How To Restore Plastic Headlights So You Can See Clearly!

Do your car lights look yellow or not very clear? When car lights get old, they don’t shine so bright. This can make it hard to see when it’s dark. But guess what? You can make them clear and bright again! This paper will show you how to fix your plastic car lights all by yourself. It’s not too hard!

Why Do My Car Lights Look Like a Cloud?

Most car lights now are made of plastic. After a long time, the sun, dirt, and little bumps can make the plastic look not shiny, yellow, or like a cloud. It’s like a plastic toy you leave outside – it doesn’t look new after a while. When car lights are like this, not much light can shine out, and that’s not safe for driving.

What Things You Will Need: Getting Your Stuff Ready

Before you start making your car lights shiny, you need to get a few things. It’s like getting all your toys ready before you play a game!

Step 1: Get the Things You’ll Need

First, let’s make sure you have all your stuff. You can find these things at a car store or a big shop. Many shops sell a “car light fix-it box.” These boxes are good because they have almost everything you need inside!

Here’s a list of what you need:

• Car Soap: Special soap to wash your car.
• Bucket and Sponge: For washing.
• Soft Cloths: These are soft and won’t make marks. You’ll need more than one.
• Sticky Tape (Blue is good): This tape comes off easy and keeps your car’s paint safe.
• Rough Paper (Different kinds): You’ll need a few kinds, from a bit rough to very soft. Fix-it boxes usually have this. If you buy it by itself, ask for paper that is for lights. “Rough” means how bumpy the paper is.
• Water Squeezy Bottle: To keep the rough paper wet. This is called wet rubbing.
• Shiny Cream: A special cream that makes plastic shiny.
• Car Wax or a Light Cover: To keep the lights safe after you’re done.
• Sunscreen for Lights (Super Important!): This is like sunblock for your car lights. It stops them from getting yellow again fast. Some fix-it boxes have this.

Don’t worry if this list looks long! A good car light fix-it box will have the rough paper, shiny cream, and sunscreen for lights all in one. Just look on the box to see what’s in it.

Let’s Make Those Lights Shine! Easy Steps

Now that you have your things, you’re ready to start. We’ll do each step, one by one.

Step 2: Make Your Car Lights Clean

You can’t fix a dirty light! First, you need to wash your car lights very well.

1. Put your car soap and water in the bucket.
2. Use your sponge to wash the lights. Get all the dirt and yucky stuff off.
3. Wash the lights with clean water.
4. Dry them all the way with a soft cloth. They need to be super dry for the next part.

Cleaning them well means you won’t rub dirt on the plastic later. That could make more marks.

Step 3: Put Tape Around the Lights

This part is very, very important to keep your car’s paint safe. The rough paper can make marks on paint, and we don’t want that!

1. Take your sticky tape (the blue kind is good).
2. Carefully put tape all around the sides of your car lights. Cover the paint that touches the light.
3. Make sure the tape is stuck on good so it doesn’t fall off when you work.

Think of it like putting tape on paper when you paint a picture – you only want the color in the right spot!

Step 4: Rub Away the Cloudy Part

This is where cool stuff starts to happen. Rubbing with the rough paper will take off the top yellow or cloudy part of the plastic.

About the Rough Paper for Lights

You’ll use a few different kinds of rough paper. You start with a more rough kind and then use softer and softer kinds. This makes the plastic really smooth. Always use the rough paper when it’s wet. This stops the paper from getting full of dust and helps make the light smooth.

How to Rub with Wet Paper

1. Get Ready: Fill your squeezy bottle with clean water. Have your different rough papers ready.
2. Start with More Rough Paper: Take your first piece of rough paper (the one that feels a bit more rough, or what your fix-it box says to use first). Wet the paper and the light with water.
3. Rub Softly: Rub the wet paper on the light. Go side to side. Don’t push too hard. Keep spraying water on the light and the paper to keep it wet. You’ll see some white or yellow stuff coming off – that’s the old, bad plastic!
4. Wipe and Look: After a little bit, wipe the light with a clean, wet soft cloth. It will look a bit fuzzy – that’s okay!
5. Use a Softer Rough Paper: Now, take your next rough paper (a medium one). Wet it and the light. This time, rub up and down. Keep it wet.
6. Wipe and Look Again: Wipe it clean. It should start looking a little clearer but still fuzzy.
7. Finish with Softest Paper: Last, use your softest rough paper. Wet it and the light. Rub softly. You can go in small circles or change ways again.
8. Last Wash and Dry: When you’re done with the softest paper, wash the light very well with clean water. Dry it all the way with a soft cloth. It should look much clearer now, but maybe not super shiny yet. That’s what the next step is for!

