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Rowan asked: How do I remove scratches and scuff marks from plexiglass? I need to clean a visor on a motorbike helmet.
Plexiglass 
offers a safe alternative for items that would otherwise have to be made out of glass. However, it can quickly become scratched and develop a haze from general use and cleaning. Removing these scratches and bringing your plexiglass piece back to life is just a few steps away.
You Will Need:
- Plastic Scratch Removal Kit (Novus is recommended)
- Soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Scratches:
- There are different degrees of scratches. Very minor surface scratches that look more like a haze, light scratches and heavy scratches which are deeper and more difficult to remove.
- The Novus kit contains three different cleaning solutions as well as the cloths needed for application. The first solution is for heavy scratches. This is the most aggressive cleaner. Apply it liberally to the heavy scratches on the plexiglass.
- Use a firm scrubbing motion, moving back and forth. Keep the cloth at a 90 degree angle with the scratch. Continue rubbing until only fine scratches remain.
- It will require some elbow grease to remove these scratches, so don’t become discouraged if they don’t disappear right away. These products use abrasives to gently even out the surface and rub away the scratch to make it blend in. These are not fillers.
- Use a clean cloth to wipe away any remaining polish. Do not skip this step or it will leave the abrasive polish on and the results will not be favorable.
- Use a clean cloth to apply the fine scratch remover to the surface. Rub it on in a circular motion.
- Continue polishing in a circular motion all over the surface until the polish dries to a light haze.
- Remove the polish by buffing the surface with a clean cloth.
- Finally, clean and polish the surface with the plastic polish. This will give the plexiglass that finished look that it had when it was first purchased.
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Additional Tips and Advice
- If you’re looking for a quick, easy fix for deep scratches, they can be filled with glue. Simply apply some Elmer’s glue with a soft cloth. Rub it over the scratch and wipe away any excess. It will dry clear and will fill the gap the scratch as left behind. It will not look new like the method above, but it offers a quick fix.
My houseboat has plexiglass front windows. They are cloudy and when I apply a strip of clear tape, I can see clearly where the tape is. What do I need to do for a permanent fix?
Mike,
It sounds like the window is cloudy due to minute scratches, which the adhesive on the tape is filling, improving the visibility. If that is the case, using the steps in the article should work to remove the scratches and cloudiness.
The second possibility is that there is a residue on the windshield, such as salt from the salty air/sea or limescale from the water, and the adhesive on the tape is dissolving this residue. Use a plexiglas (acrylic glass) window cleaner to clean the window. If that doesn’t work, most other cleaners are usually not recommended, however, you can try using a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water on a small hidden area first to look for any adverse reaction. The vinegar can help cut through the salt or lime deposits if the regular cleaner doesn’t work.
For more information, see the article How to Clean Acrylic Glass.
I have a John Deere gator. The instrument cluster has a plexiglass cover that is cloudy and kind of rough if you drag a fingernail across it. Is there a way to clear it up? JD wants $500 for new cluster.
Baby oil on the instrument cluster.