Learn How to Restore Headlights with Bill Doraty Kia

Keeping your headlights clean and free of debris can make all the difference when it comes to safety on the road. We have seen many cases in our service department where vehicles simply needed their headlights to be cleaned properly, and drivers have saved plenty of money. Let our experts show you how to restore headlights for a proper clear and a safe drive.

Necessary Items

To do the job on your own, it is important to gather these supplies

• A rag or microfiber cloth 
• Shop towels 
• 1,000, 800, and 2,000 grade grit sand paper 
• Rubbing compound 
• Vehicle masking tape 
• A drill 
• Rubbing alcohol 
• Spray water bottle 
• Measuring cup not used for food 
• Car soap 
• Water (to fill the bottle) 
• Glass cleaner 
• Urethane and mineral spirits 

Steps

• Clean the headlights with soap and water. Dry the headlights, and then clean them with glass cleaner to remove as much dirt as possible. 
• Protect your paint by taping around the headlight—you don’t want to sand the body! 
• Snip the sandpaper into four different sections. Begin with the 800 grit grade sandpaper and wet it. Stick the paper to the headlight, spray it, and then make sure it is completely wet and secure on the headlight. 
• Start to carefully sand in one direction. It is useful to keep the paper wet for longevity. Throw the paper out when you are done, and wipe the lights. Once you see 800 grit marks, stop. Repeat this step for each paper—move up to 1000 and then 2000. 
• Bring in the compound paste directly on the the headlight. With a compound pad on your drill, slowly drill and buff in one direction. Work up to a steady speed. 
• To remove the compound paste, use rubbing alcohol. You should start seeing a big difference in clear headlights! 
• With equal parts .5 ounces of urethane to .5 ounces of mineral spirits, you can mix these in the measuring cup to make a clear coat. Wash your car, and then use the spray bottle to spray the concoction on the headlights. If you make too thick of a coat, use the mineral spirits in water to wipe it and start over. 

Check Your Car at Bill Doraty Kia

Still need help on how to restore your headlights? Our service center at Bill Doraty Kia can help you bring your headlights back to pristine condition! Contact us online for more information.