HondaCivicForum.com - Headlight Restoration

Hi.
I saw the "headlight defogging" thread. Read it, and I have a different but similar approach. I'll include pics so you can see for yourself.

First off... Be careful. Your going to be working on a clear piece of plastic.

And read:

Companies make head light cleaner that's a petroleum based solvent, but it
doesn't work very well by itself. You really have to rub the hell out
of the lens, and then your left with a shiny, pitted lens that looks like crap.
Before I did this, my head lights had corroded to the point where there were deep
pits in the lens. The corrosion comes off in yellow gooey sludge its
nice...

Anyways here's how I did it:

Materials Needed:
1 Sheet 400 grit automotive sand paper ONLY
1 Sheet 600 grit
1 Sheet 1500 grit - I didn't see any but if you find anything higher
then 1500, then get some.
1 Bottle detergent automotive degreaser - I used "Purple Power".
It works great. DON'T use lacquer thinner...!
Dish soap diluted with water will probably work too
1 Buffing wheel
1 Fine Red Rouge - I got my kit at Sears (came with 3 wheels S/M/L in
size. and 3 sticks of rouge) for about $10
1 Roll paper towel
1 Bottle of Headlight lens cleaner from your local auto parts store
1 Set goggles

Notes:
Find some shade
Read all the directions before doing this...

Here is what they looked like to start with:
Attachment 16576

Directions:
Step 0: Tape off your hood and bumper to protect it.
Step 1: Use the detergent degreaser and clean off the lenses.
Step 2: Keep the lenses wet with the detergent cleaner and sand them
with 400 grit sand paper. Do not dry sand the lenses - EVER...EVER!!!
Don't sand hard either. Press no harder then as if you were sanding your face :)
You'll build up a nice yellow/white gooey sludge, and that's what you want
to work with. Clean the lenses occasionally
to see any high or low spots. Eventually the the sludge will become pure white,
that means you've sanded through most of the corrosion.
Sand with 400 till you see consistency, and a smooth surface.
If you press hard while sanding you'll put deep
scratches in the lens, and you'll spend more time getting them out
then if you sanded lightly from the beginning.

Attachment 16577

Step 3: Repeat step 2 but with 600 grit paper

Attachment 16578

Step 4: Repeat step 2 but with 1500 grip paper

Attachment 16579

If you found 2000 grit then do another round of sanding. I was limited to 1500 grit :(

Step 5: Get a good layer of red rouge on your polishing wheel. Then
take some of the lens polish and spear it on the polishing wheel. Mix
it with the rouge. You can also wipe a light layer on the head light.
As soon as you hit it with a spinning polishing wheel its going to
spray all over the place, so wear goggles... Use a Dremel or a high
speed drill. Use the biggest polishing wheel you can. The closer the
drill is to the lens the more likely you are to hit the drill on your
lens.
Step 6: Keep the polishing wheel wet with lens cleaner and rouge, buff
until your happy with the finish. I found turning on the lights at night lets you see
all the spots you missed.

Attachment 16580

Attachment 16581

It made a BIG difference driving at night. Well worth it! These pics are with out wax :) Wax them to protect them, which I haven't done yet ;)

Good luck!