How clear is your view when you drive at night? Do your car headlight lenses appear discoloured or look foggy? If the beam from your car’s headlight doesn’t illuminate up to 500ft from you, then it’s either you have a bad headlight relay or your headlight lens is oxidized. So, how do you protect your headlights from oxidation? Well before we jump right-in, let’s take a look at some of the causes of oxidation in headlights.
Causes of oxidation in headlights include:
- Vapor
- Chemicals and dirt
- Debris
- Oxidation
What makes your headlights yellow
If your car’s headlights are yellow at this stage, you’ve probably forgotten how to clean them properly. The yellow fog is caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet light (UV), grime, pollution, and other harmful elements encountered on the road. Having a routine conventional car wash does not guarantee you long-lasting clean headlights.
How to keep headlights from oxidizing
- Ensure you park your car at a cool, shady, and dry place
During the day, cars are particularly vulnerable to the sun. And this is harmful not only to the car’s body but also to its accessories. It is recommended that you park your car in a cool, dry location away from sunlight and excessive heat. Look for a large shady tree or a parking lot with a roof in public places. If you have a garage, that would be fantastic. If you don’t have one, you should cover your cars with a protective cover. This excellent protection cover is commonly available locally at reasonable pricing.
- Clean and preserve the hazy headlights from oxidation
While it’s only natural that you clean, wash, and polish your car’s body on a regular basis, how many times do you dedicate extra time for car’s headlight lenses? Cleaning your car’s headlights is beyond just washing them with soap and water. There are Cleaning products like headlight restoration kits that provide optimal protection and eliminate all problems associated with oxidation.
How to protect headlights from yellowing due to Oxidizing
- Wax the vehicle and make sure the reflectors are also waxed.
- You can have them hand-polished with paint cleaner by your technician.
- If needed, apply a sealer.
- Reduce or eliminate the use of abrasive goods and harsh cleaners on them.
How can you protect the headlights from UV lights
The front lights’ lenses are manufactured with polycarbonate clear plastic, which begins to yellow when exposed to too much sunshine. Using a UV protectant spray, or applying a transparent vinyl covering to them are two wonderful ways to protect them from UV radiation.
Fog is another threat that causes the headlights to oxidize, therefore here’s how to avoid foggy headlights:
- A surface protectant functions as a barrier, protecting the headlamp from oxidation, UV radiation, dust, and fog.
- Waxing your automobile and using plastic protectants are great ways to get rid of hazy headlights. To get you started, here is how to apply a headlight coating to your car after restoration.
Do this every time you wash your car
Regular car washes won’t give your headlights a long-lasting shine. Here is what you should do every time you wash your car. Purchase a car headlight restoration kit. We recommend one that doesn’t need you to a professional detailer to handle. Headlight restoration kits like the Clear light Tech are highly recommended when looking for the best DIY headlight restoration kit in the market.
After washing your car, open the first pack from your kit as instructed on the manual, use it to clean your car headlights thoroughly. Then, make use of the last wipe to coat your headlight lens to protect them from oxidation. Remember that your headlights, like your eyes, are your only source of clear visibility while driving at night. So, take care of them so they can take care of you.
