Best Headlight Restoration Kits: Shine a Light on the Road Ahead | Autance

Ever driven at night, mentally cursing your dim headlights that limit your visibility on the road? The specific amount of particulate matter in the air depends on where you live. Rural zones have gravel and dirt road kickbacks, while urban areas contend with pollution from industry. In either case, exposure to this dust, paired with the ambient humidity and ultraviolet radiation, takes a toll on your headlights. However, a good headlight restoration kit can restore that function. 

Of course, no two restoration kits are made alike. Each is designed to address a specific type of damage, ranging from sunlight to scratches and debris. The key is to identify the best headlight restoration kit for your driving style and circumstances. We’ve gone ahead and tracked down the best headlight restoration kits on the market, along with some tips and tricks on using them.

The Best Headlight Restoration Kits

Headlight Restoration Kit Buying Guide & FAQ

Finding the best headlight restoration kit is about more than just finding something to shine up your headlights — it’s about finding a compatible formula that works for the type of headlight and the damage it’s faced. Without proper headlight setups, safe driving is next to impossible. To find the top kit, the most important thing is to keep your key objective in mind: get as much light on the road as you can.

Headlights average 700 to 1,200 lumens, with the latter on high beam. This is designed for the safety of everyone on the road, giving you visibility without blinding the other drivers. The opacity of your headlights impacts the ability of light to move properly. Light moves easier through a transparent surface, worse as it grows increasingly translucent and won’t penetrate an opaque surface. A headlight restoration kit effectively turns back time, returning the headlights to transparent or translucent.

To get this done, you’re going to need a few supplies. First, you need a buffer, sanding agent, and probably a drill to make lighter work of the project. The drill connects to specifically designed scrubbers that smooth out the headlight, in conjunction with the chemical formula that evens it out and adds a protective layer. When you buy your kit, make sure it has all the parts you need to get the job done and that the formula matches the damage type. 

Once done, there’s an easy test for success. When it’s dark, face your car towards the driveway. Turn on the high beams (assuming it’s safe) and check how far you can see. Repeat this process once your high beams are clean. Provided you got the suitable kit and used it correctly, the difference will be crystal clear.

What is a Headlight Restoration Kit?

A headlight restoration kit is made to bring your headlights back to their former glory. Wear and tear are natural, and you can’t expect your lights to work forever. However, just because something is flawed doesn’t necessarily mean you must replace it. Looking at PartsGeek, you can easily expect to pay a couple of hundred dollars to replace headlights. Instead, the average price point of a restoration kit is around $20 to $30.

A restoration kit works by buffing away imperfections and coating the exterior with a blend of hydrophobic chemicals. These repel water, prevent dust build-up and degradation from ultraviolet radiation exposure. Based on the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), each manufacturer uses a slightly different formula. However, some things remain true: all of them include a clarifying agent, a polymer chemical that creates a battier, and an additive to molecularly optimize the other ingredients. 

What Makes Headlights Discolored?

Ever spent a day out hiking, finding your arms sunburnt and your skin covered in a layer of dust? Well, your car’s headlights experience that every day. Restoration kits are excellent for repairs, but they also work as a protective layer (similar to sunscreen). The specifics of how headlights get discolored depend on whether it’s glass or plastic. While glass wears down more slowly, it scratches more easily.

The first enemy of your headlight is ultraviolet radiation, both type A and B. Waves at this frequency cause damage to your headlight lens and even to the backing component. Sunlight exposure from oxidation results in yellowing. Though wear and tear is an eventuality, you can use a restoration chemical as a sunscreen-like coating for your headlights. 

Another form of damage is from dust and debris. Eventually, everything from small acid particles in precipitation to the dust in the air will wear down your headlights. You can manage the decline, however, by picking the best headlight restoration kit for your environment.

Which Headlight Restorer is Best?

Picking out the best headlight restorer is more individualized than you may think. Instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, your headlight treatment needs to reflect your environment. The vast majority of headlights are made out of polymer. By identifying your biggest risk factors and types of damage, you can make the right choice more easily. 

