We’ve all experienced it or seen it; cars, trucks, and SUVs that are only a few years old but already have headlights that look foggy or cloudy. Yellowing or cloudy headlight covers can make your car appear older than it actually is. No matter how beautifully the paint shines or those clean, gleaming rims, cloudy headlights make the car look neglected. If you don’t have time to read about our recommendations, our top pick for the best wax for headlights is the CERAKOTE Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit.
Washing these plastic covers is not enough. It’s mostly the damaging rays of the sun that turn your plastic headlight covers yellow or cloudy.
The good news is that there are products made just for your headlights to keep them crystal clear and safely protected.
Some headlight sealants will keep new or recently restored headlights clear and protect them from damage, while other products will remove that foggy haze and restore a clear, clean look once more.
Whether you are interested in protecting those new headlight covers or you want to clean up that cloudy mess, we have done the research so you can find the best product to give you that clean, new headlight look.
Best Cleaner and Wax for Headlights
Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
---|---|---|---|---|
Top | CERAKOTE Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
Turtle Wax T-43 (2-in-1) Headlight Cleaner and Sealant - 9 oz. | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | ||
Blue Magic 730-6 Headlight Lens Sealer - 8 oz. | Prime | Buy Now | ||
Formula 1 615874 Headlight Restorer/Sealant, 8. Fluid_Ounces | Prime | Buy Now | ||
MEGUIAR'S G17804 Keep Clear Headlight Coating, 4 Oz. | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
1. Turtle Wax 2-In-1 Headlight Cleaner and Sealant
Specifications:
- Size: 9 Ounces
- Spray, Liquid, Cream: Creamy Liquid
- Applicator Included: No
Turtle Wax is perhaps one of the oldest and best-known names in waxing and cleaning products.
This product is designed to both clean the haze and yellowing from the headlights while protecting them from further abuse from the sun.
The company states that this has OEM acrylic resins to prevent cloudiness from reoccurring. This is a multi-use product that can be used on most other plastics, including plastic convertible windows, taillight covers, plexiglass, and more.
Turtle Wax states that this product will last approximately 6 months, so using it when you wax your car makes perfect sense.
Because you are trying to remove oxidation from the lights, using Turtle Wax will take a bit of elbow grease the first time you use it, but after the first application, you will find this is much easier to use.
Pros:
- Cleaner and sealant means less work
- Very economical to use
- Can be used on other plastic surfaces
Cons:
- Does not state it offers UV protection
- May not remove extremely heavy oxidation
- Some users complain that it removes oxidation, but not yellowing
For those who have mild oxidation and hazing on their headlights, Turtle Wax 2 in 1 is a great way to save some extra work and offers some protection.
2.Blue Magic Headlight Lens Sealer
Specifications:
- Size: 8 Ounces
- Spray, Liquid, Cream: Spray
- Applicator Included: No
You may not be familiar with the Blue Magic name, but this is a big seller when it comes to headlight protectants.
It’s important to note that this product is NOT a cleaner. This will NOT remove hazing or yellowing from headlights. Blue Magic is a sealant that will keep your restored or new headlight covers clean and clear.
Blue Magic only needs one application to keep the headlights crystal clear, however, it takes 15-30 minutes to dry. This product lasts about 30 days, depending on the weather and how often you wash the car.
Wash the headlights, then apply an even spray of Blue Magic. Allow to dry completely, then buff with a clean, dry microfiber cloth. That’s all you need to do to have beautifully shiny, clear headlight covers.
Pros:
- Super easy to use
- Very economical
- Offers protection for new or restored headlights
Cons:
- Does not restore headlights
- Takes quite a while to dry
- Leaves an oily film
If you have new or restored headlight covers and you want to keep them crystal clear looking, Blue Magic is a quick and easy solution.
3. Cerakote Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit
Specifications:
- Size: 1.76 Ounces
- Spray, Liquid, Cream: Cream and Wipes
- Applicator Included: Yes
When you want to restore your headlights and you don’t EVER want to deal with this problem again, Cerakote is for you.
This product is guaranteed to last as long as you own the vehicle. If it should fail, Cerakote will send you another kit at no charge. You can’t ask for more than that!
This product uses a three-step process to first clean the headlight, then remove the oxidation and yellowing before you seal the headlight with a ceramic coating.
