How To Clean & Restore Headlights - Remove Yellow, Foggy Headlight Oxidation! 

*Almost a full year later and the headlights are still as clear as the day I made this video!* 10/10 would still recommend all of these products: - 3M Headlight Lens Restoration Kit: amzn.to/2IUptsU - Headlight Coating (Apply After - Keep Clear): amzn.to/2JkqZUQ - 3M Automotive Masking Tape: amzn.to/2W3wRWl - Automotive Glass Cleaner: amzn.to/2Dy4ZCP - 32oz Spray Bottle: amzn.to/2Dy2LDt - Meguiar's Microfiber Towels: amzn.to/2L2GO5m - Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax: amzn.to/2XGH3EH - Cordless Drill: amzn.to/2PtjDQs - Shop Towels: amzn.to/2IVOFz8

They came out great! and MUCH cheaper than replacing the lights!

_"Whether they're cordless or battery powered"_ Hmmm

Possibly the most well-explained and demonstrated videos i've come across. Great job!

I don't even have a car and yet I am looking at this. Thanks RU-vid Recommendations.

His messy workbench looks like my "clean" room lmao

A nice idea might be to use a different colour for the first layer of masking tape. That way you know you are getting close and can add more of the outer tape as soon as the inner peaks trough.

Thank you so much! I followed your advice to the T and I was able to restore my light. Patience is a must. Great great video!

Take the headlights out??

I would recommend adding some kind of protectant on it like a sealant, wax, or even paint protection film. It will slow down the process of oxidation happening again.

This channel is brilliant and actually useful! Keep up the good work mate!

Good vid. A thought regarding taping: first layer of tape = painters tape second layer of tape = duct tape (you won't burn through duct tape) third layer = painter's tape (optional, but easy to see if you are burning through)

My wife: “Yes honey, the head lights are very nice, but what did you get all over the bath Matt ?”

Since you're only provided one 3000 grit pad, can it be used 2 times?For example the opposite light.

Otacon from MGS just became a car expert. Great stuff!

This could be solved if they made their headlights with glass instead of plastic

New subscriber, I def needed to do something about my headlights. Ty, for the video I never thought in a million years to be so into my car maintenance. I guess there is an upside to Quarantine.

Did my e90 382xi N52 today. Used the 3M kit and your video proved to be spot on bro! Incredible results and I had far more oxidation than what you were dealing with, so I was a bit skeptical. I gave your video a s/o on my Amazon review. 🤜🏾🤛🏾

”Wether it's cordless or batty powered it doesn't really matter”

Daweeee headlights look so new. 😍 berry nice. Thank you for the details on method- like path for buffing and how to spray off from the facias instead of wiping off... Seems logical when you say it but its something I would've realized after the fact. 💪🌟 saving me the :😭. Haha. Also how did you guys get the checkers on the garage ceiling? Fancy!

Thank you. My passenger side needs some work. My Car looks like fatty wap 😂. I tried a different kit and it didnt do anything. I will be doing the 3m kit.

I did this and I burned the damn plastic. Looks like Poop now. WTH

What's that instrumental playing??? The first one??

DID THIS ... LASTED ONLY LIKE 4 MOS

Are you anywhere close to Chicago? I'd pay you good $ to fix my 750li headlights. Great work BTW. Respect

Damn I've been wanting to do this on my headlights too, im def ordering that kit.

Good job dude, helping people is good thing, explained in details not many people do that.

Take a shot every time he says, “um”.

Thank you so much, my lights went from completely yellow to a nice clear glass!!!

