chemical fix for yellow headlamp lenses?

Digitalchaos

Registered User
Hello. My factory lenses have yellowed to the point that it impeads performance & appearance of my headlights, and I wonder if anyone has discovered a relativley quick way to remove some or most of the yellow.

Is there a chemical solution that might do this without wrecking the glue holding the lenses? Thanks..
 
i found some clear plastic polish that helped some. but mine are so stone chipped that i need new ones anyway.

wayne...
 
Parts store plastic polish on the outside and grocercy store food grade citric acid on the inside. You know from the coffee pot cleaning fame.

Vernon
 
sand & buff

my painter came up with the best way to bring the headlights back to new: sand the lense with a da first with 800 grit (if really bad 600) untill pitting is gone, then 1200, then 3000, and then buff with a buffer using rubbing compound. they will look good as new. i did this last weekend to my 90sc the headlights were getting pretty yellow now they are prefectly clear.
it takes 5 minutes.
oh also wax your lenses when you wax your car it helps protect the lenses from fading.
 
5.0 Mustangs had an article about Wet-sanding them a few years ago. I think it was in 2000 or so. But wet sanding will work.
 
Would Orange clean work as the citric acid based cleaner.. or does that contain other chemicals which are too harsh? I will assume it has citric acid..

Thanks!
 
Orange Clean would work fine. I use it in my detailing work all the time around the car, from carpets to engine degreasing, nothing that harsh.

Yes, it's citric acid based.
 
Orange Clean

Speaking very authoritatively, (I am the principal chemist at Orange GLO International) Orange Clean is an emulsion of Orange Oil, which has only trace amounts of citric acid, associated with the Orange Oil. Perhaps we mean "citrus" based? In any case, it does work pretty good, and you can get the Concentrate which is more able around the greasier stuff and the shop. The Orange Clean Concentrate has both more citric acid and orange oil in it.
 
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Oh Sure...Don't see or hear from this guy forever & mention the word "Orange Glo" & he magicaly appears..."Dr Fred"...

I guess I know how to summon you now...he..he
 
Heh heh, a couple weeks ago I was at a home show and the Orange Clean TV personality guy was there. I was like, hey I know a guy who works with you, say hi to Fred for me... He seemed a little surprised, I think he was expecting me to ask a question maybe about how to clean something...
 
My headlights were very very badly yellowed. I was going to buy new ones but finances would not allow. On sunday I took some number 7 rubbing compound and some GS27 and went to work.

1- rubbed a fair amount of No. 7 on one light
2- took buffer at low speed and worked compound in
3- continued steps 1 & 2 until stains and yellow were removed
4- rubbed good amount of GS27 on light
5 - used buffer at low-medium speed till smooth (repeat untill smooth as glass)

I wouldn't recommend using a buffer unless you are skilled enough to do so. Extensive buffing could lead to burns in the plastic. I have a digital camera so when I figure out how to post pics of results I will edit this post and add a pic.
 
What causes the lenses to yellow...

From what I have learned, the lenses go yellow with age due to exposure to UV light. Although the plastic itself is somewhat affected, the real cluprit for the yellowing is the coating that is applied to them to reduce chipping, scratching, and to protect the plastic from UV. Through carwashes, rain, debris, you name it, the coating will yellow and become dull and hazy. You can actually see this coating if you go the wet-sand route. While you are wetsanding, you can see it come off, kind of like clearcoat for paint.

Anyway, the best method to restore the clarity and usefullness of the lense is to use the wetsanding method. The downside to this is that now that the lenses have been completely stripped of there protective film, you have to maintain them well with routine polishing and waxing to keep them looking sharp.

Hope this helps,

Phil Stocker
 
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