Plastic Lenses- Cleaning & Polishing

[JamesWilson]

What's the best approach to cleaning and polsihing Plastic tailight lenses?

I've given mine a good washing- off the car and into the sink- soft cloth and toothbrush. But they still seem dull.

I'd rather not buy new, though they are available...

Recommendations about polishes, mops, cleaners, etc solicited.

 

[GregW]

Hi James,
For my dash, I used a polishing compound for plastic that comes in brick form (applies to a buffing wheel) called 3 X White Diamond. My motorcycle helmet gets Novus #1 on the face shield. I buy my stuff from Hastings Plastics , which is just down the street from me, not exactly local for you.

 

[Americanshine]

Hello James:

A good metal polish will take out the cloudyness of the tail light lense. A funny thing, I was at my chemist laboratory and he was telling me of this process that he was in the process of inventing and how much was involved. To his dismay, I asked him if he tried a good metal polish, the metal polish that we sell, he told me "NO, why?" And so I told him, because it works. It works on plexiglass, chrysler and ford headlight lense's, convertable top rear windows, and tail light lense's. Give it a try.

 

[Exotexs]

I use Meguiar's Plastic Polish #10 and if there's any scratches, I use Meguiar's Plastic Scratch Remover before the Polisher, makes my lenses like new, leaves no abrasion marks.

I tried using Metal polish, but it did leave a "cloudy" film and very fine abrasion marks on the plastic, while the Meguiar's "revived" the depth of the lens color, (whether Amber or Red or Clear), leaving it mark-free.

I got it at PepBoys, haven't seen it in other autoparts.

Ex

 

[JerryB]

I too use Meguiars but in the tan bottle. (different number?) The evidently have a few plastic rehab products...
works excellent on any Lexan or polycarbonates.

And BTW...Greg......dont use anything with ammonia on a helmet face shield....such as Windex. Weakens and changes the structure of the plastic.

 

[GregW]

Hi Jerry,
Thanks for the reminder. The Novus is a plexi-glass cleaner, so no ammonia.

 

[John Loftus]

I'm a long time user of Novus plastic polish #1, #2 and #3. I've always used it as a hand polish. Works great.

 

[Banjo]

Brasso. works beautifully.

 

[JamesWilson]

Brasso. works beautifully.

Gee, I've already got a can of that. Out to the garage and try a little on an inconspicuous spot...

 

[Exotexs]

Windex: poisonous to many many surfaces. Brasso is for metals, not plastic.

 

[1965_MGB]

I have used Mothers metal polish, as well as the Meguires plastic polish. I am in a constant battle with the headlights on my 94 Cougar clouding over, and have found that if the haze is not too bad, the plastic polish works good. If I let it go too long, I hit it with the metal polish, and then follow it with the plastic.

The plastic polish has revived even junkyard lenses that I have gotten, and was able to save.