I wasn't able to get the 3m sanding kit in my country but I used the normal sandpaper we know. All I used was the p800 grit ,p1000 grit and 2000grit sandpaper to sand my oxidized headlamp. As you can see upthere they are already in order so I just had to clean them accordingly to the numbers of the sandpaper . first of all I took abucket of water added in some sunlight dish washing soap and i dipped in my sand paper to keep it soft so that it shouldn't scratch my headlamp. Secondly because I did not have a 3m kit available but had adrill ofcourse, I was forced to use my hands scrapping the whole headlamp uniformly in a circular pattern. When sanding, all I made sure my headlamps were always wet so I had a spray bottle aside with water in it to always keep the headlamp wet. After I did all the sanding from 800 grit to 2000grit sand paper the headlamp was smooth and clean all the oxidation was cleared out but it was foggy and it was high time to use the shield products to get rid of the foggyness since the headlamp oxidation was already wiped-out. I then waited abit to cool my hand-off coz it's really a process using ahand mostly the sanding part. then I applied my shield polish miraplate and used a microfiber cloth to polish the headlamp in a circular pattern. The fodgy started to fade out, I buffed with aclean microberfiber towel and all I could see the headlamp getting clearer it was really working. Then second step I applied the miraplate again for the shine to pop. I did the same process of polishing in a circular pattern then the headlamp was completely clean.then I applied carnauba wax to protect it from the UVs which made it even cleaner with a glossy effect. The process was the same. Great experience I had to restore my own headlamps. It wasn't 100% clean like how a newly car would look because I sanded it but what matters was I cleared out all the oxidation and it was restored and had that glossy effect again. No scratches were visible because some people might think the use of sandpaper would spoil there headlamp, I'm here to prove you wrong but my headlamp is 95% clean and glossy. Someone looking at the headlamp wouldn't notice a thing it was been sanded but myself did coz I knew how it was before and how it looked good after. 😊

You gave such detail and even put up product links. I can't image what's to dislike about this video but you know what they say, if you don't have haters, you ain't poppin. Thanks Jake

U Make a great job,👍✌️gratings from Romania 🇷🇴 transilvania,

This is a great kit for the DIYer!! When using power tools to sand the headlights I would definitely recommend layering the tape 3-4 high to protect the paint

I saw a video from Fix it chris on cleaning your headlights and it worked great on my 05 PT cruiser Gt it actually increases the price of the car.

As a Professional Detailer, there's a Much Faster way to do this but, 3M is an AWESOME product line for auto care! Yeah, doing that, " clear coat is the proper finish for long-lasting results. " that too is going to start to chip away as you drive, peeling will eventually occur and of course in Some cases, it's going to have to be redone. Just leave them after final polishing, yeah, I agree with the waxing but, get a drill pad like the one in the 3M kit and purchase some 3M Ultrafine Machine Polish, hand apply or use the polishing pad at low rpms. 3M Perfect-It 16oz Buffing & Polishing Compound system.

DON'T USE WAX ... it's not good for the plastic. There's headlight sealer that doesn't hurt the plastic and it won't yellow it up

I like the music on the background 🤞

where is UV protection layer? spray or foil is needed...

7:18 or you just remove the headlights in the first place so you can completely avoid mistakes like that 🤷🏻‍♂️

You don’t need water for the first two steps. Gold and white sanding discs should be done with no lubrication as the instructions don’t mention water for those steps. It’s only mentioned during the 3000grit step should the water be used for sure cuz it’s basically wet sanding. I used this same kit, following the instructions, and they came out looking brand new lol. I get why you recommend the water to not burn the plastic on the headlight but in a way I don’t think you’re getting the full effect of the first two steps. Don’t get me wrong, your work came out good no doubt. Just run the drill a bit slower so as not to burn the headlight lol. First two steps should give you a frosted look. The 3000grit should give you a light hazy look and the rubbing compound will give you the fresh ass brand new look haha good shit though man 👌🏽

Definitely need this for my mustang . The lights are horrible . Thanks for the video!!

You're using abrasives, not good because they'll eventually yellow permanently. The safest method is a ALR type deoxidizer. Leaves the UV layer intact.

"cordless or battery powered" ?!?!

Holy crap need to do this to my M3 when I get the engine fixed!

Looking good man, I need to do this... There's some glass sealants out there that are supposed to help protect from uv

This is 5 th such video I have been watching Still lazy to try on my car Still searching for the best techniques

I put sticker on my head light. Sticker residue is also hard to remove...

