Cleaning inside of the headlight

NigelPatrick

Active Member
Jun 17, 2020
77
4
So I am going to attempt to clean the inside of my LED headlights (2015) but I need some advise before I do it. Which cover should I remove so I can blow air in there with a hair dryer to get all the dirt out that's stuck from the static created by the lights?

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ibiza1.8t-cupra

Active Member
Jan 27, 2020
53
20
I found it will not shift with air.

So I made a little tool, with 2 small disc magnets, 10p size.

super glued some fabric to the magnet to go inside headlight, both sides so it cannot scratch.

Stitched a strong, long thread through the fabric coating, to be able to remove the magnet.

Covered outside magnet with pvc tape. (Test it still has good magnet attraction.)

I used some glass cleaner on the inside fabric disc and used that to clean inside from the outside of the headlight.
 

BoomerBoom

Active Member
Jun 1, 2018
690
249
There's little chance of that working, taking both off and attaching the vacuum to the round hole then blowing with a compressor line through the square one might shift a little dust, but again I doubt it.

Breaking the electrostatic bond to the lens would be quite difficult, it's unlikely to just blow off.

Heat up the lens and prising it away from the body, breaking the seal will allow you to clean the inside of the lens. However, you'll run the risk of fracturing something and you'd need an acrylic sealant to rebond the lens on afterward.

Overall it's totally not worth it unless the headlight has failed an MOT, which it's not likely to anytime soon.

I stand corrected, good tool invention there - my luck would be the thread would break and leave the 10p rattling around inside the headlight.
 

martin j.

Active Member
Feb 11, 2007
1,996
889
Fife
On the magnet thought, would about a long flexible bottle brush, bristles trimmed short and an anti static cloth wrapped and stitched around the end allowing clean the lens, or, just ignore it until the stool gathers to the extent of affecting light distribution?
 

NigelPatrick

Active Member
Jun 17, 2020
77
4
I found it will not shift with air.

So I made a little tool, with 2 small disc magnets, 10p size.

super glued some fabric to the magnet to go inside headlight, both sides so it cannot scratch.

Stitched a strong, long thread through the fabric coating, to be able to remove the magnet.

Covered outside magnet with pvc tape. (Test it still has good magnet attraction.)

I used some glass cleaner on the inside fabric disc and used that to clean inside from the outside of the headlight.

which cover did you remove to get the cloth inside?
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
If you removed all of the electrics wouldn't you be left with just a big plastic box you could wash out?
 
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