Re-polishing acrylic windows

[Boater Sam]

I have several plastic windows and ports that have gone cloudy. What will re-polish then back to clear please? I don't know what type of plastic they are, acrylic Perspex or polycarbonate.

 

[Wever]

I have a 30 year old Perspex windscreen which, over time, gets cloudy. Best I have found so far is polishing with brasso but I’d be interested if anybody has any better ideas

 

[duncanmack]

I have several plastic windows and ports that have gone cloudy. What will re-polish then back to clear please? I don't know what type of plastic they are, acrylic Perspex or polycarbonate.

I had this problem too.
Cheap toothpaste works.
The best is "Mothers" Mag and Aluminium polish - it's super.
You can then put an even better shine on with brasso if you're not sufficiently pleased. I've never found the brasso necessary.

 

[William_H]

A motor parts/accessories shop will have plastic polish designed for plastic headlight covers. Just the stuff. ol'will

 

[Boater Sam]

Thanks guys, now I need to find a big can of elbow grease.

 

[PaulRainbow]

3M Finesse It

Very fine abrasive, used by the automotive refinishing industry. Works on perspex etc, i've even used it for taking scratches out of handheld VHF screens and some instruments. Obviously, it also works on your car or your gelcoat.

Worth noting, cloudy acrylic/polycarb doesn't always polish out, because the cloudiness is UV degradation throughout the material.

 

[Resolution]

After several years of enjoying the sun in the Med, our Perspex saloon windows glazed over and became to opaque to see through properly. I used a car headlamp polishing kit quite successfully , but a year or two later they were again opaque. The polishing kit uses ultra fine emery paper, so this year I will try a quick rub over with some bigger sheets of grade 1500 emery paper to restore the clarity, followed by some polish to try to protect the (smooth) surface.