How to clean car headlights

Headlights are one of the most important parts of your car – without them, driving at night would be difficult and dangerous.

As headlights matter so much at night and in poor visibility, it’s important to keep them clean and bright.

In this guide, we’ll look at how to keep headlights clean. We’ll also cover how to restore them if they become scratched and dull, as well as how to prevent headlights from degrading.

How to clean headlights with household items

You don’t need special equipment to keep your headlights clean. You can use normal car wash shampoo, or other regular household items.

Car wash soap

The easiest way to keep headlights clean is to give them a thorough wash whenever you clean your car. Regular car wash soap or shampoo should clean away any dirt and grime that’s making the headlights grubby.

Make sure you dry the headlights with a chamois or a soft drying cloth so there are no streaks left as the water and soap dries.

If you don’t have time to wash the whole car, you can still use car wash soap to give the headlights a clean so you can see the road ahead clearly at night.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste doesn’t just keep your teeth pearly-white. You can use it on your headlights too.

Rub the toothpaste onto the headlight using a brush – an old toothbrush will do just fine. You could use an old rag or towel if you don’t have an old brush kicking around.

The dirt should lift away easily. Rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry.

The headlights should now be clean – and minty fresh!

White vinegar

Out of toothpaste? Grab some white vinegar from the kitchen.

As well as being a condiment, white vinegar is great multi-surface cleaner that can be used for all sorts of jobs, and it works well on car headlights. Rinse off any loose dirt with water. Apply neat white vinegar to a cloth, or better still mix it with equal parts baking soda. Rub it into the headlights, then rinse and dry them.

Step back and admire your sparkling clean headlights.

Baking soda

Another household item that can be used for cleaning headlights is baking soda. Mix it with clean water to make a paste, then apply it to a soft cloth. Rub the surface of the headlights thoroughly.

Since the cleaning solution away with some water. Use a second cloth to dry the lenses.

Coke

Believe it or not, you can wash headlights with cola. Probably the easiest way to apply the Coke is using an old spray bottle for a nice, even spread of fluid. Leave the cola on the headlights for a bit – a few minutes should be enough. Now rinse off with water, and dry with a cloth.

Be ready to repeat the process if the lenses are especially dirty.

Plastic polish

You can use plastic polish to clean your headlights but remember that any polish is an abrasive. So don’t go overboard, either with the amount of polish you apply or the vigour with which you apply it. Leave the product to sit for a few minutes, the buff it with a clean cloth, making sure no excess polish is left behind.

Sandpaper

Don’t use sandpaper to clean a light layer of muck. This method is best left for when the headlights have become clouded and dull. Use one of the other cleaners above to take away the loose surface dirt. Then lightly sand the headlights with fine-grit paper. Wash the headlights again with a non-abrasive cleaner and dry them.

Now your headlights should be clean and the clouding should be gone.

How to clean car headlights using headlight restoration kits

Several car cleaning product companies sell kits that have been specifically designed for keeping car headlights in tip-top condition. Generally, these will come with cleaning compounds and sanding discs that need to be used with a high-speed drill.

Because many brands make their own specific car headlight cleaner kits, prices can vary quite a bit, so it’s worth shopping around if you’d prefer to go down this route.

How to prevent headlights from degrading

The best way to prevent headlights from degrading is to keep the car clean and wash the headlights whenever you wash the rest of the car.

In winter, car-cleaning can seem like a never-ending task. However spick and span the car looks when you’ve finished cleaning it will be dirty again half a mile down the road.

If you decide that a full wash is too much hassle when the car is filthy again so quickly, at least clean your headlights. It’s worth wiping over numberplates and the other lights too. That way you’ll be able to see and be seen and won’t get into trouble for having an unreadable numberplate.

Other ways to protect headlights from degradation include parking in the shade or applying a protectant such as a ceramic coating.

Some headlight restoration kits combine a cleaner with a sealant for protection.

Cleaning car headlights FAQs

How do I clean my car headlights?

The simplest way is to clean them with regular car shampoo whenever you clean your car. Failing that, regular household products such as baking soda can do the job. Rinse off loose dirt with water, clean with the product of your choice, then dry.

What is the best thing to clean car headlights with?

It depends how dirty the headlights are, and whether you are cleaning or trying to restore headlights that are in poor condition. In most circumstances car shampoo is fine. If the headlights are scratched and faded, you can expect the best results from a dedicated car headlight cleaning kit.

Is glass cleaner good for car headlights?

Yes. Glass cleaner is good for cleaning car headlights. Just don’t expect it to restore headlights that are cloudy or scratched.