Would you like your car looking as if it were brand new all the time? Would you polish, wax, clean, and maintain your car on a regular basis to achieve that look you have in mind? If you are willing, then I am sure one of your major concerns would be oxidation and how to get rid of foggy or yellowish discolored headlights?
One critical aspect of a vehicle is the headlights. This is the first feature that catches the definite attention of people. However, despite regular polish and waxing your car on a regular basis, have you ever wondered why it loses its luster and shine over time? Many people believe this process is inevitable, and as a result, they become discouraged or go to a repair shop to replace their headlights all the time. While that could be a viable solution, it is an excessive expenditure on the long term when you can literally get rid of the oxidation yourself using a DIY headlight restoration kit.
What causes oxidation in the first place?
Yellowing of the headlamps is a relatively new issue that did not exist when they were made of glass. Carmakers began using plastic to produce headlights in the 1990s to reduce production cost of headlight lenses. Now, modern cars’ headlights are made from Polycarbonate plastic, which is durable, cost effective, but yet fragile. Because the Polycarbonate plastic headlights are susceptible to UV rays, car manufacturers added a thin protective film that shields the headlight lenses against sunlight, UV ray, pollution, and more.
However, the protective coating can only last for a while and usually deteriorate due to wear and tear. When this happens, the bear headlight lens becomes vulnerable. It’s only a matter of time before the lense starts to discolor and get foggy due to oxidation. When the film has faded completely, the sun’s UV rays hit the brittle material of the headlights, oxidize it, and before you know it, the headlights have turned yellow.
How can i tell if my headlights are damaged or oxidized?
If you have just restored your headlights using a restoration kit and you realize that they’ve started to look cloudy within a short period of time. It’s highly recommended that you first of all determine if the issue is with your headlights as a result of the plastic coating eroding or whether there is any other harm causing them to become blurry. Oxidation is characterized by a film of white opaque covering on the lens that gradually becomes yellow and brown over time. And a deoxidizer won’t help if your headlights are damaged due to cracked lenses. Should you have a damaged lens, here is how to change car headlights.
Does oxidation happen inside or outside the headlights?
Oxidation can happen both inside and outside of your car headlights. While oxidation on the outside of your lens happens due to exposure to sun rays, road debris, hash weather conditions, and environmental pollution, oxidation on the inside of your car headlights housing can occur due to cracked and damaged headlight lenses. To remove moisture from inside the headlights, you’ll need to take them to a repair shop and get them thoroughly cleaned. If you are a DIY enthusiast and you would like to do it yourself, here is how to clean the inside of a sealed car headlight lens.
Why is it important to get rid of oxidation?
- It appears to be very unattractive:
To begin with, it makes your car appear extremely unattractive. It wouldn’t matter how much time you spent waxing and polishing your car’s body each day if you didn’t get rid of those yellowing stains. Oxidized headlights are a significant cosmetic problem that affects the design of your car, but they are also a critical safety issue that must be addressed.
- A serious safety concern:
When car headlights get cloudy or foggy, it prevents light from passing through clearly, possibly causing vision issues. And it’s just going to get worse. When it’s dark, headlights are the primary source of illumination that allows you to be seen from afar. As a result, if your car’s headlights aren’t shining brightly enough, it can be difficult for approaching vehicles to judge your distance, potentially resulting in an accident.
What are some homemade methods for cleaning oxidized headlights?
Before you can clean your oxidized headlights at home, you must first prepare your vehicle. Cleaning the headlights can be achieved in a variety of ways. We’ll go over a few popular ones here;
Toothpaste Use:
- Start by cleaning the entire area with a soap and water solution. All of the chemical spray, dust particles, stone particles, and other debris attached to your headlights must be removed.
- Wait for the area to dry naturally after rinsing it with a wet towel, use masking tape to cover areas where the body reaches the headlight.
- Put on your gloves, dampen a piece of fabric, and squeeze toothpaste onto it.
- Take the cloth and gently clean the floor. After that, use enough water to wash the toothpaste off the surface until it shines.
- Apply a UV protector or car wax after it has dried to keep it from being dirty again.
Using Baking Soda and Distilled White Vinegar:
- Thoroughly clean the area around the headlights before beginning.
- To create a reaction between the base and the acid, add distilled white vinegar to baking soda.
- Swirl it around for a some seconds, then remove any excess solvent with a rag dipped in the mixture. Using the rag to clean the surface of your headlights.
- After you’ve noticed that the headlines are clean, clean the region with a new rag.
- You can protect it from re-oxidation by applying some automotive wax.
Using Automotive Polish and Glass Cleaner:
- Prepare the car by cleaning it and removing the dust.
- Secure the headlight region with masking tape.
- Wipe the headlights clean with a soft cloth after applying a generous amount of glass cleaner.
- 5 minutes after applying automotive polish, vigorously rub it in.
- Rinse the region with water and protect it with car wax.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that while these techniques can get you the desired results, using too much force or pressure to clean your headlamps can cause harm. As a result, you must clean gently yet persistently. However, if the oxidation persists after following these steps, try a headlight restoration kit. You can order one right from the comfort of your home and get it delivered to your doorstep. Click here to order now.
