How Do You Polish Cloudy Plastic Lenses to Make Them Clear Again?
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
How Do You Polish Cloudy Plastic Lenses to Make Them Clear Again?
When I washed my gauge cluster and tach lenses with mild detergent and water (nothing harsh) they ended up slightly cloudy. Not enough to make them unusable, but cloudy nonetheless. They were dirty, but not cloudy before I cleaned them. I didn't scrub or use anything abrasive so I was pretty shocked. These folks sell products to correct this:
http://www.janvil.com/plastic_polish.htm
I saw on Eclker's site that Zaino also offers a plastic polish. I expect most of the big polish companies have something comparable.
Any experience with this or other reccomendations on how to make them clear again? They are in great shape otherwise so I'll just live with it if I can't fix them, but it sure would be nice...
Thanks, Steve
http://www.janvil.com/plastic_polish.htm
I saw on Eclker's site that Zaino also offers a plastic polish. I expect most of the big polish companies have something comparable.
Any experience with this or other reccomendations on how to make them clear again? They are in great shape otherwise so I'll just live with it if I can't fix them, but it sure would be nice...
Thanks, Steve
#4
Drifting
Some plastic polishes can be to course. Toothpaste was popular a few decades ago. I have found the safest polish to use is Meguiars Machine Glaze #3. Use by hand with a soft Kleenex or a microfiber towel. The results depend on the depth of the scratches, so you may have to polish several times to get good results. But it will work very well without adding scratches.
#7
#8
Drifting
When you clean them, use a gentle household glass cleaner and either a damp kleenex or a scrap cut from a clean damp microfiber towel. Don't use a microfiber towel that's been put in a drier, it will scratch.
#9
Drifting
Vader Vette
When I fueled airplanes the ONLY thing the Bell Jet Ranger ranger Chopper guys would let me use to clean the wind screen (plastic of some type) was Mirror glaze not sure on the brand but is in every little FBO (airport) or even A big Airports pilot shop . you can put it on a million Dollar Heli It s the best polish Ive ever used.Came in A little gray bottle with a squirt cap.One of the reasons plastic turns color is because the plastizer that make it plyable starts to discinagrate after long periods of time since yours did it all at once i think you should be able to polish them clear again.
#11
Drifting
Thread Starter
When I fueled airplanes the ONLY thing the Bell Jet Ranger ranger Chopper guys would let me use to clean the wind screen (plastic of some type) was Mirror glaze not sure on the brand but is in every little FBO (airport) or even A big Airports pilot shop . you can put it on a million Dollar Heli It s the best polish Ive ever used.Came in A little gray bottle with a squirt cap.One of the reasons plastic turns color is because the plastizer that make it plyable starts to discinagrate after long periods of time since yours did it all at once i think you should be able to polish them clear again.
Looks like a good place to start...
#12
Team Owner
Did you use any kind of abrasive pad...like Scotch-brite, etc.? That would cause your problem. To polish them properly, you need to remove the lenses. However, you can put a polymer coating on them to minimize/eliminate the haze. I like to use Nu-Vinyl on my interior panels and clear plastic lenses. It make micro-scratches invisible and protects everything from normal scuffs and abrasions. Just wipe on the 'milky' liquid and let it dry. No buffing, no mess, no peeling; lasts a long time. Great stuff.
#13
Safety Car
that sucks, i usually just stick to windex or something for cleaning the interior, i have seen someone shoot their gauges with brake cleaner, now you want to see something that clouds plastic, hahahahahah, messed them all up so bad, they had to be replaced, good luck,
#14
Le Mans Master
Has anyone tried anything for the rear the plastic window of the vert top that has slightly clouded with any success?
#15
Instructor
Member Since: Dec 2007
Location: Sanderson Texas
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When I fueled airplanes the ONLY thing the Bell Jet Ranger ranger Chopper guys would let me use to clean the wind screen (plastic of some type) was Mirror glaze not sure on the brand but is in every little FBO (airport) or even A big Airports pilot shop . you can put it on a million Dollar Heli It s the best polish Ive ever used.Came in A little gray bottle with a squirt cap.One of the reasons plastic turns color is because the plastizer that make it plyable starts to discinagrate after long periods of time since yours did it all at once i think you should be able to polish them clear again.
windex it first to make sure its not waterstain
#17
Melting Slicks
When I washed my gauge cluster and tach lenses with mild detergent and water (nothing harsh) they ended up slightly cloudy. Not enough to make them unusable, but cloudy nonetheless. They were dirty, but not cloudy before I cleaned them. I didn't scrub or use anything abrasive so I was pretty shocked. These folks sell products to correct this:
http://www.janvil.com/plastic_polish.htm
I saw on Eclker's site that Zaino also offers a plastic polish. I expect most of the big polish companies have something comparable.
Any experience with this or other reccomendations on how to make them clear again? They are in great shape otherwise so I'll just live with it if I can't fix them, but it sure would be nice...
Thanks, Steve
http://www.janvil.com/plastic_polish.htm
I saw on Eclker's site that Zaino also offers a plastic polish. I expect most of the big polish companies have something comparable.
Any experience with this or other reccomendations on how to make them clear again? They are in great shape otherwise so I'll just live with it if I can't fix them, but it sure would be nice...
Thanks, Steve
#20
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Apr 2000
Location: Minnesota
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