Toothpaste, baking soda, lemon, teapot - which is best for restoring headlights?
Vložit
- čas přidán 30. 07. 2021
- Grab some G54 merch here - www.en.garage54.ru/collection...
Promotional code for hoodies 25% discount "summer25"
The rest of the "garage54" assortment has a 15% discount
In this episode we try out a few headlight polishing methods - some old and well-known, some a bit less conventional.
Our instagram / garage__54 - Auta a dopravní prostředky
You could tell that Cyril was very mechanically knowledgeable but now he's been proving he's able to do the in front of camera work too, very much an asset to Garage 54.
@@clarkdavis3588 He has indeed and all of our best wishes go out to Vlad, we do miss him and his humour and willingness to try anything.
this guy is very good in front of camera i think
Yeah, Cyril was always there, but almost never he or translator said anything by himself, great to see it changing.
@@Markok1911 It is because the man really seems to know his stuff and it's great to hear him passing on his knowledge and passion for the thing we're all here for.
He should be considered the co-host from now on.
Oh! Wish Vlad a speedy recovery, the host though, doing a great job in his absence. Nice one the entire Garage 54 crew.
What about in America?
I miss glass headlights.
Tell me about it. It's been plastic since the early 2000s iirc.
The most modern car I've owned was 1979.
I just rent them now and give them back when I'm through.
ABS plastic headlights came out sometime in the mid to late 80's. Ford started using them around 1987.
And yah...would be nice to have some glass headlights available. Even aftermarket ones. I've searched for aftermarket glass headlights to replace the plastic ones and nobody makes them. IDC if they were $300, they'd last forever over this plastic crap.
@@brucewrigleysgumchewz4667 My '91 Ford truck has those wretched plastic headlights. One day my mechanic took polishing compound to them and they were like new again... for a while. Lasted about a year. I'd guess the "teapot" is adding a layer of acrylic, bonding to the sanded surface. Will being interesting to see if it lasts.
Glad i got a 91 m30 with glass id hate always cleaning the headlights
Get well soon Vlad, we all miss you.😔 But still the host is going a great job👌
I predict this will be the top comment. Get well soon, Vlad!!
Hope you get better soon, Vlad!
Get well soon, Vlad!!
Aye, get well soon Vlad!
Get well soon big guy!
Cryil is doing such a great job filling in. He may get his own fan base. ^.^
I love Russia lol... a 50/50 rresult goes in the "bs" category. Here in the USA they'd make the video title "secret headlight restorers don't want you to know" and it'd have a tube of toothpaste in the thumbnail lol.
I hand rubbed toothpaste on stone chips away from headlight covers and it took ages through they look like new now. I used toilet paper and paper towel with the toothpaste, that should be called teethpaste, because if you only have one tooth, you kinda missed the boat already.
Hairs cut not a hair cut
I use the toothpaste trick too, but with a kitchen towel/tea towel - anything that has some texture to it.. after that, the secret is a little WD-40 and a paper towel - showroom shine. That shine only lasts a week or two, but beats paying for commercial stuff.
@@rajgill7576 Cut them all at once, that way it won't take so long. :)
Cyril: **Sniffs Chemicals**
Also Cyril: "and it smells like....it's got a chemical smell to it"
That stuff is bad forgot what it is but he should use a mask and gloves.
@@Sinerwray I have no idea what that stuff is, but most chemicals used for vapor polishing are thought to be carcinogenic. Could be methylene chloride. It might even be chloroform
That might be acetone vapor. I use it for smoothing ABS 3D Prints and it does an amazing job. So my guess is whatever the clear plastic is made of is affected by acetone vapor the same way. Lot's of plastics aren't though.
Polycarbonate
Its a different solvent than acetone, since the lenses are polycarb. that being said there is no coating to protect the polycarb now so it will fade again without a film.
@@davidfarmer Explains why when my mechanic used polishing compound on my (original 1991 plastic) headlights, for a year or so they were like new, then went cloudy again. So what if one paints the resurfaced headlight with say, polycarb furniture finish? it makes a hard clear surface that doesn't yellow.
I may have to scrounge some busted headlights from the junkyard for experiments...
@@Reziac after polishing them you just need to give the headlights a spray of some kind of UV protector, Its the sunlight that fades them, they come from the factory with a UV protectant on them but as soon as you polish them that protectant is gone, could try sun cream once a month maybe see how that would work, i have an old audi i be working on soon so will be experimenting with a few ideas too, but that polycarb furniture finish sounds good idea too
@@Reziac Pros use a uv resistant film, it applies like a clear bra.
