How to Polish Plastic Lens Covers

Most vehicles have protective plastic lenses that cover the headlights. Over time the lenses will get nicks and scratches from rocks and other road debris. The plastic also gets cloudy. This will limit the amount of light that passes through them, making it dangerous to drive at night.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soap
• Plastic polish
• Rags
• Masking tape
• Electric buffer

1. Wash the lenses with warm water and a mild soap before trying to polish them. Any dirt and debris on the lenses will act as an abrasive and can scratch the plastic more. Rinse all soap off with fresh water.

2. Use a commercial polish which is approved for use on plastic to polish the lens. Apply the polish to a clean cloth and work in a circular motion. Remove all the polish from the plastic.

3. Polish the lenses with the plastic polish a second time. This time use a linear up and down motion. It is important to polish in both a circular and a linear motion so that you get all of the scratches.

4. Remove all remaining polish residue by using a clean soft cloth and plenty of elbow grease. If you allow residue to remain on the lenses, debris will stick to the plastic and the lenses will be cloudy again in no time.

5. Buff the lenses lightly with an electric buffer using a foam disc or a cotton pad if they are still cloudy after polishing. The buffer will smooth out any remaining scratches. You might mask off the area around the lens if you use a buffer so as not to damage the paint on the car.