• Ultraviolet radiation: Ultraviolet light lies just on the edge of human perception on the electromagnetic spectrum, ringing in around 380 nanometers. But just because it’s invisible to the human eye doesn’t make it any kinder on your headlights. The best way to handle light is to reflect it. The polished sheen and lasting ceramic treatment is a good approach to UV damage. For this, consider the CLT Headlight Restoration Kit since it reflects sunlight and slows the damage. 
• Dust and debris: When you live in a rural area, full of particulates in the air from fields, dirt roads, and everything in between, your headlights are going to take a beating. Paired with the moisture in the air, the dust will slowly wear away at the structure of the headlight. It causes the lightbulbs to disperse light incorrectly. To address this and refocus the lumens, the Rain X Premium Headlight Restoration Kit. 
• Scratches and dings: It happens to the best of us — drivers pass by on the road, kick up rocks, and leave the dents behind. Even if it’s just small bits, over time, your headlights can take a beating. To best this circumstance, find a headlight restorer kit that works as a filler and a sealant. In the best cases, provided you buff using a drill, you can bring them back to new-looking (and performing. Try the Blue Magic Products Headlight Restorer to get the job done. 
• Pollution and acid: The sulphuric acid and nitrogen oxides in acid rain react with all the surfaces they touch. For people, it’s less of a concern (you’re in the car, after all). But your headlights take the brunt of the damage. Eventually, it shows, and your headlights don’t pack the punch they once did. To address this, consider Turtle Wax T-240KT Headlight Restorer Kit for its tough performance and lasting effects. 

What is the best way to clean cloudy headlights?

Cloudy headlights mean the surface of the polymer has been damaged. Regardless of the nature of the damage, two key steps will make or break the results: first, you’re going to want a buffing agent. This gritty material is used (often in conjunction with the added efficiency of a drill) to strip away damage and leave a smooth exterior. The idea is to neither over nor underdo it. Too much grit risks extra damage, while too little risks poor results. Aim for slow and steady so that you can stop at the perfect time. 

The next step is to take a polishing agent. Applying this with a microfiber cloth, you evenly spread it over the buffed headlight. While you put it on the headlights, it restores sheen and evens out any imperfections. The idea is to get it on evenly so that you get a proper layer of protection when it dries, slowing the wear process of your headlights. 

How long do headlight restoration kits last?

Nothing is permanent, and headlight restoration kits are no exception to this rule. Eventually, the layer of protection you pop over the headlights will wane in effectiveness. It suffers the same wear and tear as the headlights, after all. The duration of the effects will depend on your environment, driving habits, and whether you got a high-quality restoration kit. Finding a restoration kit for your headlights that matches your situation can improve performance for a couple of years. 

What household items can I use to restore headlights?

If you could get away with using household materials to replace automobile treatments, the entire vehicle fluid industry wouldn’t exist. Unless you have a fully equipped chem lab, balancing that formula will be tricky. Plus, the risk of spills and fumes far outweighs the benefits. It costs more to get the combined materials for a headlight restoration kit than just buying one outright. 

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How do I permanently restore my headlights?

The short answer: you can’t. You can (just shy of) completely restore your headlights, but it won’t fix them entirely. That said, there are formulas you can choose that extend the lifespan of the headlight restorer. What you’re looking for is a sealant — these come in varying intensities, but the goal is to remain as see-through as possible while also staying durable. The polysulfides are stable, but they are rigid and thus more vulnerable to scratch damage. Polyurethanes and silicones, on the other hand, are more versatile. Formulas heavy in these chemicals will last longer. When you’re discussing permanency, it’s less of a matter of infinity and more a factor of longevity. The higher the silicon content and the more elastic the polyurethane is, the better able it will be to weather the slings and arrows of everyday life on the road. 

Can Your Car Fail Inspection for Cloudy Lights?

Technically, anything that makes your car unfit to drive on the road will cause it to fail an inspection. Sure, not having a window in the backseat doesn’t mean you can’t drive, but it does mean the state is within its rights not to register the vehicle. Your headlight quality follows that same logic. It’s easy enough to fix, but if you go into a mechanic asking them to get it up to code, you could end up paying professional costs for an easy at-home task. Worst case, you get charged for a complete headlight replacement—best case, you’re out-of-pocket shop time. Instead of running the risk, take a quick half-hour and bring your headlights up to snuff. 

You Need Advanced UV Protection if You Live in the Desert

The desert isn’t the only place to get ultraviolet radiation. Yes, it gets a lot of thermal radiation, and yes, the UV index is likely higher, but just because you live outside of the desert doesn’t eliminate the need for UV protection. Don’t just consider the nature of your climate, but more importantly, the UV index in your region. This will give you a better picture of what to look for in UV protection for headlights. The key to this feature is reflection—you don’t want to have the chemicals in the polycarbonate plastic interacting with that radiation. Look for a material that bounces it back, such as a ceramic protective agent that reflects those rays back outward.

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How Do You Clean Your Headlight Lens?