Baking soda and a damp paper towel (not wet, and certainly not a lemon) is what I always use. It's an abrasive and what is in the toothpaste as well. Spray on a layer of clear coat after and it will last several years. Going to have to try the acetone vapor method though, looks great. I've done the heat gun trick on plastics many times.
You are doing a great job! I Really enjoy vlad. But you are a great asset and should get your own item on the channel!! Keep them coming guys... 👍
So what did actually happen? How do I do this?
Get well soon Vlad, we all love and miss you very much.
But great hosting in his absence! Maybe you two can co-host when Vlad is back, you've got great energy and personality.
one love ✌
Fantastic. Best regards to Vlad from Norway. We love you all.
Get well soon Vlad. We miss your laugh.
And the “Hey Fellas”
Hey there fellas
Cyril keep up the great work. I wish Vlad a speedy and healthy recovery. This channel is not only entertainment but knowledge. Garage 54 thank you
I really do extremely appreciate these videos you guys are making.
Suprisinglly good results with the 'teapot' :D Also shouldn't you reapply new UV resistant clear coat to seal it?
As a former colleague said: If it lasts 2 years like that, it's better worth than the UV coating 😄.
I'm sorry I'm Italian and. I did not understand how to lighten the plastic ... could you explain to me?
It's a short term scam total tripe!!
Do a Lada-engine powered mega air compressor!!!
@NonCoinCollector you mean double air pressure?
Most superchargers can do that.
If you increase the relative rpm of compressor side, then it would just fail while accelerating.
If it was such an extreme thing, most drag racing teams would be doing it.
Great info! Also insect repellent works well I have found, without clouding up too much
A lot of love from greece!You 're all amazing guyz.keep going.
get well soon Vlad 👍
also good work from the new presenter and voiceover dude as always
get well soon Vlad. Greetings from Malaysia 🇲🇾
Get good soon Vlad !!! nice vid, this guy does really a good host too.
2000 grit sandpaper carefully wet sanded with a electric palm sander followed by a good buffing with plastic polish and then spray with 2k clear coat, makes them look straight out of the factory. Worked awesome on my 05 Montero and worked really well by removing the headlights from the body..
I used tooth paste to clean yellowed headlights but I used it with cordless drill and cotton polisling wheel. When the paste starts to dry-up while you are polishing just spray a little bit of water and go on. You can't expect super results but it's good enough for car inspection and it's fast, cheap and easy. And if you clearcoat the headlight after polishing the result will be great(the clearcoat in my case filled the little imperfections and the headlights are almost like new)
Great work Cyril 💪.
Hope Vlad gets better.
Thanks for sharing guys.
Cyril has improved significantly in the past week or two, probably just his comfort level. This product was surprisingly effective though, I’m surprised
Hope you feel better. Now, best cheap results, WD-40. Tried all over months of tests until I finally ceramic coated which fixed the problem. Sand, polish and System X ceramic coating. Still perfect
I am surprised how good he is in front of the camera and knowledgable. I cant talk 1 minute with improvising or clearly with no stops or shit like this guy. Got me off guard will tell you that.
I think sanding with 2000 and 1500 grid and a good coat of clear coat will restore the headlights😊
Definitely. People need to understand that if they want to save some time, they need to do it the right way the first time.
all you need is 600 grit and automotive clear.
You dont need clear. Just a ceramic coating.
@@williambrewer855 if you want to to last for years like factory then you need clear. You trying to pawn it off on some unlucky buyer than use ceramic. There is a reason why the manufacturers still clearcoat them instead of ceramic coating the raw plastic.
@@williambrewer855 The ceramic coating will wash off leaving the volnerable plastic exposed to UV radiation (sunlight). Clear coat is a must.
But how do you destroy a functioning Lada by restoring headlights?
A great stand-in, job well done! Hope Vlad is getting better soon.
After the solvent vapor polish it needs a coat of Ultraviolet protectant.
Keep well Vlad, co-host is a welcome addition.
Great test!
I'd love the link to the last one you used! Great video this will help out tremendously
Nice i love your videos as always keep up the good work(:!!!!!!!
This does a great job!
Dude that was awesome!!!!
Great video Cyril!
