Projects Overspray on tail light

Doing some painting in my garage and noticed I forgot to cover a tail light (to my '54 Kaiser) on a shelf and it got a little dusting of paint. The lens is plastic and I don't want to use something too harsh. Has anyone else had to deal with this? Thanks!

 

I know clay bars work great removing over spray on auto paint. Don't see why they wouldn't do the same on a tail light lens.

Gary

 

Try hot soapy water and a soft brush or kitchen sponge. Regular old dish soap should work. If that fails, try a non-abrasive hand cleaner.

 

Thanks Gary! I've never used 'em but will now.

 

What ever you use try it on a test spot, someplace on the lens that is inconspicuous.

 

what I use when I get it on my (plastic) eyeglasses.....hand cleaner from a body shop supply store. It's made to remove dried paint, but it's got grit in it, so I just dab it on the glasses and wait a few minutes then rinse off.

 

An old body man once told me that putting it in the freezer for awhile would loosen enamel paint.

 

A regular toothpaste will do fine,,,its like a mild rubbing compound

 

I've used buffing compound on plastic lenses (just on a rag, by hand, like polishing old chrome) and it will clean light overspray off nice, it actually really gives old plastic some shine.

 

Optometrist doctors use denatured alcohol to clean plastic lens,it shouldn't hurt your plastic tail light lens. HRP

 

Yep I was going to mention this ^^^^^ I got stainless paint overspray all over my new glasses once and that is what they used.

If you fog your lens (I have done this before with lacquer thinner) you can buff it out with one of those cheap polished wheels in a drill and some jeweler's rouge. I polish old plastic lenses all the time to save them for further use. There is a trick, don't lean on it too hard and melt it.LOL

 

The stuff they sell for plastic head lights. Its a mild compound that clears up the lens. Works great on my OT cars, don't remember what brand I used.

 

Try "Goof off".

 

That's what we used to shine brass, works great on tail lights. Or you can get a headlight restorer kit , they use to polish late model headlights that are all crazed up

 

I just use the rouge bars and polishing wheels that they sell at Ace hardware. My granddaughter bought one of those headlight polishing kits for her jelly bean car and it worked OK, but then I caught her in my garage at the drill press and I checked on her and she was going after her headlight with the white stick (fine compound).I said, "Whatcha doin?" She smiled and said, "That other stuff didn't work like I wanted so I am doing something I learned from my grandpa." ha and they thought the girl was challenged. Her grandpa maybe but not her.

 

Permatex and GoJo make a hand cleaner for painters. It has a odd-scent but it works well on skin (I'm a messy painter).
It/they should be tried.

.

 

Yup, the soft GoJo will take it off. I use a NAPA brand.

 

I've been an Optician for almost 40 years. This the kind of thing that gives me more gray hair !

HRP denatured alcohol works fine on plastic lenses, won't hurt them, acetone will melt polycarbonate lenses however.

In answer to the post, use cerium oxide on a buffing wheel with light pressure. Will polish it up nice. That's what we use to polish the edges of lenses.

Beaner, loose the rouge, too course.

 

Meguires makes a great 2 stage product, one to clean plastic and one to polish. I have had these 2 bottles for years as a little goes a long ways. I use it for polishing the plastic rear convertibles windows, safety glasses, tail lights and headlight covers on OT's. Nice products.

 

When I was in business several eye doctors in town would purchase denatured alcohol by the gallon,wino's on the other hand only bought it by the quart. HRP

 

lacquer thinner on a shop rag but don't rub too long. The sooner you clean it off the easier it comes off.

 

Have to disagree, Rusty,
lacquer thinner will glaze most plastics; even with minimum contact and minimal time.
Try it on a scrap piece to see what it does.

 

Some eye doc's are wino's too !

 

Wax and grease remover (the stuff you go over the panel with before you shoot it with paint), and a soft cotton cloth-and some elbow grease. Always try a bit of whatever you use in an out-of the way spot just in case.

 

But Danny it will ruin an iPhone screen, I know!! iPhone 5S Screen Damaged While Cleaning with Alcohol

 

Fast Orange or good old Turtle Wax chrome polish

 

Beaner, you use as much rouge as you think you need! I think you're pretty!

(Doc, dont beat up on Beaner too much. he's VERY sensitive.)

 

Regular paint buffing compounds work great on lenses, no need to buy a special thing. Use what you use on your paint.

I'd try rubbing alcohol, then white hand cleaner before any of the more agressive solvents. The white "snot" type hand cleaner has no abrasive and is also good for removing tar from paint.

 

That iPhone screen stain looks like a dinosaur.

 

Probably Godzilla cuz it changed all the script to Japanese too.