2nd Gen. Dodge Ram - No Drivetrain Discussion for all Dodge Rams from 1994 through 2002. Please, no engine or drivetrain discussion.

Free headlight cleaning!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-20-2010, 09:14 PM
  #1  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
sheriffav8r's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Free headlight cleaning!

My headlights stink. So I bought a cleaning kit for about $10. Then they stunk, but a little less for awhile. Then they stunk the same again. I was watching Trucks! and they showed how to clean your headlights virtually free: Sand your headlights with some wet/dry sandpaper. They used 1500 but I had 600 lying around so I used that. Scrub for 5 minutes. Next, go into your bathroom and borrow the tube of toothpaste. Squirt some on your headlights and polish it with a buffing pad hooked onto your drill. I had an old polishing pad hanging around so I used that. Polish until the paste gets sort of dry and then a little more. Wipe off and clean with glass cleaner. Now my headlights look almost new. Aquafreshtastic!
Old 04-20-2010, 09:56 PM
  #2  
Registered User
 
mstep3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Alabama
Posts: 520
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i tried one of those headlight cleaning kits that had the sandpaper & sealer with it. Is this the kind of kit you are talking about that you used.

Does the method using the sandpaper & toothpaste work much better?
Old 04-21-2010, 08:33 AM
  #3  
Registered User
 
upersleder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: U.P. Mi.
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
whatever you use it helps if you use a good paste wax on them afterwards
Old 04-21-2010, 09:51 AM
  #4  
Registered User
 
infidel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Montana
Posts: 14,672
Likes: 0
Received 9 Likes on 9 Posts
An added benefit is it prevents lens cavities too!
Old 04-21-2010, 10:58 AM
  #5  
Registered User
 
SIXSLUG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Pacific NW, B'ham, Kalispell MT
Posts: 5,553
Received 148 Likes on 127 Posts
Remember to not use the remaining headlight cleaning kit for toothpaste!

I heard it doesn't work the other way around!
Old 04-21-2010, 11:43 AM
  #6  
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
sheriffav8r's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Cape Coral, FL
Posts: 1,101
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
In my opinion, the toothpaste works 100% better and the headlight lens now looks almost new. My drill was running out of juice so I didn't even get to polish it as much as I wanted. I'll never waste my money on a headlight cleaning kit again. Minty fresh, too....
Old 04-21-2010, 01:43 PM
  #7  
Registered User
 
ado2b1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
That's hilarious! And something I'm going to try this week. I've used a headlight restore kit a couple of times, makes 'em look better, but I'll give the ol' arm n hammer toothpaste a shot. Why not?
Old 04-21-2010, 01:52 PM
  #8  
Registered User
 
AggieJustin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Celina, TX
Posts: 2,242
Received 16 Likes on 13 Posts
Nice find. Sounds like a project to try on my fog lights. The headlights are in good shape since I did the Sport conversion a while back, but the fogs look pretty beat down.
Old 04-21-2010, 07:11 PM
  #9  
Registered User
 
Silver R/T's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 944
Received 4 Likes on 3 Posts
Originally Posted by sheriffav8r
In my opinion, the toothpaste works 100% better and the headlight lens now looks almost new. My drill was running out of juice so I didn't even get to polish it as much as I wanted. I'll never waste my money on a headlight cleaning kit again. Minty fresh, too....
You don't need no stupid kits. Just get some good rubbing compound and if you have a buffer you can make them shine like new
Old 04-22-2010, 12:41 PM
  #10  
Registered User
 
justme-'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Central MA
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
bingo- all you're doing is polishing, or sanding if bad, the surface of the lens to remove the oxidized plastic. Simichrome polish was the first stuff widely recommended for that before the "kits" started flooding the market.

The sealer kits are a last chance- once you apply the sealer stuff you can;t usually repolish the lens if it goes yellow again later.
Old 04-22-2010, 02:17 PM
  #11  
Registered User
 
Ram95's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Finley Washington
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I tried it today and it worked great. One of the lens was pretty bad and it cleaned it right up. Thanks for the post.
Old 04-22-2010, 02:50 PM
  #12  
Registered User
 
high bid's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Sarasota, FL
Posts: 2,158
Received 8 Likes on 8 Posts
Mine have excessive tartar build up any recomendations?
Old 04-25-2010, 01:10 PM
  #13  
Registered User
 
grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Evansville, In.
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by sheriffav8r
My headlights stink. So I bought a cleaning kit for about $10. Then they stunk, but a little less for awhile. Then they stunk the same again. I was watching Trucks! and they showed how to clean your headlights virtually free: Sand your headlights with some wet/dry sandpaper. They used 1500 but I had 600 lying around so I used that. Scrub for 5 minutes. Next, go into your bathroom and borrow the tube of toothpaste. Squirt some on your headlights and polish it with a buffing pad hooked onto your drill. I had an old polishing pad hanging around so I used that. Polish until the paste gets sort of dry and then a little more. Wipe off and clean with glass cleaner. Now my headlights look almost new. Aquafreshtastic!
I clean my headlights every month or so with just plain toothpaste. It does fine, it's cheap and they smell kissy sweet afterward.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
greenworks
ABDTR #5
11
11-10-2009 08:03 PM
roysleight
2nd Gen. Dodge Ram - No Drivetrain
4
10-23-2006 08:48 PM
Mark Craig
3rd Gen High Performance and Accessories (5.9L Only)
4
08-26-2005 07:57 AM
Mark Craig
Performance and Accessories 2nd gen only
3
08-25-2005 04:22 PM



Quick Reply: Free headlight cleaning!



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:28 AM.