There is some oily spray on product that people advertise at gas stations here in South africa that instantly clears up your headlights and makes people go "oh wow amazing, here take my money" but then once you drive away and it starts drying up your headlights return to their normal faded yellow look
I think this kid is doing a great job for Vlad! Very knowledgeable! Get well soon Vlad! We all miss you man!✌😎👍
I did this on my Honda Accord/Fiat Punto and others... AND IT CAME UP LIKE GLASS (USING ARM AND HAMMER BAKING POWDER TOOTHPASTE)
Time: Approx 10 minutes per headlight
1 - Wash headlights
2 - Use a spray bottle to damp down headlight
3 - dab on toothpaste on a soft buffpad attached to a cordless drill
4 - go over the headlight in circular motions with a LIGHT PRESSURE
5 - OCCASIONALLY SPRAY WATER ON TO KEEP IT DAMP (AND THUS COOL)!!!
6 - Add toothpaste if needed and continue buffing till plastic is clear like glass
7 - Wash off
8 - Add Anti UV polish to stop fade again (I didn't 1st time round and it still lasted 6 months)
IT DOES WORK I PROMISE YOU...
Get well soon Vlad!
Cyril great asset of Garage54 crew!
Very interesting! I wish Cryil would have put that device over the cars paint to see if it was affected too.
My best guess is the liquid is acetone. 3D printers use acetone fumes to smooth out filament lines and stuff too
Get well soon Vlad - young Cyril is doing a great job, but he's not the same! Greetings from Western Canada.
A clear headlight wrap after treatment will help longevity from oxidation and also protect some from stone chips.
Ajax scrubbing compound for dishes works well and also the other kind of cleaners called comet therefore using to clean your pots and pans without scratching them very well on cleaning off headlights other than warm water or a sponger Rags all you need keep it wet
Try the highest deet bug spray you can find. Not the dry kind and apply liberally. Buff and rinse away. It does wonders!
I was bow hunting and was bored after dark and tried this , They looked a little better from the outside but performed MUCH better as seen from inside the cab.
in the past I have used 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper then used clear lacquer that gives good results from my experience and it is cheap
For $20 just buy a retail headlight cleaning kit and do it correctly the first time without messing with home remedies. I bought a Meguiar's kit a month ago and worked just fine on the first try.
Yeah, the meg's kit works really well and also includes a UV protective spray. The ball polisher was pretty hard to work with, so I replaced that one for a disc version
@@martijnphilipse6864 I got the meguiars heavy duty kit and it has a little wool pad for a drill and polishing compound as well as 1000 and 3000 grit sandpaper that never seems to wear out. It has wipe on clear coat that is nice because I done have to mask off anything and it self levels out a couple seconds after being wiped on so it leaves the headlight looking new and protected just like a new headlight
ur the man for the show!
A very interesting video dude. Get well soon big fella 👍
The fumes are melting the tiny surface scratches together. Just like petrol can attack certain plastics (polystyrene, plexiglass) and make them sticky or dissolve. Easiest is to use a fine cutting compound, a buffer and finish with UV blocking car polish.
the blue stuff is part acetone. this is an old school trick for fixing plastics that react to acetone. note that it isn't going to stop uv fade, you're better off buying a can of 2k clearcoat from eastwood or the other brand and doing the sanding smooth to prep dance before clearcoating them the right way (use proper ppe with 2k paints!). that way should last for years, vs having to perform regular maintenance.
i sanded mine with coarse paper, and worked up to 3000, then cleaned with alcohol. then i sprayed them with clear coat, and wet sanded that from 2000 to 3000, then polished with toothpaste, then cleaned with alcohol again. there is a very small amount of orange peel but they are very clean and clear and from a distance you can't see any imperfection. that ali express thing seems like less work though.
Assuming the headlights are made out of some kind of acrylic its most likely vapour polishing. You can do the same with 3d printed parts to remove the layer marks and the process is mostly the same sans the sanding thought it works better if you sand it down first too.
On the last one you used what is the name of it and where to get one that was really cool!
Awesome, I actually need to restore one of the headlights on my new car😁
Any outdoor bug repellent (with deet) and a cotton cloth will clean headlights instantly. Simply spray on and wipe off. Dont have to leave it sitting. The more deet in the repellent the better
I've got bug wipes I am going to go try right now and report back.
All done and hats off to you sir! I did my headlamps and my tail lights in less than 10 minutes and they look almost new. Unbelievable. I used Zep insect wipes with 30% Deet. The towel was dark yellow when I finished!
The deet melts some plastics. With 94.6% deet, my dad left his hand print in the telephone receiver.
@@garmancathotmailcom Wow! I should have worn a glove. It won't wash off my hand and it feels funny.