Super Tip: Always keep the rough paper and the light wet. If it gets dry, you could make big marks.

Step 5: Use Shiny Cream and Wax for a Super Shine!

Rubbing made the light smooth. Now, the shiny cream will make it super clear and bright!

Putting on the Shiny Cream

1. Put a little bit of shiny cream on a clean soft cloth.
2. Rub the cream on the light in small circles. Push a little bit, like you’re shining a shoe.
3. Keep rubbing until the light looks clear and shiny. You might need to put a little more cream on.
4. When it looks great, use another clean soft cloth to wipe off any extra cream.

Your car light should now look so good! It should be much clearer and brighter.

Putting on Wax to Keep it Safe (You might not need this if you use Sunscreen for Lights next)

Some people like to put car wax on now. Wax can help keep it safe and make it more shiny. If your Sunscreen for Lights (next step) says it’s the last coat, you might not do this. If you do use wax:

1. Put a little bit of car wax on the light with a clean cloth.
2. Let it dry until it looks cloudy.
3. Rub it off with another clean soft cloth until it shines.

Step 6: Use Sunscreen for Lights – The Best Step to Make it Last!

You worked hard to make your car lights clear. Now you need to keep them safe so they stay that way for a long time. This is why we use Sunscreen for Lights. It stops the sun from making the lights yellow.

1. Make Sure it’s Clean: Make sure the light is all clean and dry. No dust or shiny cream left on it.
2. Put on the Sunscreen: Look at the paper that came with your Sunscreen for Lights or your fix-it box. Do what it says. Some sunscreens you wipe on with a special cloth, some you spray.
   • Put it on all over the light, nice and even.
   • Be careful not to touch it while it’s drying.
3. Let it Dry: The sunscreen needs time to dry and get hard. The paper will tell you how long. Don’t let the lights get wet or dirty while it dries. It might be a few hours or even a whole day and night.

This Sunscreen for Lights is like putting strong sunblock on your car lights. It stops the sun from making them cloudy and yellow again too fast. This is super important! Don’t miss this part!

Step 7: Try It Out!

After the Sunscreen for Lights is all dry, it’s time for the fun part!

1. Carefully take off the sticky tape from around your car lights.
2. Wait until it’s dark outside or put your car in a dark spot.
3. Turn on your car lights!
4. Wow! They should be much brighter and clearer. You’ll see much better when you drive in the dark.

Keeping Your Car Lights Clear for a Long Time

Now that your lights look like new, you want them to stay that way! Here are some ideas:

• Wash Your Car Lots: This helps get rid of dirt that can hurt the plastic.
• Try to Park Where It’s Shady: Less sun means the lights stay nice longer. If you have a garage, use it!
• Put on More Sunscreen for Lights Later: Even the best sunscreen wears off. Look at the paper for your sunscreen. You might need to put it on again every six months or once a year to keep your lights safe. Some fix-it boxes even give you extra sunscreen for later. And also try to make clean under of your car.

When Should You Ask a Grown-Up Car Helper?

Doing this yourself can save money and make you feel good. But sometimes, it might be better to ask a car expert for help:

• If the lights are very, very broken or have deep lines.
• If you don’t feel good about rubbing with the rough paper yourself.
• If you tried to fix them and they still don’t look good.

A car expert will have special tools and know just what to do.

You Did It! Have Fun With Your Clear Lights!

Good job! You now know how to make plastic car lights bright again. By doing these steps, you can make your car safer because you can see better at night, and it will look nicer too. It just takes a little time, but it’s worth it. Drive safe with your bright, clear lights!