Home / Cleaning / Top 9 Best Headlight Restoration Kits: Keeping It New

Top 9 Best Headlight Restoration Kits: Keeping It New

Best Headlight Restoration Kit

Everything you see today has its limit. That polycarbonate plastic headlight lens of yours will start to degrade after it leaves from the factory. Common causes of degradation are air pollution, small debris on the air while driving, and of course, harmful UV light from the sun. These factors will cause your lens to degrade, causing it to discolor, limiting the brightness of your headlight bulb.

Degradation is inevitable. To solve this dilemma, aftermarket manufacturers created a solution called the headlight restoration kit. With this kit, you can restore your cloudy headlight lens with a little elbow grease.

I know you aren’t here to learn about the process, but for the best headlight restoration kit. So let’s jump right into it.

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Best Headlight Restoration Kit

1. Sylvania – Headlight Restoration Kit

Sylvania - Headlight Restoration Kit

The Sylvania is the best headlight restoration kit. Well, there are several reasons why it claimed the spot. One, it’s easy to follow the steps on how to use each component of the kit. Second is its effectiveness in removing the yellowish stain on the lens and restoring it as if it was new.

Aside from removing any discoloration, it also provides protection from harmful UV light, preventing it from turning yellow or general discoloration of your lens. After using this kit, the greatest feature I discovered is its ability to shine and give clearness to the lens.

Other than that, this kit offers a lifetime warranty. According to their site, they guarantee a lifetime warranty of their product, that’s how confident they are with their product. Now that’s that one heck of an offer.

Using this kit, restoring your lenses is no biggy. With its easy to follow steps, you can finish it with less amount of effort and time. And that gives you more time to do other things.

What I greatly loved about Sylvania is the easy step by step procedure of how to use it. You can get rid of stubborn haze on your headlight lenses with minimal effort through this kit. As mentioned, this product comes with a lifetime warranty, ensuring that you’ll get the best out of your money.

One thing that I found about this product that it takes a tiring four hours or more for the UV protection to activate. Still, it’s worth it, though.

Pros

  • Easy 3-Step Procedure
  • Lifetime Warranty
  • Outstanding UV protection

Cons

  • Takes four long hours for the UV protection to take effect

2. 3M Headlight Lens Restoration Kit

3M Headlight Lens Restoration Kit

The 3M headlight restoration is considered as one of the best restoration kits by most auto junkies from all around the world. The same with the Sylvania, it includes all you need to restore your cloudy headlight lenses. And, it only takes up to 3 steps to apply this product to your headlight lens.

The product comes with high-quality abrasives and polishing compounds to help you restore your headlight as if it were new. The kit contains a 2.75-inch diameter foam and four different kinds of abrasive discs.

The 3M took advantage of the abrasive technology to help you remove unsightly scratches, hazy look, and discolorations, while regular cleaners cannot.

I found out that the 3M does work as advertised. To achieve that, you might need to put some effort when you start polishing the surface of the lens. This process will remove the oxidized plastic from the lens. I would suggest that you’d wear a mask when you do this to avoid inhaling the dust.

What I like about the 3M is the number of abrasives that comes with it. The kit has four different grit discs: 500, 800, 1000, and 3000 to ensure a smooth surface after the sanding process. However, the only problem I have with this product is that it needs a power drill for the sanding process. Now if this product needs to have a power drill for sanding, then it’s not an all in one product at all.

Still, this product is excellent, and I highly recommend it. It’s also rated as the top headlight restoration kit at amazon.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Has several abrasives
  • Easy to use
  • Works on almost all plastic surfaces

Cons

  • Needs a power drill to utilize its full capacity of the kit

3. Rust-Oleum Wipe New Headlight Restore

Rust-Oleum Wipe New Headlight Restore

If you are a minimalist kind of person, then this kit is for you. The Rust-Oleum offers a minimalist approach in headlight restoration. You’ll find inside the box a small foam block which has a green block on the side, and a gray on the other.

The product is so simple and straightforward to use. All you have to do is to clean the lens, wet sand it, polish it with formula, and you’re done.

This restoration kit also claims to protect the lenses for more than 100 car washes, and also, you’ll get a lifetime warranty of the product. That’s how confident they are with their restoration kit.

Restoring your headlight lenses has never been comfortable with Rust-Oleum. Get yours now, and have those annoying scratches, yellowish, and foggy look on your headlight lenses. This is possible, all thanks to the nano-polymer formula included in the product. This helps restore the former smoothness of the lenses.

I know you like this kit as much as I do. It’s because it’s easy to use and straightforward. Other than that, it’s also affordable and has a lifetime warranty on its name.

The only problem that I see on this product is the strong odor of the formula, which is quite understandable. Nevertheless, it’s for polishing and for additional protection on the lenses. I would advise that you would use this kit outside of your garage so that you won’t inhale much of the odor.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Very easy to use
  • Has a lifetime warranty
  • Superior protection

Cons

  • The formula has a strong odor
  • Takes an hour or more for the formula to take effect

4. Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit

Mothers NuLens Headlight Renewal Kit

A common problem with transparent plastics is discoloration. Even our headlight lenses, which are made of polycarbonate plastic, are also prone to discoloration. Even though it is quite strong to handle the most beating on the road, it doesn’t withstand the pushing blow of the sun.