@@CarsandCats rip you o7
I usually use bug spray which has deet in it and it lasts roughly 2 months before I have to apply again
This channel is awesome
We want Cyril to be in every video for the explanations. He's really really good at that. Meanwhile Vlad does his part which we all love aswell
Just got to love russians. Great vlog. vlad all the best from norway
Metal polish works the best and the fastest..no sanding. Use it with a buffer then seal it with rustoleum clear automotive
New guy got this, get well soon buddy
Feel better Vlad!
i seen online that the OFF! brand bug repellent makes quick work of foggy headlights. you guys should give that one a try.
Could u use the old gas burner trick like shining up old plastic ?
Get Well soon! Greetings from Denmark
Allan, what are you doing with my BFF?
@@yodasbff3395 :-)
Toothpaste is a light abrasive and it is actually great for polishing -- you do need to use a drill brush or a pad though, as you need a little more oompf than just a toothbrush and elbow grease.
FYI: Toothpaste works but only ad a polish. It has very fine abrasives in it that remove the sun damaged clear coat.
WD-40 works as it fills in the microscopic cracks making a matt finish gloss. Hence the reason it wipes off and turns back to dull.
Lemon and soda works as the soda is abrasive and the reaction with the lemon juice removes dirt and stuff.
But either way it's just polishing. Use polish. It's faster and easier. If they're really bad use 2500 or 3000 grit sand paper then polish.
If they're REALLY REALLY bad then sand with 800 grit, 1000 grit, 2000 grit and 3000grit then polish.
I use AUTOSOL and some old soft underwere that work but you need polish maybe 2 ore 3 time but it work.
One wipe with a cloth moistened with acetone, works good. Do not rub back and forth in one spot as it will melt the plastic.
I hope Vlad get well soon. We all miss him❤️
Thinking that it might be some kind of Acetone vapour, I'm really curious how long the fix will last!
Love that ending, yep we did another car too 😂
great job.
All the best hope vlad gets well soon
Notification Gang +1 Awesome video as always!
Are the headlights plastic or acrylic. Don't know if it matters which but I use to polish acrylic with a welding torch. Took about 1 second. Don't know if that could work for this, would still need to get the yellow out.
Every time I get a headllight restore kit it haa a sealant in it, and that's always what runs out first. The polishing part is always the easy part.
Are there any good homemade sealants that keep it from going hazy again?
I used floor polish once, it is basically liquid acrylic. I didn't do a good job with the initial polishing though.
@@DesignedbyWill2084 Yea I forked out $500 for tow new headlights just last year we all make mistakes lol
ChrisFix uses a spray can of clearcoat. Supposedly a very long-lasting solution, though I haven't tried it for myself.
Try to use bug sprey and then clean with windows sprey, because the bug sprey is actually melting the top layer of the plastic headlights.
That liquid is probably acetone. Acetone melts the plastic. But having it in the heater you have much more control over it, so it doesn't drip all over. It might also be some acetone based lacquer which would then apply a thin coat over it.
Nice. I was just about to ask if anyone had a theory on how and why it works. (For the time being anyway)
@@FirstFamilyCharger This is how screwdriver handles are "polished". They are dipped in acetone after machining. So the acetone melts the thin ridges and makes the surface smooth and transparent.
Off bug spray works amazingly you spray it give it a minute and wipe it off
damn, that looks good
Cyril is a champ!
The tothpaste works but you have to use a cloth and rub hard. I have used this method a few times.
Rub it with scotch brite pads, then take a paper towel soaked in acetone, one careful wipe. This is very quick.
Best wishes for Vlad!
Mosquito Spray. The higher the deet content the better. Swear to God, one of the quickest and most effective fixes for cloudy yellow headlights.
amazing job !! hope vlad will get well soon . please post the link to the product from aliexpress
Напишу русский коммент ))
The best thing for your headlights to clean them is a stuff called flitz or mother's polish in the little red and white tub
I use 2000 grit sandpaper, some turtle wax and a polishing pad on a drill. Gets them looking brand new.
Said nobody 40+ years ago: "I need to get my headlights polished."
M.E.K. or A Solvent used in Paint Stripper is the blue liquid. It melts PC. I've accidently melted PC. Highly Explosive in vapor form.
I love mek we used it for cleaning litho printing cylinders
Maybe its a chlorinated hydrocarbon, non flamible and smells like "chemical"
toothpaste works better with an old clean sock and just start wiping hard, throwing a little water in when it gets harder to rub. keep in mind, you're not able to do the same to the inside of the same piece of plastic, it may only get you to 2/3 or 3/4 of clean+clear.
Vinegar is great too
Dig the color on that honda.