Fixing Cloudy Headlights Without Doing Your Head In

Give the whole front end a good scrub. You don't want grit or red dust getting caught under your sandpaper and deep-scratching the plastic. Dry it off thoroughly.

This is the most important part. Double-mask the paintwork around the headlight. I usually do two layers of tape. I learned this the hard way on a black Commodore, slipped with the sandpaper and took a chunk out of the bumper paint. Not a fun conversation with the missus, trust me.

It gives you better access to the top edges of the light and keeps you from sanding the underside of your hood.

Soak your 800-grit paper in your water bucket for 5 minutes. Spray the light and start sanding in straight, horizontal lines. The water will turn milky yellow, that's the dead UV coating coming off. Keep it wet! If it starts feeling 'grabby', add more water.

Wipe the light dry. It should look uniformly cloudy and dull, with no yellow spots left. If you see yellow patches, keep going with the 800. This is the 'point of no return' where most people panic, don't worry, it'll get clear again.

Now go in vertical lines with the 1500-grit. Changing direction helps you see when you've removed the 800-grit scratches. Keep it lubricated. This stage is about smoothing out the rough work you just did.

Back to horizontal lines. You'll notice the plastic starting to feel much smoother now. Spend a good 3-5 minutes per light here. The more effort you put in now, the easier the polishing will be.

I call this the 'polishing sandpaper'. Give it a real good go. By the time you're done and you wipe it dry, the light should have a slight 'satin' sheen to it, rather than being dead matte.

Put a few drops of compound on your pad. If you're doing it by hand, use plenty of elbow grease and small circular motions. If using a drill, keep it on a medium speed and keep the pad moving so you don't build up too much heat. Heat is the enemy of plastic!

Wipe away the polish residue with a clean microfibre. At this point, the light should look crystal clear. If it's still a bit hazy, give it another round of polishing.

Use your IPA or prep spray to wipe the lens. This removes any oils from the polish. If you don't do this, your sealant won't stick, and your hard work will disappear in a month.

Apply your UV sealant or ceramic coating. Usually, it's just a wipe-on, wipe-off job. Follow the instructions on the bottle. This is the 'sunscreen' that keeps the yellowing away.