What Causes Deep Scratches on Headlights?
There are many causes lead to scratching your car headlight, but we will give you some popular causes to avoid when using the car in daily life
Road debris – Small rocks, pebbles, and other debris kicked up from the road are a common cause of deep scratches on headlights. The debris hits the headlights with force, gouging the plastic lens. Unpaved and gravel roads tend to cause more debris-related scratches.
Aggressive car washes – The spinning brush pads at automatic car washes can snag on the rough edges of the headlight lens and cause deep scratches over time with repeated use.
Collisions and impacts – Car accidents or impacts with other objects like poles, garage doors, etc. often result in deep scratches or cracks in the headlight lens. Even minor bumps and scrapes can damage the headlights.
Chemical degradation – Road salt, harsh detergents, and acid rain can corrode and degrade the plastic headlight lens material over the years. This damage manifests as pits and scrapes on the surface.
UV degradation – The UV rays from the sun can make the plastic headlight lens brittle, resulting in cracks and fissures that expand into deep scratches when the lens catches or impacts objects.
Some Tips That May Help
1. Baking Soda and Toothpaste
Make a simple baking soda paste by mixing a few tablespoons of baking soda with a couple of drops of water. Apply the paste to your headlight scratches with a soft cloth or brush, then let it sit for about 5 minutes. The baking soda is a very fine abrasive that helps smooth out imperfections on the surface.
For an extra boost of polish, apply a little toothpaste to the area after scrubbing and buff in small circles with a soft cloth. Wash off the toothpaste with water and voila! Your headlight scratches should be looking markedly improved using these simple ingredients.
2. Water Stones
Water stones are a budget-friendly way to remove scratches from your headlights. These stones are becoming easier to find at hardware and auto parts stores. Rub the wet stone on your headlight lens. Add more water as needed to keep the stone lubricated. Wash away residue regularly as you work.
3. Turtle Wax Headlight Kit
This Turtle Wax Headlight Kit is effective, but you have to be careful not to sand through the thin plastic lens. To use this method, you attach sandpaper to a cordless drill and apply Turtle Wax polishing compound. Start sanding the lens in one direction. You will know the compound has smoothed the lens when it stops cutting. Wear safety glasses and gloves since sanding the lens this way removes material very fast
4. Vinegar and Baking Soda
The acid in the vinegar will work to loosen and break down street grime, rust, and other particles embedded in the deep scratches on your headlight lens. Combined with the abrasive properties of the baking soda, this solution can help to visibly improve severely scratched headlights. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse the answer off the lens when you're done and either buff or polish the surface.
Steps to Remove Deep Scratches
Clean the headlight: Before you start repairing the scratches, clean the headlight with soap and water. Dry it with a clean towel. If you are free, you should wash all your car before restoring your car headlight for comfortable.
Sand the headlight: Use sandpaper with a grit of 800 to 1200 to sand the headlight first.
Tip: Sand the entire headlight, not just the scratched area. This will ensure that the surface is smooth even if the scratches are deep or shallow.
Prepare a spray bottle filled with water to keep the surface wet while sanding. This will keep your headlight surface evenly.
Apply a rubbing compound: Apply a rubbing compound to the headlight with a soft cloth. Use circular or number 8 motions and apply gentle pressure. Rub the compound until the scratches become less visible.
Polish the headlight: Use a polishing compound to polish the headlight. Apply the compound with a soft cloth and rub it in circular motions. This will help remove any scratches and give the headlight a shiny finish.
Wax the headlight: Apply a coat of wax to the headlight to protect it from future scratches. Use a soft cloth and apply the wax in circular motions. Let the wax dry briefly before buffing it off with a clean cloth.
