Difference between a Headlight Restore and a Headlight Cleaning

Headlight restoration is the process of refinishing the lens surface. A true quality restore requires the original clear coat to be fully removed as the starting point. After the OEM clear coat is removed it needs to be resurfaced. This process is called prep work and takes the majority of the time. It restores their clarity and refocuses the light into a beam as designed. The process involves several stages using sandpaper and buffing to smooth the lens and eliminate surface imperfections. Next it is polished. Finally a UV blocking clear coat is applied.

Headlight cleaning or polishing (often misrepresented as a headlight restore) uses a cleaner to remove the yellow but usually leaves part of the bad original clear coat along with detreated material and applies a clear coat over it. This leaves a distorted surface that still defused the the light beam and will peal off. This process is a lot quicker and cheaper but results are often poor and short lived. Here are a few of the differences;

  • It does not remove all of the clear coat.
  • It does not remove all the surface imperfections such as scratches, chips, or surface corrosion. It not as clear or stay clear as long due to not fully prepping by removing the bad layer. using a cheap clear coat, or non at all. They might last as long as a couple weeks while a restores last years and or with occasional waxing, last the life of the vehicle.
  • They require regular maintenance multiple times a year/
  • They are do not fully restore the light beams focus but may appear to help slightly. I am doing an experiment to demonstrate the detreated lenses impact on a headlight’s beam. I will post the results on the website https://drivesafeheadlight.com
  • It removes the layer of material that has deteriorated making them “hazy” that commonly forms on the outside of lens, in the polycarbonate plastic of which they are made, after the factory protective UV clear coat has broken down.

Be aware there are other ways it can be done but are subpar, make it worse, or be a scam such as putting oil on them.

20241110 1035432 scaled

This is one example a failing clear coat. The hazy white lens dramatically impacts the light beam preventing it from properly light the road ahead. It impacts the vehicle’s appearance, is a safety hazard, and may become embarrassing.

This is what they look like after coarse sanding to remove the OEM clear coat. This is required to perform a proper restore. It is also what sets my work apart superior.

This is after clear coat was removed and before resurfacing the plastic.
20241110 163350 scaled

The results speak for themselves. “Like New” however some say better than new.

  1. Preparation: The first step in the restoration process is thoroughly cleaning the headlights. This removes dirt, debris, and contaminants that could interfere with the sanding process.
  2. Remove Damaged Layer:  Sanding begins with coarse-grit sandpaper to remove the outer layer of the lens that may have become yellow or white, hazy, or microcracked. This step eliminates the bulk of the deterioration and exposes a fresh surface underneath. At this point the surface is no longer clear because of the scratches from the coarse sandpaper. Then it gets sanded multiple times using progressively finer grits of sandpaper to smooth the surface, minimizing scratches and imperfections.
  3. Creating New Surface: Wet sanding is often employed during the process to keep both the sandpaper and the lens wet. This prevents the plastic from overheating and helps prevent the sandpaper from clogging. Wet sanding also reduces the appearance of sanding marks and ensures a smoother finish.
  4. Polishing: Once the lens has a near flawless surface, the next stage involves buffing. This is done using special plastic compounds and polishes along with a variety of pads and wheels. A buffer and the skills of the operator polish out any micro-scratches left by the sanding process. At this point the lens are crystal clear.
  5. UV Blocking Hard Coat: (not paint) The protectant layer is applied. This protective layer helps prevent future oxidation, UV damage, and discoloration, extending the life of the headlights.
  6.  Wax or Ceramic coating: It is recommended to keep the headlight waxed or ceramic coated.  The headlights should out last the life of the car if kept protected.

Whether your lenses are too damaged to restore, it depends on the extent of the deterioration. MOST headlights that have yellowing, haziness, or micro cracks CAN be restored through this process.  However, if the lenses have significant deep micro cracks, which is difficult to tell because of the haziness, they might not clean up like new but at minimum they would be 95%+ better than before for functionality and appearance.  Each light is unique and after pre inspecting them can give you my recommendations and if replacing them may be necessary.

Return to Home