Harmful UV rays slowly degrade the durable plastic. A chemical reaction takes place on the lenses causing it to turn yellow. Aside from that, scratches are also a huge problem. Too many scratches can turn your headlight lenses quite cloudy, blocking much of the light from your bulb.

For stubborn scratches and yellowing, Mothers NuLens is your solution. This kit comes with an exclusive PowerPlastic 4Lights polish that effectively restores the lenses with crystal clarity. It also comes with three-inch restoration discs, backing plate, and of course, the polish solution.

Mothers engineered their solution to help protect the polycarbonate lenses from the harmful UV, which significantly reduces the wear and tear of the lenses.

What I like about the Mothers NuLens is the fast-acting polish solution. It only takes a minute or even seconds for the solution to be activated on the surface of the lens. That said, restoring your headlights is a lot easy and quick.

However, the only drawback that I found from this kit is that it needs a power drill to efficiently use the abrasive, and the polish solution. Still, this is an excellent restoration kit, to begin with.

Pros

  • Polish solution and coating works in seconds
  • Can last for years after one application
  • PowerBall 4Light tool included

Cons

  • Requires a power drill to effectively use the kit

5. Meguiar’s Two-Step Restoration Headlight Kit

Meguiar's Two-Step Restoration Headlight Kit

Another cause why headlight lenses turn hazy is because of oxidation. This occurrence is quite common and inevitable. But Meguiar’s Two-Step restoration headlight kit helps you bring back the clearness of your headlight lenses.

You can easily peel off the oxidized portion easily with the abrasive solution and the abrasive pad included in the kit. Using the kit is as easy with Sylvania, so straightforward and easy to follow.

Perhaps that could be the reason why this kit is also top-rated at the market today. Not to mention, the abrasive solution also has coating properties. This will protect your lenses from yellowing and oxidation for about a year.

Using this kit will leave your lenses a brilliant and lasting clearness for a year. Giving you more vision on the road when driving at night, and maximizing the luminosity of your headlight bulb.

I love the straightforward and easy to follow Procedure on how to use this kit. I’m pretty sure car owners who don’t have any power drill will be delighted with this kit. All you need for this kit is a bit of elbow grease, and voila, you’ll have a clean and new looking headlight.

The only problem with this kit is that it doesn’t work well with coated plastics.

Pros

  • Outstanding year-long protection
  • Easy to use
  • The polishing solution works in minutes
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Doesn’t work well with coated plastics

6. Turtle Wax T-240KT Headlight Lens Restorer Kit

Turtle Wax T-240KT Headlight Lens Restorer Kit

Tough yellowing is no match with Turtle Wax. This kit right here is versatile enough to fix any yellowish and foggy headlight lenses. And because of that capability, Turtle wax is one of the leading high-rated headlight restoration kits in the market.

Turtle wax works fine with several surfaces, including fiberglass chassis of any vehicle. You’ll get a fast result after using it. In just mere minutes, you’ll have your headlight lenses clear, and new looking.

The kit includes three restoration pads with various grits. This kit also provides an easy-to-use solution to clear up dull and foggy headlights, improving the lens’s appearance and giving your greater visibility on the road.

All of that is possible thanks to the Lens Clarifying Compound included in the kit. This solution quickly removes discoloration on the lens, bringing its clarity as if it were new.

That clearness and brightness are then sealed with their sealing solution. The solution helps protect the surface of the lens from harmful UV exposure, preventing it from reacting or discoloration.

I like the kit because it’s easy to use, the steps are easy to follow, it doesn’t need a power drill, and it only takes a couple of minutes for the solution to take effect. Also, this product isn’t expensive at all. No wonder why a lot of car owners trusted this kit.

Pros

  • Fast-acting coating solution
  • Affordable
  • Easy-to-use

Cons

  • Has issues with its effectiveness on some lens with other car brands

7. Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit

Rain-X Headlight Restoration Kit

You must have already heard the brand Rain-X. Well, this brand is actually known for its water-repellent products. Other than that, they also offer a headlight restoration kit, which is quite good at removing hazy and yellowish on your headlight lens.

The kit includes a lubricant, polishing and coating solutions, some polishing pads, and some microfiber cloth. With these components, restoring your headlight will be easy and fast. Using this product will significantly improve the appearance of your headlight.

Unlike with other kits, this one doesn’t need a power drill at all to polish your headlight. No tools needed.

The Rain-X restoration kit is actually living up to its promise of restoring your headlight as if it were new. With its all-in-one kit and easy to follow steps, no wonder it gained a lot of positive reviews.

However, there’s quite a disadvantage for this kit. The polishing pads are a bit small and are hard to hold onto it when polishing. Still, it is quite a small drawback, but you can still achieve the desired results without exerting too much effort.

Pros

  • Trusted brand
  • No tools needed
  • All-in-one restoration kit
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Polishing pads are too small to hold on.

