Opaque headlights: you can use bicarbonate of soda to make them look like new again
Everyone will have noticed that, after a few years, the headlights of your car seem less powerful. Certainly, the cause that comes to mind first - and which is often the right one - is that the bulbs need to be replaced. But sometimes, even after having made a substitution, the light remains dim. Most likely, in these cases, the problem lays with the plastic that protects and covers the lights. This plastic can becomes opaque over time and blocks the light to a degree.
There are a number of ways to deal with this, and some methods are a little more labor intensive than others. Below, however, we describe a simple and cheap method that is worth trying:
The method that we propose involves the use of an ingredient that we often have at home or can easily be found (and is very cheap): sodium bicarbonate.
You will need:
- a bowl
- sodium bicarbonate
- warm water
- a sponge
- a soft cloth
All you need to do is put 5 tablespoons of baking soda into the bowl, and add enough water to form a paste.
At this point, wash the lights normally, and then apply the paste using the corner of the sponge. Then continue to rub the paste over the surface of the lights with the soft cloth, using small, circular movements.
Repeat these steps until you get the desired result and then wash any residue off with dishwashing liquid (or even Marseille soap) along with warm water. Rinse off, allow to dry, and your lights will be as good as new.
Other methods involve smoothing the plastic covers using very fine-grained sandpaper: it is an approach that works but which cannot be used too often, given that the plastic is not very thick. Then, there are those who recommend dismantling the light and soaking the plastic part in white vinegar for an hour: this too can give good results, but it is certainly more work.
An alternative to baking soda is toothpaste: use a traditional paste, and exactly as described above for the baking soda method.
Which method do you prefer?
