# How do I clean my car headlights? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 19, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069 "2008-07-19T18:58:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/1 "2008-07-19T18:58:12Z")
I have an ´02 VW Bora (aka Jetta or Vento) with foggy head lights. The headlights are getting foggy, but not from the inside. Apart from regular cleaning I have cleaned with some citrus degreaser to get the grease off and windex type chemical to try and get the rest of the crud off. There appears to be a residue and general fine scratches that are keeping the headlights from new like cleaness. The material looks like plastic rather than glass so I geuss there is some aging discolouration there as well. Any ideas how to get them gleaming and as transparent as possibe again? I have access to grinders, orbital sanders, oxy acetylene torches and basic soap and water type chemicals. I doubt I will be able to find any specialist , this will get your headlights clean, type products here though. Thanks NBC ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/2 "2008-07-19T20:21:03Z")
What did you use to scrub them with? Anything other then a cotton towel and you may have actually scratched the lens. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/3 "2008-07-19T23:03:50Z")
It is a UV coating which degrades over time. The only thing that might help is to scrub off all the coating, but that may not even be possible and you may screw up the lens underneath in the process. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/4 "2008-07-20T03:32:21Z")
Very simple. [This stuff](http://www.meguiars.com/?pro-clear-plastic-care/Mirror-Glaze-Clear-Plastic-Cleaner) worked very nice on my daughter’s Olds minivan headlights. The previous owner had gotten some tar on the front end and used Scotchbrite to remove it, including the headlight lenses. I used the Mirror Glaze and the headlights worked like new. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/5 "2008-07-20T03:42:58Z")
There are a number of products out there. [Here’s a link to one product.](http://www.headlightsolution.net/) The site plays a video with results of the product’s use. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/6 "2008-07-20T04:41:52Z")
My local news did a report about the polishing kits made for car headlights and the results were extremely disappointing. All four kits they tested failed miserably. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-clean-my-car-headlights/457069/7 "2008-07-20T12:32:24Z")
People on this board have recommended these kits in the past and they had good results. I’m sure some brands are junk and some are good.