Why headlights get foggy

Despite all these efforts, not enough dry air is able to reach the farthest corners of the housing, and this is where condensation persists the longest. How long it actually takes until the lens is completely clear depends on the current weather conditions and level of humidity. When a vehicle is stationary, it takes even longer — and warmer weather — before the condensation finally disappears. In many cases, daytime running lights have made the fogging situation even worse.

When trying to prevent fogging, it therefore makes sense to drive with your low beam headlights on instead of your daytime running light s, as more drivers tend to do in the fall and winter seasons anyway. A bit more? Off-road and highway driving place different requirements on headlights.

And drivers of farm vehicles, for example, also have special needs. This is where the LEDriving auxiliary headlamps from Osram come in. Every car has high beam headlights. Some drivers never use them, others solely before overtaking. In Central Europe, high beams are truly used in only three percent of nighttime journeys. Could we really do without them? Oncoming drivers flashing their lights at you.

Too good for hygiene products? The sandpaper method requires only a bit more effort mainly finding sandpaper but can shave away more grime from your headlights. Follow the same steps above by cleaning your headlights with soap and water, drying thoroughly, and taping around the lights. Apply a bit of water to the sandpaper grit to start , then work it in circular motions around the headlight, followed by a horizontal path. Do this lightly — pressing too hard can scratch the housing.

Now, grab finer sandpaper 1, grit or more and do the same process from the other direction. Once finished, wipe off the headlight with rubbing alcohol this helps the headlight dry. Everything should look pretty clear at this point, but as a finishing touch, polish the plastic with toothpaste like above or a specialized headlight polish. If using toothpaste seems strange and trying sandpaper is a fearful endeavor, you can always pay for a kit.

Toothpaste with baking soda works best. Start scrubbing. Keep the surface wet and apply more toothpaste as needed. One kit usually has enough to clean two headlights.

Make sure to exercise caution when using DIY kits; if you're not too familiar with how to restore headlights, you could run the risk of ruining them completely if you use a kit, according to Alex Murenko, the owner of ONEighty, an automotive shop that offers headlight styling and restoration services in New York City.

Instead of tackling the job yourself , Murenko recommends drivers have their headlights restored by professionals. That's why afterwards we have to buff it and polish it. This restores the clarity and the shine.