How to Clean and Polish Car Headlights in a Simple Way

The headlights of our cars are essential to guide us in the dark or through cloudy days, which is why we must try to keep them clean and impeccable.

5-Minute Crafts is giving you tips on how to wash and polish them easily and quickly using products we have at home.

Wash them with wax and acetone.

What you’ll need:

• 1 white candle (approx. 20 cm high)
• 4 tablespoons of transparent acetone
• 1 microfiber cloth

Instructions

1. In a large enough container, grate the candle to obtain at least 4 tablespoons of grated candle wax. It should still look solid.
   
2. Pour the acetone over the wax and stir it well until you obtain a homogeneous substance.
   
3. Remove the dust and dirt residue adhered to both of the car headlights with a clean cloth dampened with a bit of water. Then dampen the microfiber cloth with the liquid you prepared earlier while mixing the candle wax and the acetone. Use that to clean the headlights by rubbing them delicately.
   
4. Repeat this action a couple of times or until your headlights are completely spotless. Besides cleaning them thoroughly, the wax helps to cover them with a layer that protects them from water, which could be very useful during rainy seasons.

Polish them with soda.

What you’ll need:

• 1 liter of cola
• 1 microfiber cloth

Instructions

1. You can use any cola you prefer to remove that opaque color that tends to appear on your headlights after using your car for a long time. This carbonated drink actually has enough acid to remove the oxide particles that adhere to the glass meant to protect your headlights. So if you want to clean them with this method, just open a bottle of soda. Make sure it hasn’t been shaken before since you’ll need the carbon, and try not to shake it too much while handling it. Then pour the liquid over the surface of both headlights.
   
2. Use a clean microfiber cloth to gently rub the cola over both of the headlights, one at a time. Try to make circular movements when cleaning it and rub for as long as needed. Wait for it to dry well and make sure that that the liquid doesn’t stay on the car’s paint to avoid spoiling it with sugar and acid. Then remove the excess soda from the glass with a cloth, and you’re done.

Polish them with toothpaste.

What you’ll need:

• 1 to 2 tablespoons of toothpaste
• 1 microfiber cloth

Instructions

1. Wash the car headlights before polishing them. You can use any of the methods we showed you earlier. Once they’re perfectly clean, spread a fine amount of toothpaste, approximately 1 tablespoon, on a clean microfiber cloth.
   
2. Then apply the toothpaste to the surface of each headlight, one at a time. Make sure to rub it vigorously in a circular motion until the product disappears and the headlights look translucent again. Just as toothpaste helps remove unwanted particles from tooth enamel, it can also remove stains from headlights, as this product contains mildly abrasive compounds that polish surfaces and makes them clearer.