How to Restore a Milky Plastic Lens

Car headlights use a plastic lens in order to focus headlight beams. The plastic of the lens can become cloudy and develop a milky color, making the beam dim and ineffective. Restoring a plastic lens to its normal transparent state will save you the cost of having a replacement lens put in by a service shop. The procedure for restoring the lens to its normal clear state will not damage the lens.

Instructions

1

Fill a bucket with tap water at room temperature. Apply a few drops of dishwashing liquid to the water.

2

Fill a spray bottle with tap water at room temperature.

3

Soak the 600-grit sandpaper, the 800-grit sandpaper, the1,000-grit sandpaper and the 1,200-grit sandpaper in the bucket. Wrap the 600-grit sandpaper around the sanding block.

4

Spray the plastic lens with water from the spray bottle until it is soaking wet.

5

Rub the plastic with the 600-grit sandpaper until the surface is smooth.

6

Discard the 600-grit sandpaper and wrap the 800-grit sandpaper around the sanding block.

7

Soak the plastic lens with water from the spray bottle until it is soaking wet. Rub the plastic with the 800-grit sandpaper to remove as much of the milky discoloration as possible.

8

Remove and discard the 800-grit sandpaper. Wrap the 1,000-grit sandpaper around the sanding block.

9

Soak the plastic lens with water from the spray bottle until it is soaking wet. Rub the plastic with 1,000-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface down from the coarseness caused by the 800-grit sandpaper.

10

Discard the 1,000-grit sandpaper and wrap the 1,200-grit sandpaper around the sanding block. Polish the lens with the sanding block in a slow, circular motion starting at the center of the lens and moving to the outer edges.

11

Apply a light cutting compound to the electric buffer and buff the plastic with the swirl removal function on. Hand-buff the plastic using a microfiber cloth.

12

Apply plastic polish to the plastic lens. Polish the plastic lens using another microfiber cloth.