Everything is included in this kit; applicators, wipes, sponges, you name it. No power tools are required, everything can easily be done by hand.
This is a ceramic sealant that protects your headlights from the UV rays of the sun that caused most of the damage in the first place. It’s common to put a ceramic coating on the paint, so why not do the same thing with your headlights?
Getting crystal clear headlight covers only takes about 30 minutes for both lights. Fast, easy to apply, restores, and protects the headlight in one kit? Sign us up!
Pros:
- Everything is included in one kit
- Quick and easy to use
- Economical since you should NEVER need to apply this or any other product ever again
Cons:
- Some users complain that this does not remove heavy oxidation
- Instructions are not as clear as they could be
- Smells bad when wet
If you are looking for one of those true “all in one” products for your headlights, look no further than Cerakote Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit.
4. Formula 1 Headlight Restorer and Sealant
Specifications:
- Size: 8 Ounces
- Spray, Liquid, Cream: Liquid
- Applicator Included: No
Like Turtle Wax, Formula One is a two-in-one product that cleans oxidation and provides a protective coating over the headlights.
This product gets high marks for removing even heavy oxidation from headlights, even removing that yellowish color that these plastic covers often have.
While some products suggest that you use sandpaper before using their polish, Formula 1 only tells you to wash the headlights first. That makes this an easy way to restore your headlights.
Several users remarked on how it even removed some minor scratches, which is something other products have failed to do.
Formula 1 says that it protects the lights from becoming hazy again, but it does NOT specifically say that it protects them from the UV light from the sun.
Pros:
- Works well, even on heavy oxidation
- Economically priced
- Easy to use bottle with secure snap-on cover
Cons:
- Does not state that it offers protection from UV rays
- Might take two or three applications to obtain expected results
- Does not come with an applicator
Overall, Formula 1 does a terrific job at removing oxidation and yellowing, even on older model cars.
5. Meguiar’s Keep Clear Headlight Coating
Specifications:
- Size: 4 Ounces
- Spray, Liquid, Cream: Spray
- Applicator Included: No
Meguiar’s is a name that everyone knows and trusts to make quality products, and this is no exception.
Meguiar’s won’t tell us what’s in the spray, simply saying that it is a proprietary blend that will improve and maintain the clarity of your plastic headlight covers.
It’s important to note that this protectant from Meguiar’s will NOT clean the headlights. It will NOT remove any haze or yellowing. This product WILL prevent restored or brand-new covers from turning yellow or hazy.
This comes in an easy to use spray that is supposed to last up to one year. You need to tape off the headlights to prevent damage to the paint, spray on one coat, and allow it to dry, apply a second coat, and you are finished!
This sealant is enough to do 4 headlights when applied according to the directions. If overspray should occur, it can be removed with rubbing alcohol.
Pros:
- Very economical
- Easy to use spray
- Lasts at least 12 months
Cons:
- Bugs can stick to this compound and they are exceedingly difficult to remove
- Some users complained about hazing after applying in warmer weather
- The product starts to peel off after 10-12 months and is difficult to remove
If you have recently restored your headlights or you have a newer car and you want to seal your new headlights, Meguiar’s Keep Clear Headlight Coating is a perfect choice.
The Bottom Line
Like many things in life, which one of these products is the winning one will depend on whether or not you need to restore the headlights.
Winner for Newer Vehicles or Restored Headlights
If you have a newer vehicle or if you recently did the work of restoring your headlights and you simply want the best way to protect them, we think that Meguiar’s Keep Clear Coating is the best choice.
Meguiar’s is known for quality and this spray lasts at least 12 months, which means you can use it and forget about it for a long time.
It is easy to use and while it does seem to have some drawbacks when it comes to removing it, the benefits far outweigh any inconvenience of removing the old product once a year or less.
Winner for Restoring and Protecting Headlights
If you are sick of looking at those yellow, hazy headlights and you want to both restore and protect them, then Cerakote Ceramic Headlight Restoration Kit is the clear (literally) winner.
Any product that has a lifetime warranty must have real confidence in their product.
We also love that everything you need to clean, restore, and protect is all in one package, even the applicators. Who doesn’t love easy?
For restoring those ugly headlights to their original crystal clarity, you will want to use Cerakote Ceramic Headlight Restoration kit.