Headlights are an essential part of any vehicle for obvious reasons. The cleaner they are the better you can see and be seen by other drivers. If the lights are hazy and dirty, which they inevitably become over time, then the light output from the bulbs get diffused. This makes them seem dimmer, weaker and less effective.
The light beam ends up covering a reduced area and poses a safety hazard, which is the last thing you want because driving is already dangerous enough. If you noticed that your vehicle’s headlights have this issue then try this quick and easy method to clean the plastic covering. All it takes is toothpaste, a bottle of warm water, paper towels, and a smidgen of wax.
This quick fix works if your headlights are yellowing on the outside, pitted, and not smooth. However, if the headlight is smooth on the outside it won’t work. You will need to use a toothpaste with a gritty texture to it, like ones with baking soda and peroxide or a whitening version.
Do not use gel formulas, only pastes work, and if you need more grit try adding baking soda to it. Start by rubbing on a good amount of toothpaste onto the light and you can use a toothbrush to keep your hands clean. Work it in really well and soon the paste should start to turn yellow, with dirt and grime begging to come off onto the brush.
Then grab a spray bottle filled with warm water, spray the light, and rub it off with a paper towel. Apply a fair amount of pressure while buffing it away and when almost done get a clean paper towel and remove the last of the residue. Finish it off by applying a dollop of wax to it, wait for it to dry, then buff it off.
The older and more yellow the light the longer you will need to rub the toothpaste into it and if the light is still hazy, or you feel that it needs to be cleaner, apply more toothpaste again to try and get it cleaner. Adding wax at the end forms a protective layer over the now clean light and keeps it from becoming yellow again so soon.
The best part about this hack is that it cost maybe a dollar, not even if you have a tube on hand that’s the right kind then it’ll only cost a few cents. Store bought headlight restoration kits sell from anywhere between $15-25 so this is the cheapest way to clean them by far. Hopefully this trick will work for you and restore your car’s headlights to their former clear and shiny glory! Be safe and pass the video on to keep others informed.
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