Cloudy headlights originate from plastic getting overexposed to UV light over time. The cloudiness starts at the surface and spreads deeper into the plastic. If you catch it earlier versus later you can fix the problem by polishing the exterior lens surface before too much damage spreads. The headlights I dealt with were so bad that it had already spread inwards but polishing them still helped a ton.
What do you need?
There are several headlight polishing systems on the market so whichever one you pick make sure you read the instructions for optimal results. I used the Wolfgang Plastic Headlight Lens Cleaning System but there are plenty of others to choose from. For that headlight polish system here’s what I needed:
- Blue painter’s tape
- Electric dual-action polisher
- Foam pads for polisher (included in the kit)
- Microfiber towel (included in the kit)
- Cleaner, glaze + sealant (included in the kit)
Ready to restore your headlights?
I completed one side at a time but you can do both in parallel if you prefer. It took me about 2 hours in total as I took my time and admired the phase changes. Here are the steps I took on a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc, starting with the passenger side headlight.
Using blue painter’s masking tape, I covered all the areas around the lens to protect the adjacent areas
Using the system’s cleaner on a pad attached to a dual-action polisher, I started to remove the haze at the lens surface. I went in different directions over the lens several times. When it started to dry I wiped it clean with the microfiber towel. I continued to repeat this step until I got it as clear as possible.
NOTE: I wound up using extra pads I had bought separately as foam pads will eventually break down with lots of use. This is especially true if your headlight has “bumps” on them which you’ll need to avoid else your pads will get torn up (for reference, those “bumps” are alignment dowels). Luckily these headlights don’t have them but when you get to edges + corners it gets risky.
Using the system’s glaze on a new pad, I worked it in until the glaze started to dry and buffed the residue with the microfiber towel:
Using the system’s sealant on a new pad, I worked it in and wiped it down with the microfiber towel.
Remove the masking tape and admire your work.
Polishing headlights that are too far gone can make a difference. It just won’t be as good as new, but it’ll be better than not doing anything at all and make it safer to drive at night. Replacing the headlight lenses with new ones would cost a LOT so this was worth doing (at least for now).
