How to Clean Truck Headlights

Updated on Jan 28, 2025

We spend a lot of time worrying about maintenance items like air pressure in tires and changing oil, but what about your truck’s headlights? Chances are it’s been a long while since you gave them a close look.

Foggy, dull headlights are not only unsightly, they can be dangerous. At night and in inclement weather, it’s important to have properly working, luminous headlights. Your safety, and the safety of other drivers, is important.

Cleaning headlights at home is easy, inexpensive, and takes very little time. You can even clean them with items you already have, like baking soda or toothpaste.

Here’s how to clean your truck headlights at home.

When to Clean Your Truck Headlights

Understanding when to clean your truck headlights is just as critical as knowing how to do it yourself. It distills down to three instances: when you want to when you need to, and when you simply must clean your truck headlights.

Want: If you like to keep your truck in tip-top shape, chances are you wash your truck regularly. When washing your truck, be sure to scrub the headlights. Good, routine washings go a long way toward keeping your truck headlights clean and bright.

Need: If your truck headlights are starting to get a bit foggy around the edges, or the housing is starting to look a bit faded, this is your signal that a cleaning is needed. Over time, headlights can become dull on the interior; while they might look damaged or in need of replacement, a good cleaning often clears things up, pun intended.

Must: If your headlights are completely foggy, cloudy, yellowed, or stained, it’s past time to clean them. It’s dangerous for you and other drivers, which is why we have headlights in the first place.

What You Need to Clean Your Truck Headlights

You likely have all the items you need to clean your truck headlights in your garage or pantry. All you need to do is gather your supplies and set a few moments aside to give your truck headlights the attention they deserve.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A small bucket

  • Microfiber towels or cloths

  • Water

  • Painter’s tape (it has the gentlest adhesive, so please don’t substitute for another tape)

  • Light-grit sandpaper (800 - 200 grit)

  • Your cleaner of choice:

    • Dish soap

    • Whitening toothpaste

    • Baking soda and distilled white vinegar

Step 1: Preparing Your Truck Headlights for Cleaning

Now that you have your supplies, your truck headlights need a touch of prep. Here’s what to do:

Clean the headlights. Clean your headlights with soap and water. This removes surface debris and grime so you can get down to business!

Move your truck out of direct sunlight. A garage, under a canopy or tree - wherever is most convenient to you. 

Tape around your truck headlights. Use the painter’s tape to outline your truck headlights. Remember that. the tape will be adhering to your truck’s paint, so don’t use a stronger tape. If you like, feel free to use a dropcloth or newspaper on your truck’s body to protect it.

Step 2: Choose Your Method

Here’s how the various methods for cleaning your truck headlights work - and when to use them:

Dish soap. The mildest option, dish soap is often a touch stronger than car wash and might be just enough to get your headlights looking their best. Be sure to dilute in water before using.

Vinegar and baking soda. A 2:1 mixture of vinegar and baking soda creates a mildly abrasive foam that you can scrub onto headlights with a microfiber towel. This is best for light cleaning and provides excellent results.

Toothpaste. Whitening toothpaste is akin to a mildly abrasive paste. This method is great for those who want to put a little more elbow grease into a slightly deeper cleaning.

Wet sanding. A light-grit sandpaper soaked in some water is best when you need to clean dingy headlights. It’s more abrasive than toothpaste or a baking soda solution. Keep in mind that the lower the grit of your sandpaper(800, for instance) the more abrasive it is. It’s best to start with 2,000-grit or higher sandpaper before using more abrasive grit. When you’re done wet sanding, be sure to rinse thoroughly and polish with a microfiber cloth.

Headlight cleaning kits (optional). Headlight cleaning kits use heavy chemicals and are best for headlights with stubborn stains you can’t get out.

Step 3: Apply Your Cleaner

The dish soap, baking soda solution, and toothpaste can all be applied with a microfiber cloth. If you have a spare toothbrush and are using the toothpaste method, it may help get into the tight corners of your headlights.

If you choose to wet-sand your headlights, use light pressure at first to gauge results. If you feel a deeper scrub is necessary, go for it!

Please be mindful of the tape surrounding your headlights, too. The baking soda solution and toothpaste likely won’t damage the tape or your car’s paint, but if you get carried away sanding the headlights, you may damage the tape and your car.

Step 4: Rinse (and Repeat?)

After applying your cleaner (or sanding down your headlights), rinse them. If you’re happy with the results, remove the tape, rinse or clean the front of your truck, and enjoy clean headlights.

If you feel you need to continue cleaning, now is a good time to change the method if you like. After every pass, be sure to rinse your headlights to monitor progress.

Troubleshooting and Advice

Here are some common questions you might have throughout your truck headlight cleaning process:

  • My headlights are still foggy - now what?

    • Try a more abrasive method for cleaning. If that doesn’t work, consult a reputable car detailer in your area. It may also be necessary to replace your headlights if they can’t be cleaned.

  • Which is the best method to clean truck headlights?

    • There is no silver bullet solution. Manufacturers use different plastics for headlights; some plastics will yellow or stain more easily than others and require more work. For most, the baking soda solution is a comfortable starting point.

  • Should I use a protectant after my headlights are clean?

    • A good headlight protectant may help keep your headlights clean. Be aware these protectants often need to be re-applied every few months.

  • How often should I clean my truck headlights?

    • When washing your truck, don’t overlook the headlights. This goes a long way toward keeping your headlights looking and performing their best. It’s also a good opportunity to identify when they need more attention. Each truck is different; clean your headlights as often as you feel is necessary.

  • Can you clean headlights with WD-40?

    • If you want to try cleaning your truck headlights with WD-40, spray it onto a towel, and apply it to your headlights with the towel. WD-40 can damage your truck paint, so overspray is a concern.

  • Can you clean headlights with bug spray?

    • A component found in bug spray, diethyltoluamide - or “DEET” - can melt the outer surface of your headlights. Bug spray can make your headlights look great at first, but the DEET can damage your headlights, so we suggest not cleaning your truck headlights with bug spray.

  • Should I have my headlights professionally cleaned?

    • We like having our trucks professionally cleaned or detailed ever so often. If you do, too, be sure to ask your detailer to look at your headlights and ask what cleaning services they offer. If your truck headlights are beyond your cleaning capacity, we suggest taking your truck to a professional cleaner.

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