Tail lights are important indicators of a car’s presence on the road. Road debris and ultraviolet light from the sun can wear down a tail light’s surface, making it difficult to see if the tail lights are on. Because tail lights give a visual clue that the car’s brakes are being applied, it’s important to keep them in excellent condition. Using acrylic buffing compounds to remove scratches will allow the tail lights to be seen clearly.

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Things You’ll Need

• Acrylic buffing compound
• 100 percent cotton rags

• 1500-grit sandpaper
• Painter’s masking tape

• Wash the tail lights with dish detergent and warm water. Use a 100 percent cotton rag to clean the tail lights. Many tail lights are made from acrylic or other softer plastics that can scratch easily. Paper towels are made with a binding agent that holds the towel together, but this binding agent can scratch softer plastics. Avoid traditional glass cleaners on plastic. Glass cleaners contain either alcohol or ammonia, which can cause crazing (micro-cracking) in plastics such as acrylic.

  
  
  
  

• Run a fingernail along the surface of the tail lights to determine the depth of the scratches. A fingernail will get caught in deeper scratches, which require more work to remove. Scratches that don’t catch a fingernail are light scratches that can be easily buffed out. Deep scratches must be removed first.

• Sand any deep scratches out with 1500-grit sandpaper. Sand the area directly around the scratch, rather than just the scratch itself, to avoid creating a noticeable divot. Apply painter’s masking tape to any trim around the tail lights to avoid sanding or buffing off any paint or chrome. Wipe off all sanding debris with a 100 percent cotton rag before polishing with a buffing compound. Once all the deep scratches have been removed, go to step 4.

  
  
  
  

• Apply the buffing compound to the tail lights, one light at a time. The compound contains a mild abrasive that removes layers of plastic as it’s rubbed in. Use a 100 percent cotton rag to apply the compound. Buff the entire surface of each tail light–this ensures the buffing out of any scratches that might have been missed during the earlier examination of the tail lights. After all the scratches are buffed out, remove the painter’s masking tape. The project is now complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Ultraviolet light from the sun can fog plastic tail lights over time. Fogging is a haze seen on the plastic’s surface. If the fogging is present through the tail light, it cannot be buffed out. If this is the case, there are liquid treatments that can partially clear the plastic. Ask a local plastics or automotive retailer for a plastic restoration compound–many of them come in spray bottles. Spray the compound on and wipe into the plastic.

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