A cleaning solution of baking soda and vinegar is a great DIY option for cleaning foggy headlights. Household vinegar is effective in dissolving dirt, grease and debris.
WD-40 is a universal lubricant that has proven its effectiveness on headlights, door jams, and rusty surfaces. While it's become a valued household item, it's definitely not the best option for headlight restoration. In fact, many car owners oppose using it.
An added advantage of using WD-40 is that it doesn't just help give your car headlights a brand new shine, it also adds a protective coating over it, that makes the shine last much longer!
Windex or a household glass cleaner can also do the trick. Make sure the headlights are completely dry, and then move to Step 2. Step 2. Once dry, tape off the surrounding areas near the headlights (any of the car's painted body panels that touch the headlights).
Mix one part baking soda with one part vinegar to create a fizzy paste. Rub the paste on your headlights, let it sit for a few minutes, and then use a soft cloth to wipe it away. You will have shinier headlights in no time.
If you've got a particularly tough headlight lens that's caked with dirt, rubbing alcohol can be used to clean your headlights. Rubbing alcohol has the ability to remove dirt, grime, and stains from most surfaces. It can also loosen residue and loosen stubborn stains, making it useful for cleaning headlight lenses.
You can use bug spray with around 25% DEET. DEET is the quickest and most efficient way to clean oxidation from headlights, as it will melt the headlight plastic and its oxidation. Bug spray with DEET will clean your hazy, oxidated headlights when really needed, and it will keep them clean around a week.
Coca-Cola. If you've decided to ditch the sugary stuff, there's no need to let it go to waste. The phosphoric acid in Coca-Cola can help remove oxidation from your headlights, and gives it a decent clean.
No, hydrogen peroxide would not do a damn thing. If your headlight assemblies are yellowed or hazed you will need to use a light-grade rubbing compound to reduce the haze.
Using Rubbing Compound and Buffer to Restore Lens
The detailer will also use a rubbing compound that is suitable for cleaning plastic automotive lenses.
Toothpaste and baking soda can be effective cleansers for cleaning headlights.
Using 0000 super fine steel wool and white toothpaste (Not Gel), rub the toothpaste over the lens for several minutes until your lens is completely smooth. Now rub vigorously with the terry cloth towel and white tooth paste until it is super clear.
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Steel wool:
Rub the steel wool onto your headlights in small circular motions until all of its surface areas have been covered then buff off with a microfiber cloth for an extra layer of protection against future dirt build-up.
Sand The Headlights
You'll start with a 600 grit sanding sheet. You can either dry or wet sand for the 600 grit sheet. You'll want to sand in straight horizontal lines until the foggy layer is completely removed. Headlights that are heavily oxidized may require a 400 grit sheet for more aggressive sanding.
Use your lemon half coated with baking soda to scrub your headlight in a circular motion gently. Once you've scrubbed your whole headlight, rinse the solution off with water and dry your headlight with a gentle towel.