Does Nail Polish Remover Restore Headlights?

The headlight is one of the important parts of the car. Not only does it beautify the car, it makes it easy for you to see clearly while you drive at night or in cloudy weather, it also enables other motorists to see you. However, headlights turn yellow and foggy over time. In this situation, what can you do? Can you use a nail polish remover to restore headlights?

Does that sound hilarious to you? How possible can a nail polish remover restore the headlight? Well, the nail polish remover can do the unthinkable.

Well, nail polish is capable of cleaning and restoring a foggy headlight. Do you need more information on this? Read this guide for everything you need to know about foggy headlights and nail polish remover.

Contents

Is it safe to use nail polish remover on the headlight?

In the past, vehicles’ headlights were made of glass. It adds to the weight of the car and breaks immediately something happened to it. In recent times, acrylics have become the major material for making headlights.

Therefore, if you can use nail polish remover on your acrylic nails and it is safe, you can also apply it on your headlights to make it clear.

Nevertheless, make sure you practice other preventive measures that would prevent your headlights from turning yellow.

How can I use a nail polish remover to restore the headlight?

It is expensive when you hire a professional to wash your headlight and more expensive if you decide to fix new ones. With a nail polish remover, you can clean a yellowish and foggy headlight and achieve a clear vision. Here is a list of some of the steps you should take when you want to use a nail polish remover for your headlights.

Get a nail polish remover

You can easily get one from your wife or girlfriend. Hilarious, right? You can get it from any store within your neighbourhood.

Apply on a clean cloth

The next thing you should do is to apply the nail polish remover on a clean dry cloth. However, make sure the cloth is soft cotton.

Scrub gently

You should gently scrub the headlight with the portion of the cloth where you have applied the nail polish remover. If you do it rightly, you will notice that the part of the cloth you use is getting dirtier.

Repeat the process

After cleaning, you will notice that the headlight is now clearer. However, if you are not satisfied with the result, you can repeat the same steps highlighted above until you achieve the desired result.

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When do I clean the headlight?

It is unsafe to drive with a foggy headlight. However, you might not know that a headlight is foggy, especially if you are not observant.

Hence, you won’t know when to clean the headlights. The headlight will turn yellow when it is foggy. Here is a list of some of the signs you will notice when the headlight is foggy.

Yellow colour

The first sign of a foggy headlight is the headlight turning yellow. If you notice this, you should clean the headlight immediately.

Shines dull

You might not be driving constantly at night. However, anytime you drive at night and you notice that headlights are not bright the way they used to be, it is time for you to clean the headlight.

Difficult to drive with

In a situation that you drive often at night and you suddenly find it difficult to drive with the same vehicle due to unclear vision. The headlight might be responsible for this. Hence, there is a need for you to clean the headlight.

Scratched headlight

Flying debris and stone could leave a scratch mark on the headlight while you cruise. With time, these scratches could impair the headlight and makes it difficult to drive with it.

When you notice these scratches, you should take the vehicle to a professional who will wash the headlights and clean the scratches.

Causes of a foggy or yellow headlight

Everything is attractive when you newly bought a car. You just suddenly noticed that the headlights are turning yellow. With time, it becomes difficult for you to see clearly with it when you drive at night.

Have you ever wondered what could be responsible for that? You will get all the information about the causes of the yellowish and foggy headlights in this guide.

Sunlight

Automotive makers manufacture headlights with a topcoat that could help prevent sunlight from having adverse effects on the headlight. However, with time, the headlights become oxidized and this will turn the plastic of the headlight to yellow.

Debris

Much flying debris gets stuck to the headlights while you cruise on different roads. This wears down the top coat that has been manufactured with the headlights, thereby making it foggy with time.

Water vapour

So that the headlights could be protected against water vapour, automotive makers manufactured a watertight seal with the headlight.

Due to tear and wear, the water seal could remove and thereby leaving droplets of water on the beam. When such water evaporates, it turns the headlight yellow, thereby making it difficult to drive with it at night.

Effects of driving with a foggy headlight

All automotive parts have a particular purpose they serve in the vehicle. The headlight is not there to add to the exterior alone, it serves a purpose.

You are wrong if you think the headlight is not important, hence, you don’t care if it is clear or foggy. Highlighted below are some of the reasons why your vehicle’s headlight should be in good condition.

Vision

It is expected of a driver to have a clear vision of the road while driving. However, it might become impossible for you to achieve this at night or in cloudy weather when your headlight is foggy.

It becomes impossible for you to see the road clearly and this could be dangerous. In addition, it will also become difficult for other motorists to see you If you drive with a foggy headlight.

Fine

I am sure you do not like spending money on what is avoidable. Many states in the US have laws that prohibit driving with a foggy headlight.

However, if you drive a vehicle with a foggy headlight, you could be pulled over, and a fine handed to you. In subsequent times, you might be handed a heavy fine or charged to court.

More time on the road

A vehicle with a foggy headlight will reduce your pace on the road. You can’t see the road, therefore, you will have to move slowly to avert any impending danger that might happen.

Reduced worth

In a situation when you have plans to sell the vehicle in the future, the headlight is one of the things potential buyers look out for. If your vehicle has a foggy headlight, it will affect its value.

Risk

Automotive makers manufacture vehicles with many safety features. However, you could subject your life, the life of others, and the vehicle to risk if you are driving with a foggy headlight.

You might be driving at night and you hit a pedestrian that is about to cross the road due to your inability to see clearly.

In addition, you might be involved in a head-on collision. There are many risks associated with driving a vehicle with a foggy headlight

Preventive measures against the yellowish or foggy headlight

There are many risks associated with yellowish or foggy headlights. You can, however, prevent this from happening. Just care for the headlights the way you care for the interior, engine, brake, etc.

Highlighted below are some of the things you could do to prevent the headlights from turning yellow or foggy.

Avoid sunlight

It might be impossible for you not to drive in the sun. It is, however, possible for you not to park in the sun. You can construct a garage where you will park the vehicle or look for a space with shade where you would park.

If these options are not possible, make sure you always park the car in a position where the headlight would not face the sun.

Polish the headlight

When you notice any sign of yellow on the headlight, get a non-abrasive polish and a microfiber cloth. You should polish the headlight gently till you get rid of the yellowish sign.

Wash regularly

You should make it a practice to wash away dirt and chemicals from the headlights with automotive soap at least once in three months.

However, you might not be able to do this yourself, therefore, take it to a professional technician who will do it properly.