How to clean headlights

The clearest sign your headlights need to be cleaned is if your lights are foggy, dim, or yellowish. Your headlights should appear bright and emit white light (or close to it, depending on the vehicle). Car and Driver states that white headlights provide the most clarity when you’re driving in low-light conditions.

Headlights today are most commonly made from polycarbonate plastic. Protolabs explains that this plastic compound allows for high light transmission and has good UV resistance, but it can still start to yellow or become duller, over time. Glass Doctor mentions the following reasons:

1. Oxidation as a result of intense and prolonged exposure to the sun.
2. Debris from the road may have damaged the coating, distorting the light from your headlights.
3. Dirt or chemicals may be reducing the light emission from your headlights.
4. Condensation build-up in your headlights.

Regardless of the cause, it’s important to make sure that your headlights are in good working order so they can do their part with keeping you safe on the road.

Making sure that your headlights are clean is important and there are many viable options for cleaning your headlights yourself, either with specialized kits or regular household items. With the appropriate care and attention to detail, in many cases, it may be possible to clean your headlights without professional intervention.

In each of the methods below, a mild abrasive helps clean the headlight beyond what would normally be possible. But that also means that the abrasive may strip the headlight of the coating meant to protect it from the elements, hurting the longevity of any of these solutions alone.

To help slow the wear of your headlights and protect them from future damage, you should consider adding a layer of UV sealant after you’ve cleaned them, recommends Empire Abrasives. Additionally, some abrasives may be strong enough to damage your car’s paint. If you’re leaving your headlights in your car when you clean them, consider taping the paint around the headlights off with painter’s tape or masking tape, adds Empire Abrasives. Be careful when using stronger abrasives or chemical cleaners and pay close attention to dilution ratios to help mitigate some of the risk of damage.

Do not use harsh chemicals such as bug spray on your headlights, particularly if they have plastic coverings, warns Jalopnik. These chemicals may react when placed in contact with plastic or paint and cause more problems than they solve.

Vinegar and baking soda

Baking soda and vinegar are versatile products. Baking soda can break down contaminants while vinegar can help remove stubborn grime.

Materials needed:

• A microfiber cloth or equivalent
• Distilled vinegar
• Baking soda
• UV sealant

Steps:

1. Mix one part vinegar to one part baking soda. This should result in a paste that fizzes.
2. Use your cloth to rub the paste into your headlight and let sit for several minutes.
3. Use a clean cloth to wipe the mixture away.
4. Use a UV sealant to help ensure longer-lasting results.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is another surprising yet effective mild abrasive that can be used, in combination with baking soda, to clean your headlights. This works because the ingredients in toothpaste are slightly abrasive to help clean your teeth. In combination with baking soda, it works very similarly to the first method.

Materials needed:

• Toothpaste (check if your toothpaste contains baking soda or not)
• Baking soda, if the toothpaste doesn’t have any
• A few soft cloths
• UV protectant

Steps:

1. If your toothpaste does not contain baking soda, mix toothpaste with baking soda in a 1:1 ratio mixture
2. Use a cloth to rub the toothpaste onto the surface of the headlight
3. Let the toothpaste dry
4. Use a wet cloth to completely remove the toothpaste from your headlight
5. Use a sealant to protect your headlight from UV exposure

Window cleaner

Window cleaner is another option to help you remove dirt or grime from your headlight lenses without damaging the plastic underneath, explains Big’s Mobile Detailing. This method is as simple as applying the cleaner, rubbing the dirt away with a soft cloth, and wiping the residue away with a damp cloth.

Bear in mind with this method that window cleaner can be formulated in many different ways. Some window cleaners may be more abrasive than others and may be too harsh for cleaning your headlights. Read the product information on your cleaner to make sure it’s suitable for automotive use.

Headlight restoration kit

Many retailers may sell headlight restoration kits. These typically contain everything you need to restore your headlights in one package. The contents will vary depending on the manufacturer, and may include cleaning pads, light or mild abrasives, and a sealant.

Because methods and materials may change between products, always make sure to carefully review the instructions for your kit before you attempt the restoration process.

Heavy-duty restoration with wet sanding

If none of the options above are working for you, you may need to do a more intense headlight restoration process explains the Family Handyman. While more in-depth than a cleaning, this process is not overly complicated though there may be a higher probability of damaging your car or the headlight cover. If you are uncomfortable with the process, you should consult a professional for assistance.

Materials needed:

1. Various grits of sandpaper (1500 to 2500)
2. Masking tape to protect your car’s paint
3. Water – a spray bottle may make it easier
4. Headlight polish
5. Microfiber cloths
6. Car soap
7. UV sealant

Steps:

1. Prep:
   • •Start by cleaning the headlights and surrounding areas with soap and water to remove any dirt and oils.
   • •Dry the headlights thoroughly with a microfiber cloth.
   • •Use masking tape to protect the areas around the headlights, such as the paint and trim. This will prevent accidental scratches during the sanding process.
2. Wet Sanding:
   • •Wet the headlight and the 1500 grit sandpaper (the coarser grit. Note that it is important to keep your sandpaper and headlight wet throughout the entire process.
   • •Start sanding your headlight horizontally, only moving in one direction. Don’t change directions (such as going vertically or at a different angle) on this starting sandpaper grit.
   • •Move up to your 2500 grit (the finer grit) gradually, alternating sanding directions as you move to finer grit sandpaper.
   • •At the end, your headlight may look cloudy. This is part of the process.
3. Polishing:
   • •Once you’ve finished sanding, clean the headlight with water and dry it completely.
   • •Apply a small amount of headlight polish onto one of the cloths.
   • •Rub the polish onto the headlight in a circular motion until the lens becomes clear and smooth. This step will help remove any fine scratches left from the sanding process.
   • •Let the polish dry completely.
   • •Repeat this process, polishing any parts of the headlight that still appear foggy.
   • •When you’re satisfied, wipe off any excess polish with a clean cloth.
4. Protection:
   • •During this process, you may have stripped the protective coating off your headlight completely. The UV sealant helps to slow future yellowing.
   • •If you skip this step, your headlights may yellow more quickly and may be more susceptible to damage.

No matter what your headlights are made of, they will be exposed to the sun and other elements that cause them to deteriorate and potentially become foggy over time. Still, there are some reasonable measures that you can take to slow that process or help prevent the damage from happening in the first place.

• Whenever possible, try to park out of direct sunlight, recommends Glass Doctor. This will help reduce your headlights’ exposure to UV radiation and slow down the oxidation process.
• The best way to prevent the formation of dirt and other debris over your headlights is to wash your car regularly. Make sure to use the right cleaner on your headlights to prevent fogging.
• While your headlights are in good, clean condition, consider applying a UV protectant every few months, especially if your car is parked outside during the day.