Headlights are the eyes of our car. Polishing them is not only linked to a need, but also to the desire to have a more beautiful car. Having nice and shiny headlights also makes it look newer. In this article we will find out all the details to perfectly polish the car's headlights.

What you need to polish car headlights

The first aspect to consider clearly is the weather. To perfectly polish the headlights we need to have a wonderful day because the process doesn't have to stop and it doesn't have to be done if it rains.

Let's also remember to place the car in a quiet area sheltered from the sun, in order to have more time to define all the details well. The time to polish the headlights, in fact, can be more or less long, but this must not affect the final quality of the result.

The first thing we recommend is to observe the lighthouse both with lights off and with lights on. This will allow us to better understand the situation and develop the best cleaning methodology. If the damage we notice is very important, the advice is to go to a professional center for repair or replacement.

How to polish car headlights

The first action is to wash the headlights with ordinary soap. This activity must be done very carefully. We use a specific soap that can be found in specialized care centers.

We clean the headlights well and dry them thoroughly. At this point, let's check the headlights again to understand the seriousness of the problem.

If the headlight looks dull, this could be due to the outer lens coating being worn. The material has scratched over time and has therefore become dull.

If, on the other hand, over time they have acquired a yellow and encrusted patina, cleaning is quick. This situation could be due to the hardener layer starting to thin. Cleaning requires a material that we recommend buying at auto centers.

If, on the other hand, there are cracks or splits, the problem is much more important. In fact, if we take a stone on the highway, or the headlight has areas that begin to stain in an important way, then the advice is to contact a professional to apply a cleaning and hardening treatment. Finally, if the damage is too expensive to repair, we will be forced to replace it.

Fortunately, all these operations are fast and allow the vehicle to be repaired in a very short time.

Sand the Headlights

To start sanding the light we obviously have to get some wet or dry sandpaper. Once all the various grits have been identified, we place adhesive tape on the edges of the headlight so as not to risk scratching the paint.

Just use simple painter's tape. Before using the abrasive paper it is also recommended to clean the light once more with denatured alcohol and kitchen paper.

We continue the work, moistening the sandpaper and starting to sand. To wet the coarse-grained emery paper, we use a home sprayer. We perform constant and regular movements, in order to have a uniformly treated surface. After passing a coarse-grained paper, the advice is to pass a finer-grained paper.

Polish the Headlights

After sanding, we must pass a polishing product. If the previous steps were done correctly, any opacity should have been removed.

Let's go now to any auto product shop to buy the most suitable product. We ask the clerk for advice, as there are different types suitable for different purposes. In addition, the shopkeeper will be able to recommend the best solution depending on the type of car.

There are also cheaper tools, such as regular toothpaste, which we will see later.

Back home, the advice is to place some polishing product on a microfiber cloth. We place a large amount like a coin and work small areas at a time. We make circular movements, repeatedly on the area and constantly.

We stay at least 10 minutes per zone. As soon as we have finished one area, making it shiny, we can move on to the next.

In the event we want to use an electric drill for the circular motion, we can also apply the polish directly on the foam pad. The advice in this case is to move about 3 cm every second. We continue the action until the headlights are completely transparent again.

Finally, we clean and rinse the headlight in order to have an optimal result. We then check the alignment of the lights towards the wall of our garage.

To ensure a long transparency to the headlights, we can also place a transparent plastic primer. We can buy this solution from any car body shop.

How to polish your headlights with toothpaste

As we have said, it is also possible to polish the headlights with normal home toothpaste. The procedure is the same as seen above, that is to use an abrasive paste.

In fact, we will have to clean the surface, rub it with toothpaste and clean everything with a polishing and protective product.

We must say, however, that toothpaste is never too effective. The advice is in fact to use ad hoc products for this purpose.

Have your headlights polished in the workshop

It is a cost that concerns not only the beauty of the car, but also our safety because having bright headlights means having a perfect view of the road. It is understandable that the certainty of a perfect and lasting result clearly has a cost.

It is also true that the intervention times may not be immediate, as in the case of an own intervention, but, ultimately, a professional intervention generates a better result in quality and duration.

How often to polish car headlights

There is no precise timeframe for polishing the headlights. The advice is to observe if the headlights can perfectly illuminate the road. We analyze the state of health of the lighthouse and decide to intervene if necessary. If we notice that the headlights are slightly yellowed, it is good to intervene promptly in order to have an optimal solution immediately.

How often should you wash your car?