Winter’s fast approaching, and with the snowy season dead ahead, it’s important that your headlights are as clean and clear as possible to make sure your front bumper doesn’t become someone’s rear bumper.

Hazy headlights suck. They reduce visibility, deteriorate the look of the car, and can be downright dangerous in sketchy situations. Technically you should check and clean your headlights before you drive…..every time. I know that in this fast paced world we live in, especially for me right now with a screaming 4 month old, that is just not going to happen!

So what can you do yo help them stay clean for a little while longer?

Well you can start by washing the headlights with regular car soap. Regular road grit and grime can make your headlights look dirty and hazy to a degree that can make a more accurate diagnosis difficult. Before you start looking for specific problems, just give your car a wash with regular warm water and car wash soap. Wipe down the headlights and let them dry thoroughly.

Look for hazing. Haziness will occur when all of the hard-coat has worn off the headlights and the soft polycarbonate is exposed, beginning to absorb scratches that creates hazing. The lens will soon be covered in a rough dark yellow crusted surface. If this seems to be the problem, doing a cheap quick clean will be an effective way of slowing the degeneration of the headlights, but a more comprehensive clean may be called for.

Look for yellowing. This occurs when all of the hard coat is beginning to thin out and lose adhesion to the polycarbonate lens. The UV wavelength spectrum creates a new repeating unit in the carbonic chain which absorbs blue light, and results in a yellowish appearance. If you notice yellowish coloring on the headlights, you need to opt for a more comprehensive clean, using Rain-X or some polishing compound to clean them up and correct the damage.

Now if you have glass headlights have them checked by the pros! Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on cleaning and as always DRIVE SAFE!!!