Maintenance of Already-Clean/Clear Headlights: Advice Sought

The more I read about headlight maintenance, the more confused I become. I'm not trying to restore already-damaged headlights, I want to maintain ones in good shape...so that they stay that way.

Feel free to comment on my plan:
1.Use "

$16 Meguiar's G17804 Keep Clear Headlight Coating - 4 Oz Spray

Meguiar's G17804 Keep Clear Headlight Coating" maybe one a month or so. (or is that too often?)

2. In addition to #1, when I apply Meguiar's G18211 Ultimate Paste Wax in the spring and fall, I'm going to use some on the headlights as well.

How does that sound?

 

Use products per their instructions. Mequire's should tell you how long the product is supposed to last.

Now how often you re-apply has a lot to do with how you care for your truck and how you use it. If you go through any automatic washes, you need to re-apply all products after. The detergents they use will strip most/all products. Hence why you should avoid such washes as much as possible.

If you do hand wash only with product safe soaps, you wash minimally, and the truck is garaged most of the time, then you should expect to get full advertised life out of most products.

I apply a sealer to my lights 2-3 times a year when I'm laying my sealer. I just coat the lights like I do the rest of the truck.

 

I don't use automatic washes, always wash by hand with a good quality product. However, the truck is not garaged. So, is the sealer you use (I'm assuming you mean a synthetic sealant in lieu of natural wax) the only product you use to treat your headlights?

 

Yes. I will let you know in a few years if that was sufficient lol.

 

Optimum Car Wax. Only car wax I know of with both UVA/UVB protection (UV rays cause clear plastics to yellow/haze over). I apply it after every wash. Protects paint, trim & plastics.

 

I'm not sure what the industries obsession is with calling everything a wax, but that has UV protection because it is a sealer not a natrual wax.

Wish they would make a marketing law sometimes lol

 

Optimum Car Wax is a hybrid of the two. It contains real carnauba wax but also has synthetic sealant properties. The cool thing about OCW is the UV protection will actually absorb into the clear coat over time. The creator of OCW helped develop modern basecoat/clearcoat technology decades ago.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...ptimum-car-wax-dr-ghodoussi-autogeek-com.html

 

Thats wicked. Might have to look into this. You apply after every wash, do you have issues with any layers building up?

 

http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/about.html

 

I am using Opti-lens which is supposed to be a permanent head light coating. I apied to 2 vehicles and getting ready to do a third.

 

Never had an issue with build up. I've been using OCW for about 10 years now. Now, I don't wash my vehicles every week either (one to two times a month on average). I live out in the country & by the time I drive to work (25 minutes) my clean vehicle is covered in dirt, grass & bugs from the drive.

 

From autogeek's website....


Optimum Car Wax contains no cleaners or abrasives. It will not scratch, swirl, or penetrate the clear coat, so your vehicle has optimum protection from the elements.

 

Per Mike Phillips from Autogeek. "Plus, while I know most people think a spray on wax is a glorified spray detailer, this particular wax really does leave the UV protection ingredients on the surface and if I remember correctly with repeated use the key ingredients migrate into the paint resin to some level."

Per Chris Thomas from Optimum Polymer Technologies. "Another interesting fact about our spray wax is that the UV protection will actually permeate into the clear and restore lasting protection when used regularly. This cumulative effect was discovered by an independent lab when we were developing the product. This is HUGE news for all concerned with premature fading and oxidation.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...optimum-spray-wax-uvis-good-2.html#post650481

 

I was just quoting the info on this site

 

I had never heard of this so I went to their website and I read this; "Dissatisfied with these cleaners, many people resort to products that are petroleum-based. Unfortunately, these products can dry out plastic, leading to cracking and discoloration over time". Then I look at the Safety data sheet and find this;


Aliphatic petroleum distillates 64742-89-8 20-25*

Also I did not see anything about UV protection.

 

Plexus is what we always used on aircraft windshields with excellent results. The 1995 piper archer that I fly still has the original windshields with very little swirling and zero fogging. We also use it in eisenglass in the boats with great results. I've used it since 2008 on my Honda Accord and they looked new in 2015 when I sold it

 

Good solid info there. To bad their website is not as convincing.

 

I'm no chemist but I saw this

"Petroleum distillates is the term commonly used to refer to aliphatic hydrocarbons. Aliphatic hydrocarbons can actually be divided into two groups: petroleum distillates and synthetic paraffinic hydrocarbons."

I am guessing that they are using the paraffinic hydrocarbons which are like a paraffin wax as a sealer, and not the petroleum distillates which are mineral spirits which would not be good to use on plastics. I may be completely wrong however and agree the website is not that well written. If i had time I'd call them, but after using it for 15 years with amazing results (like Capt Jrod) I really don't care that much.