Using a headlight restoration kit is intuitive by design. No one wants a maintenance project to also be a riddle. That’s what makes restoration kits so valuable. They come with everything you need, plus specialized formulas to address your headlights. There are a few basic steps:

• Find the Best Headlight Restoration Kit for your Car: First, figure out the root of the issue with your headlights. Are you contending with yellowing and UV damage? Is it small scratches from debris due to moisture? Pick a restorative chemical that will address your specific concerns — and hopefully keep them from coming back any time soon. 
• Show some grit and sand away the imperfections: Once you have the kit in hand, the process is clear cut. First, you want to get rid of all the imperfections from the surface. You’re likely to take a good layer of the plastic off with it (not noticeable, really, but it will have sanded away). If you’re okay with using elbow grease, go for it. Otherwise, attach it to a drill and set it to low. Use the evenness of the attachment to smooth out the results.
• Apply the wax sealing fluid to the surface: Next, you’ll want to put the sealant in place. This will take the dull appearance of the buffered surface and turn it into a bright, even headlight. The added sheen will control the refraction from your lightbulbs. This is usually applied with a microfiber cloth. It can’t be overemphasized: be even in your application. It might take a few extra minutes, but precision goes a long way. 
• Control the drying process: The last thing that you want is for your newly buffed and beautiful headlights to take on a bunch of dust or get wet. Aim to do this in a controlled environment. It will give you better results since the chemical goes on more evenly and has the proper opportunity to fill the small gaps in the polycarbonate plastic. 
• Test it out: It’s easy to see if it worked with a quick before and after. How far away can you see on a dark road at night beforehand? Count it in seconds at a set speed, using a distant sign or landmark as your parameter. When you’ve applied the restoration kit, run the experiment once more. Turn on your lights on an evening road and check how far you can see. If everything goes according to plan, you should get a longer count with your new headlights.

The final results of a headlight restoration kit should be clearer night vision, added road safety, and a striking new look for your ride.

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How Often Should I Use a Headlight Restoration Kit?

Finding the right maintenance schedule can be sort of tricky. It varies based on how much you drive and how the environment impacts your vehicle. From cold weather and salt on the road to heavy UV damage, there are all sorts of criteria. Chances are that if you notice visual damage to the lenses, it’s time. Be sure to pick a dry day to do the upkeep. If you don’t really see any clear damage, then once a year should be enough. 

It’s also better to wait until the warm seasons if you plan to take on the work yourself. Choose a day with the lowest possible humidity (and no precipitation). Warmer days lend themselves to making headlight restoration easier and make sure it lasts longer, so it is definitely worth the wait. 

Benefits of Using a Headlight Restoration Kit

The vast majority of headlights are manufactured using polycarbonate plastic. There are many advantages to this type of material (namely that it doesn’t shatter like glass). But there are some drawbacks, too. UV fading, scratches, and discoloration compromise function. However, with a quick application of a headlight restoration kit, you can return your headlights to their off-the-line glory. It’s about more than sheen, though. There’s a host of advantages to gain from using these kits. 

• Improved visibility: The first benefit is the most obvious. If more lumens can escape the headlight cover, then you will get brighter results. The clearer your headlights, the further you see. It makes you more visible to fellow drivers and can assist in reaction time to obstructions on the road. There’s a huge difference in braking opportunities between seeing a deer the full 150 feet away than spotting it at only 50 feet away. Clearer headlights make you safer on the road overall.
• Increased car value: Technically, when buying a car, you’ll look more at the engine, mileage, transmission, etc. However, those minor dings and scrapes make it a whole lot less appealing to a potential buyer. Fixing dents and restoring your headlights are a few low-cost approaches you can take to making your car stand out from the crowd.
• Saves you money: When you need to repair your headlights, you’re going to be dropping three figures. It costs at least a hundred dollars to get new headlight kits. On the other hand, restoring them lets you get away with all the benefits for less than $30 in most cases. You can find some serious budget options that give you all the advantages without the expense.
• Rejuvenates your ride: It’s estimated that the average person spends over 100 minutes in their car every day. Your vehicle becomes an extension of the self, both in performance and appearance. So, having properly working headlights that look and work well gives you (and your car) a well-deserved edge. 
• Less risk of damage to the car: While everything would probably go well if you were to replace your headlights, there is a lot more room for error. You’re dealing with hardware, wires, and plenty of potential issues. Conversely, buffing and polishing your headlights is a non-invasive way to get the job done.

Our Top Picks for the Best Headlight Restoration Kit

After careful consideration, we think the 3M Brand 39008 Headlight Restoration Kit is the best overall headlight restoration kit on the market. Not only is it powerful and reliable, but it also has impressively long-lasting effects. It works on all types of headlights and consistently leaves behind smooth, clear surfaces. Addressing the flaws in the plastic or glass casing and filling them with an appropriate resin gives a smooth look. Ultraviolet protection lends to longevity, while the effective chemical formula offers you unencumbered light when driving in the dark.

Sources:

1. Incredible Benefits to Headlight Restoration – Delta Kits