Headlight Restoration with WD-40 & Toothpaste: HACKS TESTED

We put these common household items to the test to see if they can revive your vehicle's headlights. You might be surprised what we found.

Segments:
00:00 Intro
01:09 WD-40
02:46 WD-40 w Drill
03:36 WD-40 w/ Steel Wool
04:39 WD-40 Results
05:31 Toothpaste
07:45 Toothpaste w Drill
09:06 Toothpaste results
09:49 Outro

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#Hacks #Headlights #CarRestoration

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O22STACK

[sherrymesser]

The only thing out there shining in the dark over glassy highways are people using four or more LED headlights that blind the heck out of everyone else.😊

[mosab]

Very sloppy "Test". The toothpaste works because it has tiny crystals inside that have a similar effect to polish or high-grit sanding paper. Applying it in that sloppy "edge" drill way would never work, it needs to be handled like polish. Use whitening toothpaste (more crystals in that) and some water, it works like a charm but only stays that way if you seal it with clear coat. It's totally not worth the hassle with kits like Sylvanna being $20 but in a pinch it WILL work. Just don't do it like ol' Cole here.

[jamesfoo]

2000 wet and dry, then polish with a machine polisher. Or use 2000 then 3000 wet and dry and polish by hand with a cloth and some polish with a gentle cutting in it. Car body polish will do it generally. The kits are fine for light hazing but sometimes you need to use sandpaper to take off the top layer where a cover coat wont do it. Even if you go the sand/polish method, it's good to by a final protector spray to reduce it happening again, or at least delay it.

[mewregaurdhissyfit]

Ive got a 2012 vehicle, and the headlights are pretty bad. I've had them professionally restored, I've used toothpaste, I've used Turtle Wax restorer, Ive used other restorers and other home methods. Most do NOT work, and the ones that do slightly work, only last about 3-6 months.
Instead of wasting all that money on restorers, its better to just buy brand new headlights.

I sure miss the days of glass headlights. No muss, no fuss. Just Windex and a paper towel did the trick every single time.

[KeepItSimpleSailor]

We used to clean up scratches on watch face glass with toothpaste. Was slow but it worked

[STV-HH]

This guy should clean the dirt and grime off first.

Starting with the dirty surface isn’t a good way to make the test look effective.

Using coarse abrasive steel wool is as effective as using some dirty sponge with sand on it.
Starting the steel wool method means working your way from the beginning to the ultra fine. But I’d never waste the hours on it that such a process requires.

Mothers msg and wheel polish was effective. But in overall, the toothpaste (first part of my attempt was a gel toothpaste, the second round when I decided to try for a more thorough treatment, I used Colgate with baking soda formula) and it was very effective.
Took about 20-30 minutes each, plus the extra time raping off the paint around the lamp assembly.


I wouldn’t follow this guys advice to fill my dogs water dish.

[Quixote]

Toothpaste worked like a charm for me! Took several times but looks like new now. You didn't scrub nearly long enough or hard enough and a paper towell doen't work. You have to use like a sponge or something with a bit more texture.

[jamiecrouch]

Didn't clean the buffing pad after putting wd 40 on it, probably used the wrong type of buffing pad. The key to polishing anything is how slick you can get it and it take heat to raise the scratches up to be cut out. Always us a buffing compound with the matching pad and stage up .just keep in mind to use low speed with plastic to prevent melting

[paulmartin]

Any tips for cleaning the INSIDE of 2002 Toyota Camry headlight lenses?

[thegreatcerebral]

So this guy has a fundamental misunderstanding of what is happening. As dirt and debris hits your headlamp it is making scratches, the longer you have it the deeper they go, just like back in the day with CDs and DVDs when you did a "repair" on them it's the same thing. You essentially have to remove surface area to make it flat again. That is the only way. Technically speaking when you use toothpaste or some of the other grinding/polishing kits/stuff what you are doing is those are "fillers" that will actually help.

[TheIndianscout]

Start with 600 or 800 grit sandpaper and water.Keep lens and paper wet at all times.Then hit it with a 2000 grit sandpaper and water.Clean lens with alcohol then clear coat it is the best way.

[PauloRLustosa]

Obrigado. Eu assisti aqui na Amazônia brasileira.

[craigster]

So is the hazy/foggy whatever it is ON the SURFACE?

[SirenaSpades]

You can use the ultra fine grade #00 steel wool. The idea is to work up in polishing. From heavier grits to finer polishes. When I say heavier grits, I do not mean very heavy grits... this is plastic after all. Start with very low grits, such as the light buffing pad on the buffer (foam, not wool, or the 00 steel wool). It's the same with any polishing.

[sheresewilliams]

I watched both your video's and I will go with your number one pick in the other video. Thanks for helping me choose the best method to fix a real problem with my son's car headlamps. 😇

[koblih]

Yes the only way is to sand down the oxidized layer and polish the plastic.

[bigmandanc]

I use the toothpaste method every 6 months on mine, works beautifully if DONE PROPERLY. You didn't scrub it long enough, it needs to be very wet and it needs doing twice. Failed test

[RiddlerG]

Can you feel the pain from how half 🍑 his work was? Cause I sure feel like properly doing something anything just to calm myself down

[crazybutcool]

Hemmroid cream scrub it on with a tampon works pretty good.

[teresasanchez]

The toothpaste works better with a tooth brush and some water. I use a sprsy bottle, you don't want it to dry up. Plus you have to brush for about 5 minutes then rinse it off with water. That worked for me, but it is temporary, it lasted for about 3 weeks. So after every car wash I i now use some wd40, I spray a small micro fiber cloth and polish it as pat of the car wash. They look great good as new.