How to Restore Your Car's Headlights

There's a high probability that while driving your car, you don't think too much about the health of your headlights. As long as they turn on, you're okay, right? Not all the time. There are several reasons your headlights' performance can start to degrade over the years, and one of the biggest headlight killers is something called oxidisation.

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Understanding Oxidisation

Oxidisation is a process where headlight lenses become cloudy through a slow chemical reaction over many years. This process creates an uneven layer over the headlight lens, which can stop up to 50% of the light from coming through. It can also fragment the light coming from the bulb, resulting in distorted beams of light. This is certainly not a problem you want with your vehicle.

Solutions for Clearing Headlights

Fortunately, there are several effective methods to clear your headlight lenses of oxidisation. Below are three of the most common methods:

1. Glass Cleaning Solution

1. Apply Glass Cleaning Solution: First, apply the glass cleaning solution to the headlights and simply clean them.
2. Dry and Polish: After cleaning the lenses, dry the headlights and apply a car polish or plastic polish, making sure not to get polish on any rubberized parts of the headlights and avoid applying in sunlight.
3. Buff the Headlights: Either polish by hand or use a buffer. This will help seal the headlight from future damage.

2. A Headlight Repair Kit

1. Purchase a Repair Kit: Get a headlight repair kit containing sandpaper, tape, and lens polish.
2. Mask Around the Lens: Use tape to create an area where the lens cleaner will only touch the headlight lens, protecting your car's paint.
3. Choose the Right Grit: Use grittier sandpaper (e.g., 500 grit) for worse conditions or start with 2500 grit for lighter cleaning. Always wet the sandpaper with soapy water before use.
4. Remove Oxidisation: Sand in a side-to-side motion, ensuring the headlight remains wet throughout the process. Progress through the grits: 500 grit, 1200 grit, 2000 grit, and finally 2500 grit. After sanding, apply plastic polish, let it stand for 5-10 minutes, then wipe off.
5. Apply Protectant Wax: Once the lens is clear, apply protectant wax in one clean motion to seal and protect it from future damage.
6. Remove the Tape: Finally, remove all the masking tape and enjoy your refreshed headlights!

3. Toothpaste

1. Apply Toothpaste: Use a sponge to rub toothpaste vigorously over the entire headlight for a couple of minutes.
2. Wipe Off and Wax: Wipe off all the toothpaste, then apply professional car wax. Wait until the wax dries and wash it off. Voila! Your headlights are clean again.

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Conclusion

By following these methods, you can effectively restore your car's headlights, enhancing visibility and safety while driving. Whether you choose glass cleaning solution, a headlight repair kit, or even toothpaste, your headlights will be ready to tackle any road ahead!

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