done!, Windscreen wipers fixed! Retro Fit Cruise Control, Hardtop, Heated memory seats, Rear park sensors, Gaptech roof module!
-
- Member
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:14 am
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
What grade of wet/dry was used? Will any polish do a good job?
Looks awesome, one of mine is in desperate need of doing.
Looks awesome, one of mine is in desperate need of doing.
E85 3.0l i Roadster - Titan Silver
- andysat
- Lifer
- Posts: 16731
- Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:52 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
Was it just a case of wipe on, rub in, wipe off?boblez wrote:Did mine on Monday, perfectly clear now and didnt use sandpaper! I used this instead:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autosol-Solvo ... 43ab7427c0
Gone but not forgotten.
New ride silver e93.
-
- Member
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:21 pm
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
As i have just done my headlights i thought i would add to this
with pics and what i used to do it with,
Easy to follow instructions in kit and don't worry about rubbing the life out
of the lights like i did they don't scratch like i thought they would ( see pic )
before
after
kit from Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turtlewax-hea ... _500wt_842
with pics and what i used to do it with,
Easy to follow instructions in kit and don't worry about rubbing the life out
of the lights like i did they don't scratch like i thought they would ( see pic )
before
after
kit from Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turtlewax-hea ... _500wt_842
2.0 sport Phoenix yellow
-
- Member
- Posts: 200
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2013 9:31 am
Re: How To : Refresh cloudy/fogged headlights
All posts suggest the lights are fogged on the outside. Is there no possibility that this is from the inside? The reason I am asking is because i don't want to buy all these equipment to find out the problem was on the inside and all efforts have gone to waste.