Don't spend your money on that kit, just get some 600, 800, 1500 sandpaper, wet sand lights starting with 600, work your way to 1500 and use either Meguire's polishing compound or Mother's polish. You will save a lot of money.

Thank you so much for your help, this was my project over the weekend and I'm proud to say that I did a pretty great job!!!😀 😊 👍

Nice polishing, thanks for the buffing lesson. I got a Meguires kit thet seemed to work pretty good but the clarity didn’t last long. I guess you have to wax them.

Don't worry guys, I'm getting all of the small stuff out of the way first. *Lots of mods & maintenance coming to the 335i soon!*

The sanding pad process is the best for results but it's a lot of work. If you want a quick fix getting the yellowish haze out then the 3M headlight restore polish does a really good job in just a few minutes. Simple to use, you apply it like car polish, wax-on wax-off with a cloth.

Great walk through! I just used the Meguiar's heavy duty kit on my 135is ;) and unfortunately it didn't work as well. I see now that the drill bit and multiple sand papers they provide in the 3M kit are what I really needed. Gonna be purchasing this kit now, thanks!

I want to thank you for this video, i bought that lil kit, some Meguiar's headlight coating for afterwards and basically followed your instruction without even following their instruction and the outcome was great. I used an electric drill, i was going to use masking tape, but unfortunately, my tape was old and wasnt tearing off properly, so i used what every man would grab next,...... ???? .......... DUCK TAPE!! hahaha, it worked great as well and didnt tear one time with only one layer. i just knew i was going to rip off my paint when i removed it, but all went well haha, Thanks again for the video!

Thank god! There is a kit :)

You’ll need 2 kits for sure.. plus you need to realize you’re essentially resurfacing your headlights without laying down an actual clear coat over the foggy/sanded/buffed plastic. That oily coat you apply at the end that enhances clarity and shine wont last a week!

I'm a detailer glad u did it the right way thought maybe u was gonna wipe oil on them to make them last a week before the oxidation comes back

Or... you can use rubbing compound followed by polishing compound followed by a good cleaner wax... Save yourself some money... Be smart...

That 3M kit is one of the only things I've tried, in terms of DIY car restoration things, that works better than I expected. I was blown away by how glossy and perfect the lenses turned out. You just can't skip steps, as tempting as it is after finishing the first one!

Hello. I've recently did this, they turned out pretty clear. There is one small problem, both of my headlights are burnt from inside, probably from lightbulb failure, is there any way to get rid of them burn marks or is it better just to replace them?

Perfectly timed! I've been meaning to do this on my E82, and the E90 I just picked up is in dire need of this DIY. Plan on doing it tonight to 4 lights.

Good video, except next time take the time and pull your headlights out, it will save you accidentally sanding your bar, then you can use an orbital sander which will give you sooo much more control! I wouldn't waist your time buffing them after you sand them, because you actually sanded off the remaining clearcoat they have from factory, that means unless you clearcoat them again you will have no UV protectant on the lenses and they will get brittle, fade and fall apart! After you sand them with 800, or 1200 grit(dont go to fine or the clear wont stick), clearcoat them and they will look better than brand new!

Cordless or battery powered lol

You remind me of this young man who use to work at this emissions testing place I use to take Our client's car's... good job very informative...now I can try this and stop pulling over to check if my headlights are on😂

Great video. Your explanations are very helpful. Keep up the awesome content

Used the 3M headlight on my wife’s car. Got the extreme yellowing off. Only down side is that I still have some haze left after going through all the pads. Didn’t really have the cash to go out and buy a 1200 rpm+ drill so I was stuck with my old 600 rpm drill. Gonna do it over soon with a 1200+ rpm drill. Great video though.

Coated my headlught lenses with Krylon clear gloss. Still look new after 2 years.

Its pretty much a 1500 then 2000 to 3000 and then buffing , process.

I've done all my cars with the same results.....With just the rubbing compound should take no longer then 5 min. per headlight. So much easier.

Great just what I've been looking for. 👍🏻 Q7 Head lights to do.

