Does anyone else have a buildup (maybe calcium) on their headlights? I can’t get it off and wanted to know if anyone has found a product to remove this buildup from the headlights, that won’t leave any scratches.

 

it may be on the inside... it is possible, or it could be salt from the roads?

might try vinegar but I really cant promise that it wont hurt the plastic... but I dont think it will.

 

One thing is for sure, avoid using anything with amonia or other strong cleaners on the plastic lense!

for the outside a good spray plastic cleaner is ideal. My favorite is Plexus. It is like MAGIC on plastic. This stuff comes in handy all over the house and works great on DVDs and CDs.

If it is inside, that is a tricky matter. I am not sure what would be safe on the reflective surface. If it is on the inside I would take it to a dealer and see about a warranty claim. Headlights shouldn;t leak so bad the inside gets stained.

As usual, just my $0.02

 

I was a little nervous of the plastic cleaners because a couple of treads mentioned they received cracks in their lenses due to the plastic cleaners. I'll get over it and try some. Thanks

 

Plexus was designed for aircraft canopies. It cleans plastic safely (even colored plastic) and it leaves a VERY thin protective layer and fills voids in the surface to prevent degredation of the plastic.

It even has anti-static properties that when compbined with the protective coating help plastic stay cleaner longer.

I use it on all my CDs, DVDs, but I bought it at a motorcycle shop for my faceshields. If you use anything with amonia on a motorcyle face shield or windscreen it will yellow in no time. Plexus makes the plastic nearly invisible.

It totally ROCKS on instrument panels clear plastic. Just use an OLD CLEAN t-shirt and no scratches!

It can be a little hard to find. I have seen it at some bike shops (but not at the local Harley dealers). I have also seen it at the best local hardware store (yes we still have 1 or 2 despite the invasion of home depot).

If all else fails it is listed at shopping.yahoo.com


(Oh yeah, NEVER use Fantastic, Simple Green, Amonia products, 409, Window cleaner, or petroleum products on your plastic.)

 

try that calcium remover in the green jug. the stuff that dissolves calcium on water faucets. You probably have it in your paint too if you look closely. DO NOT use any solvent based concoctions as if there is any polycarbonate in the lens(most likely is for optical props) it will craze or at worst crack it. Haven't looked but there should be an ID somewhere that the recyclers use to ID the type of plastic. It will look something like >PC< or >ABS< or if it is a blend >PC-ABS<. Best thing to rinse your car with is soft water. Dries spot free. Most good dealers use soft water as a final rinse so the car can air dry without spotting. Less labor, fewer scratches from hand drying with a cloth.

 

Post some pictures of the problem, thats the only way for us forum folk to get an understanding of what you are referring to.

For the most part, dont use anything abrasive on the plastic unless you want to dull it. There are many plastic cleaners and polishes that can be used to repair whatever is wrong with your headlamps. We restore headlamps day in and day out.

- Mike / ClearCorners.Com

 

Sorry for the quality, but if you look real hard you can see the haze in the corners. The camera & I didn't quite capture the moment. I tried to use Novas #1 plastic cleaner and it didn't do anything. Tomorrow I'll take this to the dealer, but I don't know if they will do anything. Any advise would be appreciated.