Glass Polishes

Glass polishes are fine abrasives that remove what a glass cleaner cannot: water spots, wiper haze, bonded traffic film and light scratches. The range covers CarPro CeriGlass, Sonax PROFILINE, Shiny Garage and AutoBrite Direct glass polishes, plus headlight restoration.

How to choose

• Glass or headlights: Koch-Chemie Headlight Polish 1 and 2 and the Mothers NUlens kit are for yellowed plastic headlight lenses; the rest are for glass. Glass is far harder than plastic, so use the one made for the surface.
• Hand or machine: a hand pad does a few spots; a whole windscreen goes far quicker with a machine and Glass Polishing Pads.
• Depth of damage: polish removes marks you can see but not feel; Glass Compounds cut harder. A scratch that catches a fingernail, a chip or a crack needs a glass repairer.

Good to know

• Glass heats up under a machine: work small sections and keep the pad moving, as a hot spot can crack a screen. Mask rubber seals and trim first.
• Polishing a headlight strips what is left of its factory UV coat, so seal the lens or it will yellow again. Polished glass is bare too: follow with Glass Sealants or Glass Coatings.

Do headlight restoration kits really work?

On a lens that has yellowed or gone hazy on the outside, yes: the polish takes off the damaged surface layer. Seal the lens straight after, because polishing removes what is left of the factory UV coat and the lens yellows again without it. Haze inside the lamp cannot be reached from outside.

Related: Glass Care, Glass Cleaners, Masking Tapes. Popular brands here: CarPro, Sonax, Koch-Chemie.