Can Toothpaste Really Clean a Car's Foggy Headlights? [Hack Test]

Toothpaste helps clean all the gunk that builds up on our teeth each day, but can it also clean the gunk that builds up on our headlights? Let's find out.

My wife and I bought our daughter a used 2007 Jeep Liberty last summer ahead of her 15th birthday so she could practice driving once she got her permit, then be comfortable with it once she has her license later this year. It's nothing fancy. There are s a few cosmetic flaws inside and out, as most 15-year-old vehicles do that have been through more than one owner, but it runs pretty well and that's all she needs right now.

One thing my wife noticed while driving it recently is that the headlights didn't seem to shine in the dark as much as she felt like they should. It didn't take an in-depth investigation to find out why.

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Both headlights were almost completely clouded which tends to happen to all vehicles as they age. I remembered seeing a life hack shared online years ago claiming you could use the same toothpaste you use to clean your teeth to clean headlights. I decided to give it a go and see what happens. I figured it was cheaper than replacing both headlights which would cost me anywhere between $52 and $95 for each headlight (if you're doing the math, that would be anywhere between $102 to $190 total). Plus, however long it would take me to install them.

I did a quick search to find the hack again and landed on Carhop.com which gave me step-by-step instructions on how to do it. Let's see how it went.

Does Toothpaste Really Clean Your Vehicle's Foggy Headlights? [Life Hack Test]

According to Carhop.com, cloudy headlights are a relatively modern issue. Originally, car manufacturers used glass domes for the front of their headlights until sometime in the 1980s when they switched to "polycarbonate or plastic" I assume because it was cheaper. Unlike glass, plastic is more susceptible to oxidation which is caused by the UV light created naturally by the sun. Dust, debris, and road grime also contribute to clouding up your lights.

They also say toothpaste can be used to clear that cloudiness thanks to the same mild abrasives that also remove plaque and other gunk from your mouth. As someone who has to see it or try it before I believe it, I decided to give it a shot by following their steps and seeing for myself if they were right.

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Filed Under: life hack