8. CLT Headlight Restoration Kit

CLT Headlight Restoration Kit

If you are really in a hurry to fix your foggy headlights, then I’d suggest you’d try CLT. This product right here is designed to polish and restore your headlights lenses in just a couple of minutes. With three simple steps, you can have a clear and appealing headlight after.

Using this kit is pretty simple. All you have to do is to clean it, then polish it, and lastly, coat the lens with a special coating solution. It’s that easy.

In the kit, you’ll get two yellow wipes (one for each headlight), and an orange wipes for coating. This product is relatively affordable and easy to use. Also, you won’t have to worry about using a drill with this kit. You can just use your hands and some elbow grease when polishing the headlight lenses.

This kit is perfect for quick restoration, especially if you are in a hurry to travel during the night, and you want to have a more unobstructed view of the road. As mentioned, the kit is easy to use, and it’s coating works in just minutes.

The only drawback for this kit is that it’s only effective on foggy, and discolored headlights. Don’t expect too much for this product to fix severely hazed, or oxidized headlight lenses. The idea of this product is only for quick restoration, not much of a heavy-duty maintenance kit. So keep that in mind.

Nevertheless, this is a decent kit for restoring hazed or oxidized headlights.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Affordable
  • Fast-acting coating solution

Cons

  • Isn’t effective on severely hazed or oxidized headlights
  • Not a heavy-duty restoration kit

9. Blue Magic 725CD-06 Cleaner

Blue Magic 725CD-06 Cleaner

Now, if you are really on a tight budget, then I highly recommend this product for you. Surprisingly, this product is a lot cheaper than all of the kits mentioned above. Nevertheless, this kit actually works just fine (if you actually have experience sanding or polishing headlights).

It surely does beat the other kits when it comes to price. But for a cheaper option, this product can do more. It can effectively remove discoloration and foggy look on your headlights.

If you already bought this product, but lack the courage to use it. Just follow the instructions written on its back, and you’ll be fine. You might be surprised by the result of this product. It can surely improve the appearance of your headlight significantly.

What I really like about this product is its price. I mean, for a restoration solution less than $10, you’ll be surprised by its performance. It can restore any foggy headlights just like any other restoration kits. I’d highly recommend this as a cheaper option.

The only issue that I found from this product is that it can’t restore severely scratched or oxidized headlights. And, you also need to have an adequate amount of experience in wet sanding for you to effectively polish the headlight, before applying this.

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Easy to apply

Cons

  • Doesn’t have inclusive wipes and grits
  • Isn’t heavy duty

Headlight Restoration Kit Buyer’s Guide

What are Headlight Restoration Kits?

Basically, it is a kit that helps you fix your discolored or hazy (or whatever you call it) headlights. This kit helps you bring back the clearness, and visibility of the lens as if it were new.

A single kit comprises polishing grits, polishing solutions, clean wipes, and coating solutions. The beauty of it is that you can fix your hazy headlight quickly with minimal effort.

What Causes Headlight Lenses to Discolor or Oxidize?hazy headlight

Headlights are made of polycarbonate plastic, which is a strong type of plastic. However, it doesn’t stand a chance with the unforgiving elements of the environment; airborne grits, harmful UV light, harmful chemicals, and some scratches.

These factors will leave your headlights hazy and discolored, that’s where headlight restoration kits come in. It simply removes the oxidized portion of the headlights by polishing it, then reapplying a protective coating against harmful UV light.

What are the Benefits of Using Headlight Restoration Kits?

There are several benefits why you should know about headlight restoration kits;

Safety

Once your headlight lens gets discolored or cloudy, it blocks most of the light coming from the bulbs. This significantly reduces your visibility on the road. Using restoration kits, you’ll have your headlight’s clearness restored, allowing you to see more clearly on the way during the night.

Improves Value

Perhaps you’re planning on selling your car in the future. Keeping your vehicle in tip-top shape will help you get the best value from it. A hazy and yellowish headlight lens could hurt its overall value.

Some buyers are discouraged with a cloudy headlight lens. So don’t a foggy headlight lens lose your future buyers. Fix it with a headlight restoration kit.

Saves Money

Replacing your headlight lens is quite expensive to take on (depending on the type of vehicle). Getting a newer one for just a damaged or discolored lens isn’t a good idea. Just fix it with a restoration kit, and it will look good as it used to be.

Remember, when using the restoration kit, you aren’t just fixing your headlight lens, but you also save a fortune from not buying a replacement.

If you are looking to upgrade your headlights you may want to check our best LED headlights on the market

Wrap Up


I know you already decided which of the products is the best. But for me, the best is obviously the Sylvania – Headlight Restoration Kit. When I used this kit, I was impressed by its effectiveness in removing the oxidized portion of my headlights.

I personally find it easier to use this kit than other products. It only took me a couple of minutes to finish to clean and polish a single headlight. The only challenge here is the waiting time for the coating solution to dry up. Still, it was all worth it. I haven’t even noticed any signs of wear from my headlight since I applied it.

It’s your turn to experience a brighter and clearer headlight lens with these restoration kits. Now my question, which one did you choose?

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