We’ll be the first to admit that quality car headlights can cost quite a bit of money, which makes regular maintenance and care all the more important.

Without proper attention, over the years headlights can degrade in performance and looks – but it can be very simple to make sure that doesn’t happen. 15 minutes a couple of times a year will extend the life of your headlights by years.

Removing Discolouring of Headlights

Car headlights are often made of polycarbonate (which is a strong and affordable material) but it has one draw back. Over time, exposure to UV rays from the sun discolours the clear plastic and turns it a yellow, musty colour. It also appears cloudy, often disrupting the performance of the light itself.

There is a very easy and affordable way to clean headlights to prevent and remove the effects of UV rays. The answer is in your bathroom!

Toothpaste and a cloth is all you need. Yes, you read that right! Use toothpaste as a cleaning fluid for each headlight and rub generously until the headlights begin to clear. 

Reports are that pastes with Bicarbonate of Soda in them work better, but most should work just fine.

Ensuring a bright light

This one sounds biased – but we’re not out to make a quick buck! It is hard to tell when your headlight bulbs are not producing the light they once did. They reduce in brightness and quality over time, which makes it harder to notice.

So our suggestion is to replace your bulbs every 1-2 years, instead of waiting for them to stop working altogether.

In the end, if well-performing headlights are something you want, consider replacing the bulbs more often than you do now. Brand is also important, with companies like Osram leading the way in quality.

If you don’t mind some drop in performance over time, replace them when they blow!

Repairing cracked headlights