Q&A: How Much Does Headlight Restoration Cost?

The cost of restoring a headlight varies depending on the method used. We identified 4 different methods: using household products the fast way, using household products the slow way, using special kits, and getting professional cleaning service.

Using household products the fast way will only require toothpaste and sealant (optional) which overall will cost only about $7 to $12. You can use the toothpaste that you already have in your house or you can buy a new one. If you want your work to last for several months or for more than a year, you can apply a sealer to preserve the freshly-cleaned headlights. This method is not only the fastest way to restore headlights, but also the most inexpensive. However, the outcome may not be as crystal clear and as long lasting as when you use the other methods of restoring a headlight.

Using household products the slow way is quite costly because you will need to buy sand paper, polishing compound and wax or sealant. Plus, you also need a masking tape and rubbing alcohol. If you add these all up, your total cost would be around $30 to $40. Keep in mind that sand paper and buffing pad are coarse materials and may cause some damage on the headlights if not used carefully.

Using special kits cost about $10 to $20 and they already include the basic materials you need to start the process immediately. The materials that are usually included in the kit are a lubricant, polishing compound, sealant, buffing pad, and a microfiber towel. Among the methods we mentioned, special kits produce the best results. Impurities are removed faster than when you use household products and the lenses look like they're new.

If you feel uncomfortable in restoring the headlights by yourself, you can ask for professional cleaning service which costs about $75 to $100 per set. Professionals are knowledgeable in determining what kind of work is needed for a particular headlight, skillful in handling tools and applying solutions, and experienced in restoring headlights. You'll get great results however you'll have to be willing to actually spend a bigger amount of money.

You could opt for a replacement which would cost $500 per set, however, this is more applicable to extremely oxidized headlights to such an extent that restoration or repair is not possible.