DIY: Cleaning your headlights

One of my pet peeves has always been dirty cars. Sometimes, no matter how hard you clean your car, the appearance of dirtiness will always be there. Recently, I noticed that my headlights were starting to dim, so I wanted to do something about this. As your car ages, the headlights can become yellowed and foggy, making it difficult for the light to shine through. This can not only be unsightly, but also dangerous when driving at night. If you've tried cleaning your headlights and they still appear dirty, it may be that the dirt and yellowing is coming from the inside of the headlight. More likely, if you find that the dirt and grime is on the outside of the headlight, there's a simple and inexpensive solution to restoring the clarity of your headlights with a simple ingredient that most people (I would hope) have in their homes. That ingredient is toothpaste!

Toothpaste, particularly the gritty kind, acts as a mild abrasive and can effectively clean up the debris, fogginess, and yellowing on your headlights. To use toothpaste to clean your headlights, you'll need gloves (or clean hands), a container of gritty toothpaste, a brush (preferably a toothbrush), warm water, and a washcloth. The toothpaste that I find works best is "Arm & Hammer" toothpaste (https://amzn.to/3Xw4eku). Additionally, you can use any toothbrush, but using a cheaper one is preferred because it's best to throw it away after you complete your headlight restoration.

First, put a generous amount of toothpaste on your finger (or use a brush) and rub it all over the headlight, making sure to cover every part of it. Then, using a toothbrush (or other non-abrasive brush), scrub the toothpaste into the headlight using circular motions. If the toothpaste becomes too thick, add a small amount of water to make it easier to spread. Once you've finished scrubbing, rinse the headlight with warm water and a washcloth. Make sure to rinse the headlight thoroughly to remove any toothpaste residue. If the headlight is still dirty, repeat the process until the headlight is cleaned to your satisfaction.

It's important to note that this technique will not work if the dirt and yellowing is coming from the inside of the headlight, in that case, it's best to contact a professional or a mechanic. Also, if your headlight lens is cracked or damaged, this method may not be suitable and you may need to replace the headlight.

While I won't get into the specifics of maintaining your headlights over time, there are ways to do this such as using a clear film made of plastic polymer or using Meguiar's headlight coating ( https://amzn.to/3ws9KZB ) to protect headlights from yellowing and damage. Oftentimes, the clear film is rated for up to 10 years and can expand and contract with temperature changes without cracking. Meguiar's headlight coating prevents plastic headlights from yellowing, fading, and cracking. Clear coat paint, commonly used to fix cloudy headlights, will crack within a year and make the headlights look worse than before. While its best to check the specifications of the product that you’re using, it’s often recommended that PlastX ( https://amzn.to/3j2nfvX ) be used to polish the headlights before applying the coating.

Yes, a simple home product such as toothpaste is a simple and effective solution for cleaning foggy and yellowed headlights, as long as the dirt and yellowing is on the outside. With a little elbow grease and some gritty toothpaste, you can restore the clarity of your headlights in no time. And remember to always wear gloves and rinse the headlight thoroughly to ensure that there is no toothpaste residue left behind.