Try using mothers aluminum and mag polish takes the sanding part out .

what if I skip the last step and spray it with an anti-uv clear coat instead?

Great and very helpful video. Had great results following your instructions!

Works works works from start to finish 30 mins car looks new

Saw this kit earlier. Definitely going to give it a go.

I got mine done by a pro and he put a thin coat of clear varnish on top instead of waxing over and over.

5:45 “Make sure not to go in a random pattern nice organized up and down” Right when he starts he just starts randomly doing it

You should check out ChrisFix's method to restore headlights. Unlike 3M's method, his is permanent, and your headlights will never oxidize again.

Scotty laughing!

I think you can change just the lens on those. My e46 was like that, I just bought 2 new lenses for $15 from eBay. I can say that’s pretty much the only thing that I liked about BMWs lmao

This is the best kit that I have used. I have used it a dozen times and it never Let’s you down. The last step would be to keep them looking good for a long time like 5 years! Instead of wax, wipe with isopropyl alcohol and apply a 3M Pro headlight film that you can get on amazon. If the film gets yellow just remove and reapply, no more sanding. Great video 👍🏻👍🏻

Burning through tape is why I hand sand takes a lot longer but I don’t have to worry about damaging my car paint and I can get really detailed but these turned out GREAT

The second is 3000 grip but the first one how much is it thanks

I did the same thing that's you did by burning into the tape but thank God I did not do any damage to my bumper I used the blue painter's tape but I put down 2 layers next to each other and then I used duct tape which is very strong putting that on top of the blue tape so now you have the door ability of the duct tape but it was easy to peel off because I had the blue painter's tape underneath

Great job! I feel this video gives me the confidence to do my own on my truck. I will add the ceramic coating on my mine. Thank you for sharing this.

you can get cans of clear UV protectant spray specifically for headlights. I did this to a Kia 2 years ago and they still look like new, minus a few scuffs from normal daily wear. I previously did the kit and just stopped at the polish and it went back to yellow/haze within 3 months. MUST protect from UV!

Best headlight restoration I've seen beats them people spilling Coke all over the damn things.

is it oxidation or is it being pitted by wind and grit in the wind hitting it at speed?

I'm follow you from Yemen

What about clear coat? After a month they will again look bad without protection

GOOD JOB BRO ! THANKS FOR THE STEP BY STEP !

I'm not happy after doing passenger side headlight. Quality is good but the WOBBLING of the sanding pads SCRAPED 2 slits on the bumper paint. Like you! But mine it went thru the the paint and into black bumper! Now I got 2 ugly damaged spots and me angry. I did put 3 layers of masking tapes prior but the protruding sanding pads wider than the spinning pad is BAD BAD BAD idea. Plus they wobble when spinning. Now I'm hesitating to do the driver side. There has to be different ways to do it. After seeing the problems, I avoided reaching close to the bumper/fender. Tight corners I used finger to sand. Why did 3M make the sanding pads WIDER than the backing disc? SUCKS!

Instead of using water, I would recommend using detail spray for more lubrication

If you sand at the start you don't need to clean it first... unless it is clearly covered in muck and you cannot see your work area (think caked in mud!)... clean it after you sand, given you will make a mess when sanding it. Most headlights come out easily, so if you really want to minimise the risk of body damage, just remove them and pop them in a vice with a rubber mat. Instead of this kit... you can just use a high grit sandpaper (1500+), then clean area with soapy water, then clean again with isopropanol, then spray a clear coat, then buff. Cheaper, quicker and what professionals do when you pay them (y). The clear coat is the key to a great finish as it levels out all the imperfections creating a clear looking lens.

Love the background music. Reminds me of a 70's porn movie :D

Dude after watching this you gotta change the car to bright green

U speak like a chris fix dude..

They were much more yellow in the thumbnail My were so bad i had to replace them, because the yellow came back a few months later

Now all it needs is 2k clear preferably the spray max. That will last it a while before it yellows again

Why you don’t remove the Headlight??? Than you can achieve also the corner... Also, instead of Wax - use a clear varnish..