One of the common issues that drivers might notice is cloudy headlights. It happens when the headlight lenses’ protective layer comes in contact with dust, debris, UV rays, etc.
This situation may often affect our driving if not taken care of immediately. However, simple car maintenance is enough to get rid of foggy headlights. You can do it using materials you can find at home. Here are some of the best ways on how to clean foggy headlights. Read on to know.
Table of Contents
The Best Way to Clean Headlights
Tip 1: Cleaning headlights with WD-40
You can clean headlight lenses using the common garage item, WD-40. If you are in a hurry, this kit is one of the best ways to clean the headlights of your vehicle.
In addition to having a clean headlight lens, this method will also keep your headlights shining.
- Use a clean cloth dampened a little to remove the dust.
- Then, we need to apply WD-40 to the entire headlight and wait for at least 10 mins to allow the chemical to break down the grime.
- Finish the process by wiping the headlights with a soft cloth in circular motions.
- Repeat the same process for a much polish result.
Tip 2: Make Headlights Clear with Baking Soda and Vinegar/Lemon
Baking soda with vinegar can be an effective DIY headlight cleaner. The combination will be a fix to your headlights’ problem without damaging your car’s paint.
- Make sure to remove dirt in the outer layers of the car’s headlights by using a clean rag and some dish soap.
- Then, mix baking soda and vinegar to make a cleaning paste.
- Then, cover the headlights with the cleaner and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Make sure to wash off the remaining baking soda-vinegar mixture with water and a clean cloth.
- For better results, apply elbow grease if you have any.
What if you don’t have a supply of vinegar at home? In this case, baking soda may also be partnered with lemon to make a good foggy headlight cleaner to get the same results.
For this mixture, it is preferable that for every lemon, 30 grams of baking soda will be used. Put the mixture in a container and apply using a microfiber or polishing cloth.
Tip 3: Fixing vehicle foggy headlights with toothpaste
Remember when you wanted to fix your foggy headlight but forgot to buy a restoration kit at the store? Don’t worry. A tube of good white toothpaste is all you need to solve your problem.
Toothpaste contains chemicals that act as abrasives and is very useful in scratch marks and grime on vehicle surfaces.
- Simply put an adequate amount of toothpaste into the car lights and let it sit for about 5-10 mins.
- It is important to gently wipe the surface in circular motions to properly incorporate the toothpaste and increase the effectiveness of this method.
- Using a clean cloth, you will need to remove the toothpaste residue afterward.
All these tasks can be repeated depending on the amount of fog in the vehicle’s light.
Helpful Tips
The methods above are effective substitutes when all-in-one kits are unavailable at your home. It is important to repeat these restoration methods since fog builds up quickly, especially when your vehicle is constantly exposed to the sun.
These methods are very useful for older cars since their chemical processes to clean cloudy headlights don’t damage the vehicle.
Conclusion
Foggy headlights drastically impair the light put out by our car’s bulbs. You may not notice it, but these types of vehicle conditions may also affect other drivers, particularly on poor-lighted roads. Knowing how to clean foggy headlights using household items is also very cost-saving. So, whenever you notice that your vehicle headlights start to look blurry, you know what to do!
Read next: The Most Effective Methods to Clean Oxidized Headlights.
