Having had the Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer kit in the garage for a good few years, it was time to use it in anger. The headlights on the Clio Trophy were in a very sad state, and although I’d cleaned them up before, that was only using wet and dry sandpaper along with some compound.
Let’s see how the turtle wax headlight lens restorer fairs.
Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer Instructions
- Clean the headlights
Use a decent shampoo and wash mitt to remove grime and bugs. - Dry headlights
- Tape up around the headlights
Get some detailing tape and cover the bodywork/bonnet around the edges of the headlight.
Tape is not included in the kit…
- Apply spray lubricant
Make sure you keep the headlight wet at all times; if it starts to dry out, reapply the lubricant - Get the green pad marked ‘1’
Now rub back and forth using vertical strokes until the oxidization is removed. You’ll end up with creamy/light brown liquid all over the headlight.
Now rub in a horizontal motion for a minute or two, keep the lens wet with the spray lubricant at all times - Flip the pad over to the number ‘2’ side
Follow the same process, vertical strokes for a minute or two, then horizontal strokes.
- Grab the second pad numbered ‘3’
Each pad/side is a different grade; they get finer the higher the number. Again, horizontal strokes for a minute or so, then vertical strokes. - Flip the pad over to the number ‘4’ side
You know the drill, horizontal, then vertical.
- Now the headlights should be far clearer than when you started; wash them off with your soapy water and dry them thoroughly
- Apply the ‘Clarifying Compound’ with a microfiber
Rub it all over as if it was polish, wait for it to dry, then buff it off. If you need a second application, go for it.You can also use a machine polisher; if you have one, apply the compound to a general-purpose foam polishing pad. Then use it on 1,000 – 3,000 RPM all over the headlight.The more time you take on this step, the better the overall finish.
- Repeat the whole process on the second headlight
- Not your headlights are looking all shiny and new; you need to seal them to protect them from future UV damage
Put the glove on and open the ‘Lens Sealing Wipe’.Wipe over both headlights with the sealing wipe, following the same motion, horizontal, then vertical, to make sure you don’t miss any bits.The coating will cure in 24 hours, but you can drive the car straight away.I wouldn’t do this last step if you expect rain in the next 24 hours and you park your car outside.
Headlight Restoration kit
Now you can do all the above with some simple wet and dry sandpaper, as I mentioned I did this before on this very car. Maybe three years ago, and already the headlights had deteriorated massively – even though it’s been stored in a garage for at least the last year.
The problem with just using wet and dry is that you don’t have the sealant. It also took me a good two to three hours, whereas the Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer took me less than an hour. It has the correct grades of sandpaper, so you don’t make scratches that are too deep, and the compound seems especially formulated for polycarbonate – rather than a general polish.
Using the headlight restoration kit from turtle wax was far quicker and definitely gave a better result. There’s plenty of both the lube and clarifying compound to do another set of headlights, if not more. The only issue is there are just two of the sealing wipes, and the pads will wear out.
Just like when you wash your car, if you don’t use some sealant or topcoat, your hard work goes to waste. This is where the Turtle Wax kit excels.
Why do headlights go cloudy?
Back in the day, cars used to have glass headlights; they were incredibly heavy and helped form the beam pattern on the road. With advances in technology, both lighting and plastics manufacturing, headlights became all plastic. While this saved a lot of weight, some headlights – especially early models, are prone to yellowing in the sun.
There’s a top layer which is a sealant film. Over time this gets damaged and makes the surface of the headlight become permeable. As time goes on, the UV rays damage the lens more and more until you end up with a matte finish in a yellow/brown hue.
How to restore headlights?
You can permanently protect your headlights by reapplying the lacquer that they would have originally had. While the Turtle Wax sealant will do a good job, it’s unclear how long it will last – I’ll try to update this to let you know.
E-Tech have created a clear coat to restore your headlights protective UV film. It replaces the cloudy/damaged top layer with a permanent film rather than one that washes off over time.
Instructions on how to use the E-Tech Restored Headlight Clear Coat can be found here.
What happens if my headlights become cloudy again?
If you’ve used the Turtle Wax headlight restorer kit, they reckon the effects should last 4 to 6 months before discolouration returns. It should be a lot less than before, and a simple buff and polish with the lens clarifying compound should return them to a good state.
I have scratches on my headlights; how can I fix this?
If there are noticeable light scratches on the headlights after using the kit, you can remove these by using pads ‘3’ and ‘4’ again. Spray the lubricant on the headlight and take your time working your way over the whole lens with number 3, then do the same with number 4.
You should be able to remove all the scratches with enough patience. Once done, use the Lens Clarifying Compound, buff it off and then use it again.
By this time, the scratches should be incredibly fine or completely gone.
Where can I purchase the Turtle Wax Headlight Restorer kit?
If you need one urgently, then you can pick one up from your local Euro Car Parts.
You can find it cheaper online (as ever) so Amazon have some great prices on the headlight kit, and there’s always a bargain to be had on eBay too.
