Cleaning Car Headlights

I was so busy today, I thought I would clean my 2004 Honda headlights. Yep, been putting it off for years, literally.

I stayed up way past my bedtime looking on the internet, “how to clean the plastic covering on headlamps”, using all makes of really old cars. It would be my car’s maiden cleaning, do you believe it? But I was having trouble seeing at night and they promised it would be remarkable. Now just to be fair I do need to remember to turn ON the headlights and put ON my glasses.

So here we go. There were lots of toothpaste demos. Mostly just a rag and a strong hairy arm. Then there were the machines. Yes there were. I don’t even think I could pick any of them up and with that sandpaper? I don’t know but I’ve used sandpaper to clean off paint from an antique table I wanted to refinish, or to get rust off furniture, but on plastic?

I started with Windex. Call me crazy but that did make an improvement. However, they did not shine like the video showed. Frankly, I have never seen a commercial by any toothpaste company tout that it makes your smile whiter and your headlights brighter.

Next I tried Try It. My mother-in-law sold Stanley back in, gosh it’s been awhile and she’s not around for me to ask, let’s say 1970. Same with Germtrol which Mamma Lee said cured everything. I tried an auto cleaner, Fantastic, 409, a scrubby, and toilet brush but nothing. The carpet cleaner came to mind but I wasn’t sure the cord would reach. Maybe it was the kiddie toothpaste. They didn’t specify and I had that on hand. The most expensive product I used was what I refer to as my Glacial Facial.

Very expensive Glacial Facial Matanuska Glacier, AK

Expensive because the trip to Alaska wasn’t cheap and digging the mud from the frozen tundra wasn’t easy. Uh huh.

So you be the judge. I’ve included my photos. Can you see the difference? I thought so.