Windshield Repair Forum

I was curious how many other techs practice some methods I use when performing a "Headlight Restoration"

These may seem exccessive to some but it's all about "Quality" not "Quanity" right?

I typically use a soft horse hair bristled vent brush to help aid in removing dust from the bumper and fenders when completed with sanding.
I always pop the hoods then lay a shop fender cover that is flame resistant across the engine, My final cleaning stage before applying my cleaner to the lens is I use the Air Gun to blow any dust away that I may have missed when using the "Brush"

When I am completely finished I use a micro fiber towel and some last detail to briskly clean up the hood and fenders if needed. Customers seem to like the special attention I deliver

I do somewhat the same, at the beginning, i open the hood on most vehicle and cover the engine compartment and grille with a tarp or plastic to prevent sanding sludge/ dust from entering these area. It makes for a easier / quicker clean up at the end.I also blow the creves and hard to get to areas with air. I them clean the entire work area with final detail to put the vehicle back to or better than pre-worked condition. As a value add, i do a quick clean to the windshield. This creates the WOW factor when they first drive the vehicl at night. But remember, I working on personal vehicles and no dealer work.

That's cool. I should include the cleaning of the windshield. However I forgot to mention that i do have a cover for the windshield that I place under the wipers during the process and it covers the majority of the shield!

But cleaning it extensively I have never considered but think I will begin!

I too do some extra cleaning. I cover the engine compartment with fender covers if needed and use compressed air to blow away any residual dust and clean out the crevices. This really saves time. I clean all the windows inside and out and rearview mirrors. I use final detail spray to clean any tape residue and fingerprints. I also check tire condition, wipers and for any glaring condition that may need attention and my clients appreciate it.

I always raise the hood. I have a spray bottle of water I use to wipe down the fenders and bumper after I finish sanding. I try to get the insects off the front while Iam at it. Once that is done I apply the UV coating. I sometimes will polish the rear lights for free. It takes less than 10 minutes and makes the car look better. I also clean the glass or polycarbonate fog lamps. I have 2 columns on my invoice for price. I list FL , PL or RL cleaned & polished $15 then put in the total column NC for no charge. The customer's vehicle looks better and the customer feels like they were not nickled dimed by me. I only do the windows should I get dust on them. When I do WSR's, I do clean the windshield and mirror, and the inside of the WS. Some times the residual of a WSR can be a pain getting the shavings off.

I only clean up the areas I disturb. I have never gotten the inside of a windshield dirty while doing a HLR.

t4k wrote:I only clean up the areas I disturb. I have never gotten the inside of a windshield dirty while doing a HLR.

I agree with that. I think you all are doing a spectacular job, but it seems you are going a little overboard to me. HLR here is $25-35 per set. Not throwing in a mini detail on top of that.