How to Clean Headlights with WD40

How to Clean Headlights with WD40

Car headlights tend to turn foggy and yellow with time. This is caused by a reaction between the plastic headlight lens and UV rays. In coastal areas where the air is salty, they can get hazy quicker. The good news is that you can clean your headlights using an effective product like WD40.

How to Clean Headlights with WD40

What you’ll need:

  • Soap and water
  • WD40
  • Loofah/microfiber cloth

Step 1: Wash your headlights

Start by washing your headlights using soap and water. Scrub the plastic lens with a loofah to remove dust, grime, and gunk. Leave them to dry for about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Spray WD40

Grab a can of some WD40 and spray a generous amount over the headlight lens. You can alternatively apply some on a microfiber cloth then work on the headlight.

Let the solution soak for about 10 minutes. This allows it to break down the gunk that causes your headlights to appear foggy.

Step 3: Scrub your headlights

Use a clean and soft loofah to scrub the headlights. Do this gently and in circular movements to avoid leaving any streaks. After a few minutes of doing this, your headlights will start to clear up.

Step 4: Rinse your headlights

Fill a bucket with some water and car wash soap. Mix it with a microfiber cloth or sponge and gently wipe away the WD-40 from your headlights.

Pat the headlights dry or leave them to dry out in the sun. Rinsing away the WD40 is important because it prevents it from leaking into the headlight and causing it to burn out.

To provide further protection, apply some car wax over the headlights. This allows the shine to last longer.

Is WD-40 good for cleaning headlights?

WD-40 helps to clean headlights that are hazy, oxidized, and foggy. It cuts through the grime stuck on the surface of your headlights and clears them up. It also gives the lens a protective coating that allows the shine to last much longer.

On top of that, it does not ruin your car’s paint. You do not have to worry about it dripping onto your bumper or other parts of the car. The only downside is that this solution doesn’t last that long. You’ll need to clean your headlights again after a few weeks.

Conclusion

WD40 is one of the best solutions for clearing hazy headlights. It’s fast, straight forward, and effective. It is also relatively affordable compared to other solutions. The only disadvantage is that it does not provide permanent results.

Recent Blog Posts

November 29, 2022

How to Wet Sand Headlights
How to Wet Sand Headlights

One of the best solutions for fixing hazy headlights is to wet sand them. While there are other ways you can clear up your oxidized headlights, few methods work as great as wet sanding. It not only cleans the plastic lens completely but also achieves permanent results.

Read more

November 29, 2022

How to Clean Yellow Headlights
How to Clean Yellow Headlights

Headlights that have turned yellow can make a car look really old. The foggy coating that covers the headlight tends to reduce the amount of light emitted on the road. This can affect the driver’s visibility and make it hard to maneuver dark roads.

Read more

November 29, 2022

How to Clean the Inside of Your Headlights
How to Clean the Inside of Your Headlights

There are plenty of solutions out there when it comes to cleaning the outside of your headlights. You can easily remove the yellow coating that forms on the plastic lens using a few household products.

Read more