Dim or foggy Headlights are responsible for at least 40% of road accidents, especially for night users. The headlight is accountable for creating a more straightforward track overview for the driver to see ahead of them.
And when the headlight isn’t bright as it ought to be, it’ll result in an accident; the likelihood of being involved with a dim headlight increases to 50% when you have eye defects.
For this reason, all road users must endeavor to get a clean and bright headlight to enable them to drive at any given time of the day and ensure other road users’ safety.
Foggy headlights aren’t that complex since they can quickly be resolved by washing and applying the headlight restoration kit or getting a bulb replacement.
In this article, I’ll show you how to get cleaner headlights and possible reasons why your headlight will become dim.
Why do my Headlights become Dim?
There are 4 probable reasons why your headlight isn’t bright as it used to be. They are:
- Presence of Dirt
- Defective Headlight bulbs
- Water in Headlights
- Oxidation of the Lights
Despite the protective coated layer initially installed, as time goes on, degradation and frequent exposure of your car’s headlight to sunlight will cause a yellowish layer on the covering.
Also, dirt or water vapor in your headlight will cause it to lose its brightness over time. There could also be a probability that your bulbs are burnt out or faulty and need immediate replacements.
How to Make Headlights Brighter
Most people employ specific techniques such as washing, application of toothpaste, and so on to make their headlights brighter, but I’ve got a trusted and accurate method you can rely on for brighter headlights.
1. Clean your Headlights
The first thing that should come to mind is to clean the headlight of visible dirt, debris, or oxidization.
You’ll also need equipment such as a bucket, clean clothes, detergent, toothpaste, and water for this procedure.
Now, you can dip a clean cloth into the soapy water and gently scrub across the surface of the headlight to remove dirt, mud, or dust particles.
2. Use a ToothPaste Solution
For stubborn yellow stains, apply toothpaste to your headlights and leave it on the surface for a few minutes before washing them off with high-pressured water.
Start by visual inspection to decipher if the stain is from the inside or the outside before you spread toothpaste evenly on the surface, leaving it for 5mins or more.
Now, spray it off using warm water from your hose pipe, bottle, or bowl, after which you can dry the surface using a dry cloth.
Apply a wax coat to the dry surface to stop oxidation and remove it after 15 minutes. Depending on the yellowing severity, you may need several toothpaste applications. A headlight restoration kit can also be used; it works similarly to toothpaste in removing oxidation. The ideal equipment for this job is the 3M Auto Restore and Protect Headlight Restoration Kit.
3. Use a Headlight Restoration Kit
There are headlight restoration kits that give your headlight that fresh look while still preserving them from future yellowing.
Details on how to use the product are permanently attached to the manual, but the common guide is to apply the kit over the oxidized headlight and leave it to remove stains before washing off the kit. I’d personally recommend the CERAKOTE Headlight Restoration Kit for this job.
4. Change the Bulbs
Also, the problem could be a faulty headlight bulb. Do well to get a replacement and see if that solves the lumination issue.
That’s all on getting a brighter headlight.
How to Permanently remove Yellowing from Headlights
The recommended restoration kit mentioned earlier promised a long-lasting removal of the UV sunlight effect from headlights. Still, if you don’t have the financial capability to purchase one of those, then you can proceed with this temporary removal guide.
Also, you’ll notice the yellowing returning to your headlight in no time.
- Prepare the surface of the headlights by washing and cleaning them.
- Now, get sandpaper and scrub the surface of your headlight vigorously to remove the visible discolorations.
- Next, wash the scrubbed area with water and remove excess moisture using a paper towel.
- After that, add some rubbing alcohol to the surface to clean it of any oils or grime.
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Pro Tip: If the dirt is internal, you can use magnets to remove the dirt and discoloration. Attach one of the magnets to a soft cloth and bring it into the headlamp, then use the other magnet to assist the one inside in scrubbing off dirt on the surface.
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FAQs
Can I use Coke to clean the Headlights?
Yes, coca cola can be used to clean headlights; after you’ve given your headlight a clean wash using detergent and water, pour Coke on the headlights and leave it for some minutes before wiping it off with a wet cloth. You should notice a significant increase in brightness.
In Summary
Headlights are one of the critical components of a car, especially when you mainly use the road at night.
We’ve discussed ways in which you can make your headlight brighter, do well to check it out.
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