How to clean car headlights
The passage of time and the action of external agents, especially that caused by the sun’s rays, causes the headlight glass to deteriorate, which is why there are a series of specific products and also some simple home tricks that will make them come back. to be like new with very little effort. In this FoxWiki article we show you how to clean car headlights so that in a few minutes you can leave your windows spotless and enjoy a more beautiful vehicle and, of course, also safer driving. These are some of the options available to you. Keep reading!
Topics Covered in This Article
Use toothpaste
Toothpaste, for its whitening and slightly abrasive properties, has multiple applications in addition to the main one, which is none other than oral hygiene. Well, if you are thinking about how to clean your car’s headlights, a toothpaste may be the solution. Below, we leave you some instructions so that you can put the following steps into practice so that you can check the effectiveness of the toothpaste to clean the car headlights:
- Clean the headlights (and if you want the rest of the car) as you normally do, with water and a little diluted soap. Don’t forget to remove any dirt that is embedded in the headlights, as well as mud particles or the usual mosquitoes that remain stuck after a trip.
- Dry the crystals with a soft cloth, but be careful, it better be microfiber to prevent scratches.
- Put masking tape around the entire perimeter of the glass to protect the vehicle body and prevent the paint from deteriorating.
- Using a cloth (or your own fingers), apply a medium-thick layer of toothpaste all over the headlight. Do it drawing small circles which will help polish the headlights.
- Let the toothpaste act no more than five minutes (do not wait for the paste to dry completely).
- Remove the toothpaste with the help of a cloth moistened with water or, if you prefer, with a glass cleaning product. If necessary, dry again and you will have them perfect.
How to clean car headlights with vinegar
It is normal for you to wonder how to clean car headlights burned in the sun, well, we point out that vinegar is another good ally for this type of situation. Especially if your vehicle “sleeps” on the street and spends long periods in full sun. Thus, it is quite common for headlight lenses, which are actually made of polycarbonate, to become cloudy. When you detect this problem, cleaning them with vinegar will be effective. Below, we leave you a list so you can follow the instructions step by step and clean the car headlights with vinegar:
- Put to heat a glass of vinegar until it is warm (without boiling).
- Apply the vinegar to the headlights, either with the help of a spray bottle, or directly by pouring it onto a cloth and wiping it over the glass.
- Let it act couple of minutes and remove it by washing the headlights again with soap and water. Dries conveniently.
Vinegar and baking soda
If your car’s headlights are very dirty and opaque, a remedy that is even more effective than the previous one consists of add 1 – 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the vinegar. So, below we show you how to clean car headlights with vinegar and baking soda.
- Make the mixture and apply it to the headlights, making circular movements with the help of a microfiber cloth.
- Leaves act for a few minutes and wash carefully with soap and water to remove any remaining baking soda and make your headlights shine.
We emphasize that you must add masking tape around the entire perimeter of the glass to protect the vehicle’s headlights.
ash paste
One way to take advantage of the ash that remains after burning wood in the fireplace is to save it and use it to clean and polish the headlights of your car, although you will always have to check it and check that it is fine powder ash. You must be especially careful and ensure that the ash is free of traces of wood particles or any other element that could scratch the glass. Follow these steps to clean car headlights with ash paste:
- Little by little mix the ash with water until you obtain a consistent paste, but one that you can spread easily.
- Apply it to the entire glass and let it act for a short period of time (2-3 minutes).
- Remove with a clean, dry cloth.
- Rub thoroughly with another damp cloth to remove any residue and contribute to polishing.
Sand with soap and water
These two elements form a good tandem to remove the yellow veil from the headlights. When polishing them, always use sandpaper with water to avoid damaging them. The most advisable sandpaper is those whose weight does not exceed 1500 – 2000 grains. Follow these tips to use sandpaper with soap and water to clean your vehicle’s headlights:
- Once the sandpaper is moistened, run it over the headlights for a few minutes, making circles.
- Next, apply a layer of liquid or paste soap.
- Let it dry for a few minutes with a damp cloth and remove the liquid or paste soap.
Do you want to know how to clean car upholstery? In this article we tell you the best tricks.
Cleaning and polishing kits
Currently on the market there are different types of cleaning and polishing kits that they give good results when cleaning opaque headlights. They generally include some specific product to polish the headlights along with water-based sandpaper or wool discs to apply it. Some also include a product for the final lacquer in spray form, which is very practical and which you should apply once the headlights have been polished. These protective lacquers cannot be removed, they must be applied and allowed to air dry. In addition, these cleaning kits work very well especially for car headlights that are yellow. If you are looking for a kit to clean car headlights, you can see its price here.
If, in addition to having questions about how to clean the car’s headlights, you also want to know how to clean the vehicle’s dashboard, in this article we offer you all the tricks and tips to keep your car in good condition.
Tips
- If your headlights, once cleaned and polished with the help of these remedies, still do not illuminate enough, the problem may be inside them, in the bulb or in the electrical system, in which case you should take your car to a workshop to Check it and fix it if necessary.