Can you remember how much joy you felt when the auto company shipped your car to your doorstep? – especially when you turned on the car headlights for the first time at night and saw how far the beam lit and how clear you could see! But now, how do you feel with a hazy yellowed looking headlights – excited? Of course not! No one is about such a mess! Unattractiveness isn’t the only problem that comes with cloudy or foggy headlights – they are a danger to life with 50% of night time auto crashes caused by diminished yellowish looking headlight beams. That is why it’s now essential to learn how to clean headlights! While there are thousands of DIY techniques out there, chances are you have heard of vinegar and headlight restoration kit. However, between restoring headlights with vinegar Vs headlight restoration kit, which is the best way to restore car headlights?
In my opinion I would say headlight restoration kits. But before you make your decision based on that, let’s take a direct comparison between how to restore headlights with vinegar Vs headlight restoration kit to unravel the best way to clean headlights.
Cleaning headlights with vinegar
Headlights are designed to help you see the road more clearly and allow other motorists to spot you easily. But, built-up dust and other surface grime can make driving at night difficult and very dangerous. Here are some simple yet effective home remedies for cleaning headlights using vinegar. Instead of replacing your headlights each time they look foggy, use homemade ingredients like vinegar to make a car wax for cleaning headlights. This DIY car wax cleaner is easy to make and you can keep it on hand to use whenever you need it.
Ingredients:
- White vinegar
- 4 tablespoons of carnauba wax
- ½ cup of cider vinegar
- 1 cup linseed oil
- 2 tablespoons of beeswax
- Clean, soft cloth
- Bowl
Procedure:
Mix the linseed oil, carnauba wax, cider vinegar, and beeswax in a bowl and heat the wax to make a homogenous mixture. Let the mixture cool for 30 minutes. Apply it to the headlights in circular motions with a clean cloth. Leave the mixture for five minutes then wipe it with a clean, soft towel. If you couldn’t get the entire requirements and would like to try only vinegar, check out how to restore foggy headlights with Vinegar. Another method would be to restore the headlight with toothpaste. Yes, toothpaste. Don’t be surprised! Toothpaste contains some abrasive elements which enables it to clean dirty headlights but we wouldn’t be discussing that in this post.
Cleaning headlights with vinegar as some would agree works. But the results are temporary. How many vinegar solutions are you willing to produce before the month runs out knowing that your headlight goes back to being foggy after your car wash when you use vinegar. In the long run, you could be spending more money or the same with a person who opt-in for a complete replacement. But when you buy a headlight restoration kit, a single restoration process can last you for another 500 hours – saving you extra money and time.
Advantages and disadvantages of restoring headlights with vinegar
Pros
- Easily accessible in the market
- Relatively affordable
- Comes in handy for everyday cleaning
- Amazing car lens restorer
- Can also be used to clean windows as well
Cons
- Extreme attention needs to be taken when preparing a vinegar solution. Too much-concentrated vinegar can do more harm than good.
- Labor intensive in some cases due to the fact that the headlight assembly has to be removed from the vehicle.
- Sometimes it’s unreliable.
Cleaning headlights with a headlight restoration kit
Using a Headlight restoration kit is also one of the most effective ways to get rid of foggy headlights. Headlight restoration kits are easy to use and are much cheaper compared to a replacement. You can get a single headlight restoration kit for as low as $15 to $70. One of the reasons why you should consider a headlight restoration kit for your next DIY headlight restoration is because it contains all the essential tools for a complete headlight restoration.
Kit & requirements
- Clear light tech (C.L.T) headlight restoration kit.
- Automotive soap
- Microfiber towel
Procedure
Wash your headlight with an automotive soap and water and allow it to dry and cool for some minutes. Open the seal of your headlight restoration kit package and bring out the folded restoration wipe. In a gentle circular motion, use the restoration wipe to clean the surface of your headlight lens.
Next, allow the solution to dry and soften the debris build-ups on your headlight lens for some minutes. Don’t wash yet. Use your microfiber towel and clean the headlights. repeat the process again until the yellowish discoloration on your headlight casing is cleared.
To conclude your restoration process, pick the last unfolded wipe from the restoration kit and clean the headlight lens again. Unlike the first wipe, this wipe contains a special protective solution that covers your headlight with a coat and protects it from UV rays.
Pros
- It’s more effective
- The results are more durable
- It’s specifically designed for headlight restoration
- It’s cheaper at the long run
- It’s easily accessible
Cons
- A single kit can not be reused multiple times after the first restoration process.
Why should you buy a headlight restoration kit?
- First things first, safety.
By purchasing a headlight restoration kit, you are getting rid of a high potential safety hazard by restoring your headlight lens to perfect clarity. Foggy or yellowed headlights reduces the amount of light emitting through the headlight lens, leaving you with a dimmer visibility. Restoring it gives you better visibility for night time driving. - Money saver.
Almost every part of a car is expensive and your headlights are no different. By restoring your headlights anytime they become foggy, you are less likely to be in need for a replacement which is more expensive. This saves you a lot of money in the long run. - Aesthetics.
Maybe your headlights aren’t too cloudy to impede your visibility but they do contribute to the overall look of your car. By restoring your headlights, you are maintaining the beauty of your car. - DIY repair.
If you aren’t shy of a little grease on your hands or if you love to take matters into your hands, then a restoration is what you need. With a restoration kit, you can clean your headlights the way you want it; to achieve the kind of results you desire.
