If you’ve owned your car for a few years, chances are you’re noticing some haze forming on the front headlights. This haziness is a result of the plastic headlight lens material (polycarbonate) breaking down over time due to exposure to oxidation, chemicals, and UV rays from the sun. As a consequence, a cloudy layer forms on the headlight lens, drastically decreasing the emitted light and making it difficult to see the road ahead. In severe cases, this haziness can reduce visibility by up to 50%, posing a serious safety risk.

Numerous car accidents occur due to inadequate lighting during nighttime, underscoring its critical role in road safety. Having clear visibility at night can be the determining factor in safely reaching home, allowing you to spot obstacles on the road with precision. Addressing hazy lights is thus as crucial as resolving any other essential issue within your vehicle. This guide will demonstrate the proper approach to dealing with haze, whether it’s minor or severe.

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Doing It Yourself; The procedures of fixing minimal haze at home

For fixing a headlight that has such a layer of haze, a few materials that are easily found at home are needed to complete the operation. First of all, make sure you mask off the area around the headlight where you are working so you don’t get any of these materials onto where they should not be such as the car’s body paint. In addition, it is better to be working in the shed as it will prevent any products from drying quickly in the sun.

For this process, you have a few options that you can tyr according to the severity of the case. Try them out in sequence and see which will work for you.

1- Soap and Water

The first and the simplest thing to try when trying to fix a hazy headlight. Mix some dishwashing soap with water and clean the headlights with a clean microfiber cloth to scrub down any dirt and grim. If this does not solve your problem, wait for it to dry then proceed to the next step.

2- Toothpaste

Toothpaste can be a mild abrasive that helps with polishing your headlights. Use normal toothpaste (non-gel toothpaste) with a damp microfiber cloth and scrub the headlight well. Then, use another clean cloth with water to clean it up thoroughly. In case this solution does not work either, proceed to the next one.

3- Baking Soda Mixed With Vinegar

Baking soda is another mild abrasive that can be used to scrub the haziness off the headlights. Mixing one part of baking soda with two parts of distilled white vinegar will give you a great mixture that will help you any haze effectively. First, make sure you clean the headlight first with water and soap, and dry it well before applying. You can use a clean cloth to scrub the headlight with the mixture you have made. Scrub each light for a few minutes and let it sit for another 2 minutes before rinsing it with water. You can repeat the process several times if needed until the desired result is reached.

Resorting to a Professional Workshop

If none of the prior methods prove effective, your final resort is to visit a professional car body shop which has experts trained to handle such situations. They have various techniques for tackling hazy headlights, such as scrubbing them with specialized materials, sanding the surface followed by polishing, or even replacing the entire lenses if necessary. They will determine the most suitable approach to resolve the issue, guaranteeing optimal results and restoring your headlights to a brand-new condition.

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