What's a good product for just cleaning the dried on bugs off of your headlights. Mine is a '09 so I don't need to do any restoration. I just don't want to mess them up and scratch them all up. Does it make sense to put a good coat of wax on them after they're cleaned? Hopefully, the Spring Love Bug season is past us now.

 

For cleaning - Seafoam Bugs B Gone (get at O'Reillys or Advance, Autozone does not carry it). Spray on, let sit for a minute, then wash the covers with soap and water. For protection - Meguiars PlastX.

 

OK, THANKS !

I recently bought some Seafoam Bugs-B-Gone. I'll try another application and then pick up some PlastX. The hot headlights might have cooked them on a little bit :-)

 

If they are cooked on, you may need to use a bug sponge.

 

BUG SPONGE ? ? ? . . . . . . what the hell is that ???????

 

http://www.amazon.com/Viking-845100-.../dp/B001GJ7HCI

Should be able to find one at Walmart or an auto parts store.

 

Ah Ha !!!!! know exactely what it is now :-)

Basically what you find on the end of most window cleaners at service stations. Thanks, I'll go get one.

 

You need to use care and caution on plastic headlight lenses. They come from the factory with a UV coating if you get it wrong you will be doing an early restoration. Harsh chemicals and abrasives will remove the UV and scratch the lenses. Treat them more like soft paint... and yes always use a non abrasive wax or some type of protective plastic product with UV inhibitors.

I see the same damage from harsh soaps (auto car wash especially) and abrasives on plastic wheel center caps and headlights. The result will be premature fading and scratching.

Window cleaners will clean glass very well and will scratch plastic very well also with enough pressure bug guts and time.

 

PlastX has UV protection.

 

It does, but the coating that comes on them does a much better job.

 

Many thanks for all the input everyone.

I went with a second application of Bugs-B-Gone and got them clean. I have noticed though that B-B-G does leave a residue behind that takes a little more to get rinsed off ....... BUT IT DOES WORK !

 

You have to wash the B-B-G off with soap and water after it sits for no more than a minute or so. It also does remove wax.

 

If there is good wax protection (especially a synthetic wax like NXT) and at a minimum weekly washes, the bugs shouldn't be hard to wash off in the first place with much more than soap, water.

 

Can anyone recco the best product for polishing up a headlight that is dingy/yellowed from age? I just put new clear corners that are bright and shiny but the headlights now look old and ugly next to them, click the thumb to see what I mean.

 

I just used the Meguiars Headlight restoration today on my 2000 Civic. It was simple to do and did an awesome job! Got it at Walmart for like $19 I think. I have also used the 3M setup which works well also but it is like a 4 step process. From what yours looks like I would say the Meguiars will clear it right up. Hope this helps!