Cleaning spotty reflectors Q

[sudso]

Anyone got any good ways of cleaning spotty reflectors through the little H3 globe hole.

I've got dried up spots of muddy water inside mine on the Rodeo and the light output is about 50%.
They are rectangular 7x5's but I'm not sure what brand they are although they put out a good spread of light, well that is they did once.
They look like Nite Stalkers or a cheap copy of IPF's.

cheers, sudso

[GeeYouFaw]

Guess you could try pouring some warm/hot soapy water in there and leaving it to soak for awhile then shake it about abit and rinse it with fresh water.

[Ducky103]

Try using a good quality brake cleaning fluid in a pressure pack. Brake clean dries quickly and cleans well. Hold the light up so the fluid can run out of the light fitting will carry the dirt out as well. use a rag on end of screwdriver to loosen any stuborn bits of dirt.

[toy yoda]

Sudso, on a light you can diss assemble autosol is sweet but on a sealed lens with the little hole try CLR pour it and plug hole and swish around and let soak..

[landcrusier ute]

can you pull the light apart eg glass away form housing ??

if not pull the globe out then fill it mabeye will wax and grease remover swish it arounf then some warm soapy water then after that just clean water that is what i would be doing

[sudso]

I tried soapy water and a good rinsing, it got the crap out but its left watermarks on the reflectors.
They need to be wiped somehow.
Hmmm, maybe a thick bendy pipe cleaner thingy with a chux superwipe wrapped around it sprayed with some glass cleaner.

landcrusier ute, no the lenses and reflectors cant be separated, there's only the little hole where the globe goes in.

thanks for the advice guys

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

Even just pouting some windex in the little hole, then swilling it around until the entire reflector gets covered, turning it uspide down and draining it then leaving it upside down to dry in the sun should work. And there are other cleaners that work just as well, and they mean that you don't hafta get anything in there, you've just gotta get some liquid or gas in that is going to be a solvent or dissolve the remnants of the water/mud stains.

Dry Cleaning fluid is another thing that I've heard of being used, but all the petroleum based solvents would worry me on a couple of points. Firstly, what are they going to do to the reflective material? Some cheaper lights will probly lose their reflector if you use a hard solvent. Secondly, how long do you hafta vent them before use to avoid running the risk of creating a small explosion inside the light when you first add a heat source or spark into a confined space full of petroleum fumes?? Could make flashing your lights at the DH driving around with his fog lights on during the sunny daytime a bit hazardous, but it'd sure get his attention!

[sudso]

Even just pouting some windex in the little hole, then swilling it around until the entire reflector gets covered, turning it uspide down and draining it then leaving it upside down to dry in the sun should work. And there are other cleaners that work just as well, and they mean that you don't hafta get anything in there, you've just gotta get some liquid or gas in that is going to be a solvent or dissolve the remnants of the water/mud stains.

Dry Cleaning fluid is another thing that I've heard of being used, but all the petroleum based solvents would worry me on a couple of points. Firstly, what are they going to do to the reflective material? Some cheaper lights will probly lose their reflector if you use a hard solvent. Secondly, how long do you hafta vent them before use to avoid running the risk of creating a small explosion inside the light when you first add a heat source or spark into a confined space full of petroleum fumes?? Could make flashing your lights at the DH driving around with his fog lights on during the sunny daytime a bit hazardous, but it'd sure get his attention!Those "driving lights" are bad enough when those DH's drive with em on during the day lol.
Yeah might try swishing some windex in them.

cheers

[Unsane]

I wish I knew a way too mate.

My secondary spotty reflectors need a good wiping too.

I have tried unleaded, CLR, brake clean, metho, soap and water, fabric softner, acetone, hot air, cold air, etc etc.

Nothing has worked to remove the obvious film on the reflector. It definately needs to be rubbed with something. I never came up with a suitable solutuion, that is that would allow me to wipe properly the entire lense.

Good luck in your search. I'll keep watching this thread.