Headlight Cleaning: A DIY Guide

Have you ever been in love?

No, I don’t think so.

Do you want me to describe it to you?

Clean headlights. That’s love.

What do your headlights look like right now?

Are they foggy, dull, yellowed, or cloudy?

Over time, and less time than you might imagine, the plastic headlight covers on your car can, and will, become a cloudy, yellowed, or foggy mess. Unfortunately, this is all too common, or should we say inevitable.

Not only does the lackluster appearance of your headlights downgrade the overall look of your vehicle, but more importantly, the condition of your headlights impacts your visibility while driving at night.

In a report to Congress, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed a two-fold problem related to dirty or damaged headlights which includes producing a decreased level of light on the roadway and improperly diffusing needed light from the perspective of the driver, which reduces forward visibility. At the same time, these problem headlights project higher light levels toward oncoming vehicles which can momentarily impede the functional eyesight of an oncoming driver.

Know why it happens to understand how to fix it.

How to Clean Headlights

There are many methods out there touted as the best way to clean your headlights. Some work, some don’t. Some work for a few days.Some can cause permanent damage to the clear coat or the paint of your car.

Here’s a quick rundown of some common methods and our recommendations of the few that work best (read to the end because we save the best way to clean headlights for last!):

Baking soda and Vinegar Headlight Restoration

Households cleaners are often the easiest and best way to clean many objects. Some people tout the use of vinegar and baking soda, either alone or in combination, to clean headlights.

Using a microfiber cloth, or even a toothbrush, rub the vinegar, baking soda, or a combination of both into the headlight lens.

Then rinse and repeat as needed. A coat of waxing compound can be added after the plastic dries to polish the headlight (buff the wax from the lens as you would when waxing a car).

The naturally abrasive quality of baking soda can work to release grime and dirt, but this method may not be up to the challenge presented by severely oxidized plastic. You can try this low cost alternative and see how well it does, just know that any results will be temporary and that you will have to regularly perform this cleaning ritual to maintain the appearance of your headlights.

Toothpaste Headlight Restoration

Learn how to clean headlights using toothpaste for a reliably easy way to clean and defog headlights inexpensively. A trip to the dollar store for a tube of toothpaste can bring remarkable results.

It is noted that you should use regular toothpaste, not a gel. Better results can be had with toothpaste containing baking soda, or you can add baking soda to the toothpaste you buy, as it will add a desired abrasive element to the toothpaste.

After cleaning the headlight, apply toothpaste to the plastic with your fingertips. Apply a good, solid coat.

Using a toothbrush, begin with small circles and brush the toothpaste into the plastic to remove grit and grime from all crevices. This will take approximately 15-20 minutes of work.

Then using warm water, remove all residue of the toothpaste from the plastic. You can repeat these steps as necessary to improve the quality of the outcome.

Once you are satisfied that the plastic is as clean as possible and the plastic is fully dry, add a coat of paste wax to the plastic. Let it dry and then buff it out. The results of this method will last longer than most others but this not a permanent solution.

Wet Sanding Headlight Restoration

The wet sanding method produces the best results of any other process. Wet sanding is also the longest when it comes to keeping your headlight clean and clear. BUT, and it’s a big but this is time and labor intensive method and includes some steps that you may not feel comfortable attempting yourself.

The first thing to consider with this method is the fact that you vehicle will need to remain non-operational for at least 24 hours. Next, you will need to perform the final step without the intrusion of any wind so that no dust or dirt will come in contact with your headlight lens.

Equipment you’ll need for wet sanding your headlights:

1. A roll of paper towels (no lint/low lint)

2. A pair of scissors

3. A trash bag or plastic sheeting

4. A roll of blue painter’s tape

5. A bottle of common isopropyl rubbing alcohol

6. 3 pieces of sand paper to include 600 grit and 400 grit

7. A piece of 2000-3000 grit sand paper

8. A tin of carnauba paste wax

9. A spray bottle filled with warm water

10. A spray can of gloss clear coat made for plastic that is formulated to be UV resistant and non-yellowing (these descriptive elements will be on the front of the spray can label).

Check out full step-by-step tutorial of how to wet sand your headlight. It’s a long process.

Headlight Restoration Conclusion:

Headlight restoration is important. It looks better but more importantly, you are a safer driver when you have clean headlights. You can clean the headlights yourself, and you can also sew your own clothes but let’s be real, you’re way too busy for either of those things.

Stop by Overland Car Wash to get your headlights back to the way they should be! Call Overland Car Wash.