# Headlight restoration (and toothpaste!)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 28, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188 "2015-08-28T17:31:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188/21 "2015-08-30T16:10:32Z")

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> [@Stink Fish Pot](#):
>
> Just curious, but why gasoline, and how did you come to this solution?
> 
> Not arguing with your results. 15 years speaks for itself!

A readily available volatile solvent (lawn mower and leaf blower fuel).

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**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2015, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188/22 "2015-08-30T18:44:24Z")

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Similar to gasoline, I stumbled onto carb cleaner as a restorer. A few drops got onto the old cloudy Marquis lens, and dried really clear. Since then, though, I usually just wet-sand down to 800 grit, let them dry thoroughly, and then use a fine 1" wide artist’s brush to finish with acetone. The solvent dissolves the surface of the plastic, letting the scratches and cloudiness flow out (to borrow a car painter’s term). The surface of the plastic does remain tacky for a while, so don’t touch it until it’s hard again.

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**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188/23 "2015-09-01T17:29:48Z")

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> [@california\_jobcase](#):
>
> …so don’t touch it until it’s hard again.

😃

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**Author:** ![Whiskey\_Dickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc348/32.png) [@Whiskey\_Dickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whiskey_Dickens)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/headlight-restoration-and-toothpaste/729188/24 "2015-09-02T15:54:58Z")

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I have refinished a ton of headlights, and here’s what I use for a spray on clear coat:  
[Rustoleum Clear, UV resistant, adheres to plastics](http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-249117-Painters-Purpose-12-Ounce/dp/B002BWOS5I/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1441209150&sr=1-3&keywords=rustoleum+clear+coat)  
Here’s a fantastic how to. Of the methods that I’ve used, it gives the absolute best results:

[Chris Fix through Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJbKLZ7RmM)

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