If you’ve been driving for any length of time, you’ve probably experienced or witnessed the annoyance caused by cloudy, foggy, or hazy headlights. The polycarbonate material that most headlights are made of can be scratched and damaged over time by flying debris, or the sun’s UV radiation can destroy the outer layers. But, do you know you can use toothpaste to clean foggy headlights?. Yes, you heard me well!
In addition to seeming unpleasant, this headlight deterioration can have a considerable negative impact on visibility at night or in bad weather. There isn’t much you can do to prevent this damage to your car headlights, but there are some basic life hacks you can do to restore it. In this article, we would be looking at how to clean your headlights with toothpaste and a few other quick and easy headlight cleaning tips. If you’ve ever wondered how to clean your cloudy headlights at home, I got your back!
Cleaning cloudy, old headlights entails removing the contaminated plastic layer, buffing it to a new smooth and clear surface, and then shielding it from the sun’s UV rays. There has been one product that has been employed and is popular when it comes to removing the haze from the headlights…It’s toothpaste especially the white toothpaste (not the gel ones) Yes, you heard it right.
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Mild abrasives are added to most white toothpaste, which can help polish surfaces. Commercial polishing products, on the other hand, work far better on polycarbonate headlight covers than toothpaste. Novus 2 plastic polish is my personal favorite, followed by Novus 1. The results can be spectacular when used with a polishing attachment on a drill. Let’s look at how to use toothpaste to clean headlights…
How To Use Toothpaste To Clean Headlights
Using toothpaste and a rag is one of the simplest ways to clear hazy headlights at home. All you have to do is take a tube of toothpaste and liberally apply it to your headlights. Leave it for some time, scrub and then wash it off with water. Your toothpaste’s mild abrasive characteristics will assist scrape the damaged, deteriorated surface, restoring a brilliant new shine to your headlights.
Step By Step Guide
- Get a toothpaste (normal paste type and not gel one) and a brush.
- Apply a layer of toothpaste on the headlight such that it completely covers it.
- Brush the light for 3 – 4 minutes untill the white paste starts turning yellowish.
- Wipe and clean the paste with water and paper towels.
That should restore your foggy headlights. If not, you can try this:
- Get 2 high density sand papers (say 600 and 1000).
- Wet the outer surface with water.
- Rub the toothpaste all over the headlights and leave it for about 5 mins.
- Wet the lower numbered sand paper and start scrub gently over the headlight (be sure to keep them wet).
- Wash off the residue.
- Now use the higher density sand paper and do the same with it.
- Wash the residue and wipe it off with a clean towel.
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That should do the work perfectly.
Please take extra care not to rub the sandpaper on the nearby body parts as it would damage the paint!
Can You Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean Headlights?
Another lifehack for cleaning hazy headlights is to use a baking soda and vinegar mixture. Baking soda and vinegar have both been used for cleaning for a long time now. Before you begin, clean the surface of your headlights with dish soap and then apply a mixture of baking soda and vinegar.
In a small dish, combine the baking soda and vinegar, then apply it in circular and side-to-side motions until your headlight is clean. Baking soda and a damp cloth can also be used to clean cloudy headlights.
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Can Hydrogen Peroxide Clean Your Car Headlights?
Hydrogen Peroxide has bleaching properties that can help clean your foggy car headlights making them brighter. Apply a good quantity of hydrogen peroxide solution on your headlights, leave it for 5 – 10 minutes, scrub it all over with a clean piece of cloth, and then rinse it with water. Your headlights should appear cleaner and clearer!
These are the easy low-cost home fixes that you can try before going for the last option, that is, replacing the headlights!!
Hope these tips help.
Conclusion
Instead of replacing your hazy headlights, you can keep them clean and clear with toothpaste. Once every three months, clean your automobile headlights with white toothpaste and soapy water. This will remove the dirt and grease from the surface of your automobile headlights, preventing them from turning yellow or foggy.
Other good agents you can use are baking soda mixed with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. These agents have abrasive properties that can help restore your cloudy lights. Apply a layer of the toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda and vinegar mixture to the headlights, scrub and wipe it with a soft cotton linen towel to brighten them. After wiping, you can wax and maintain your car headlights, while cleaning ensuring that a layer of protection is applied and is in place at the same time
If the bulb inside the headlight is aged, you’ll need to take it to an auto repair shop to have it replaced.