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There are many reasons for the scratches in the car like car accidents, vandalism, mishandling in traffic, driving in rush areas, and poor parking. Even a slight scratch can destroy the look of your car, and if you pay a visit to a body shop for the touch-ups or a new paint coat, it will be costly.
But before going to the mechanic. There are a few simple ways how to remove scratches from a car which you can do on your own and make your car as good as it was.
Before removing scratches from your car, you need to understand your car’s paint job. The car paint is consists of three layers.
- Primer: it’s the first coat of paint on the metal surface of a car.
- Basecoat: This layer is the color of the car.
- Clearcoat: This layer gives a glossy shine to a car, and it is a thick paint coat, 0.03mm-0.05mm. After this coat, car wax comes. Which is used to fill minor flaws or light scratches on the paint.
Few products are used to remove scratches in these methods, which can easily be purchased from any auto shop.
Are scratch removers and polishing compounds different?
There is not much difference between them. There is a difference in the formulation. Scratch remover products repair light scratches or renovate the overall look.
However, polishing compounds are used for oxidation and dull finish.
How does car scratch remove products work?
Scratch Removal products comprise formulations with gentle polishing agents, which remove light surface scratches.
These products are used for single-step, one application formulas that give quick and simple paintwork finishes. These products can repair a single scratch or can be used as a conventional wax for overall car renewal.
It would help if you kept in mind that these scratch removal products might not remove deep scratches. In that case, a polishing compound can be used.
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Now have a look at how to remove scratches from a car.
How to remove scratches from a car:
1. 1st method—by applying toothpaste:
Before removing a scratch, you need to check how deep it is, which you can check with a fingernail. By slightly going over the scratch with your fingernail, and if it didn’t catch the scratch, it is on a surface that can easily be removed, but it will be challenging if it catches the fingernail.
Light scratches can be fixed with the help of toothpaste. For this method, you need a few things, which are as under:
- Whitening toothpaste
- Microfiber towel
- Car polish or wax
Car wash: Before applying toothpaste to your car, you need to wipe off the dirt by washing the car because it will damage the area more without removing the dust.
You can take your car to a car wash or wash it at home by yourself. To clean it yourself, you need to spray water on it with the help of a hose to remove the significant dirt and apply a soap make for the vehicles with the use of sponge on all surfaces of the car and then wash it with the water and make sure that all the soap has removed. Dry your car with a clean and dry towel. Once you have done this process, you are ready to handle the scratch.
Applying toothpaste: After cleaning and drying the car. Apply a small amount of toothpaste (depending on the size of the scratch) and rub it softly with the finger. Then take a microfiber towel, rub the affected area in a circular motion with slight pressure, and use water to rub it.
After a few minutes, you can check if the scratch is still there, then reapply the toothpaste and rub it again. You can repeat this method one or two times but not more than that because it will worsen the scratch.
After finishing the toothpaste process, you can remove excess toothpaste and clean that area with wet microfiber and dry it.
Applying car wax or polish: To complete this method, apply car wax or polish with the help of microfiber to make the car shine.
2. 2nd method—by applying scratch removal product:
You need a scratch removal kit for this process that you can easily purchase from car products shops or the auto supply section. This kit usually includes a scratch removal solution and buffing pad.
If you haven’t much knowledge about what product you should purchase. Then you can get help from the shopkeeper.
A microfiber towel is suitable for applying scratch removal from cars as they are soft, and there is no risk of making more scratch marks.
A few products also come with mechanical buffing tools used to remove scratches.
For this process, you need a few things, which are as under:
- Scratch removal kit
- Microfiber towel
- Car polish or wax
Car wash: Before applying this method, wash your car with soap and water to clean the surface and dry it with a soft towel.
Applying scratch removal product: Apply a small amount of scratch removal product on scratch as per the size of the damaged area with the help of a microfiber towel and rub the product in a circular motion with gentle pressure for a few minutes.
Make sure that the product is applied evenly on the affected spot.
After rubbing the product on the surface, clean the area with a neat microfiber towel to remove the extra product to dry on the car surface.
If there is still a scratch, watch the area, then apply the product one more time. You can use the product 2-3 times for the desired result but not more than that as it will damage the other area.
Applying car wax: For the final finish, apply car wax to make the surface neat and shining.
3. 3rd method—Paintwork for deep scratches:
Paintwork is used to remove deep scratches from a car. It is not a complex process. You can do it on your own and save the cost of a paint job from a body shop. You need a few things that you can quickly get from an auto parts shop for this method.
Below are the things which you need for this method.
- Masking tape
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paint
- Microfiber towel
- Car polish or wax
Car wash: Before applying any method, do wash your car with soap and water. As the car must be cleaned and dried, using the process will give you an excellent result.
Masking: After washing and drying the car. Take a masking tape and use it 1 inch above and below the scratch. Because once you rub the surface with sandpaper. It will be difficult to track the damaged area.
Sand the scratch: use the sandpaper of 2000-grit for sanding the scratched area, starting rubbing it for 10-15 seconds, and then clean the area with a microfiber towel to see the results. If a scratch is still there, sand the area again for a few seconds. You can repeat this process 2-3 times to get the desired result. Apply gentle pressure while rubbing the area to avoid the risk of damaging the area more.
Tip: The smaller number on the grit paper means it is less flawless. This means that the 3000 grit paper is not perfect as the 5000 grit paper. So the bottom line is, if the scratch is not so deep, you need to rub it with 5000 grit sandpaper.
Always use sandpaper in the scratch’s direction. Rubbing on the opposite side will cause more damage.
It would help if you were alert not to sand the surface too deep. Once the scratch is gone, you should stop rubbing.
Clean the rubbed surface with a wet and neat microfiber towel. Always use a clean towel to clean the surface because dirty towels worsen things.
Primer coat: Put some primer in an aerosol can and spray it on the sanded area. Spray it in back-and-forth motion (always follow the same pattern). Then wait for 5-10 minutes to let it dry and respray primer. The 3-time spray will be sufficient.
Tip: always choose primer color close to the car paint color, if possible. For a good finish look.
Paint coat: Next step is to spray the paint of the newly primer area. The paint color needs to be the same as the car’s color. After paint spray, wait for 5-10 minutes to let it dry. See the result and spray another coat. Remember, between every application, you to dry the previous coat thoroughly.
Car wax: At the end of a final and glossy look. Apply car wax on the recently painted area, which gives it a smooth and shiny look.
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Remove scratches from a black color car:
In black color, scratches look more visible. To remove scratches from the car, you can use the black product range, which is excellent for light surface scratches without affecting the car’s color. To remove the scratches, follow the below steps.
- Wash and dry the car.
- You can use magic black Turtle Wax to remove the slight scratches. First, you can test it in a tiny area for the color match.
- Apply a small amount of wax on a microfiber cloth and spread it on the damaged spot evenly.
- Let it dry and clear the excess product with a clean towel.
- Apply car wax to give it a glossy and shiny look.
Polishing:
Polishing is also used for the removal of slight scratches. The good part of the technique is that you don’t need a lot of products and tools for it.
For this process, you need to follow a few steps:
- Wash and dry the car surface.
- Apply polish with the help of a clean and dry towel on the scratch area and rub it in a circular motion. Repeat this process twice.
- Clear the polished surface with paste wax. Paste wax is better than liquid wax because it adequately covers the scratch area. Wax can fill the tiny space and also secure the clear coat.
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Final thoughts:
Whatever method you are using to remove scratches from the car, always clean and dry the car first. If you are using it anyway for the first time. Then first test it in a small area and after getting an excellent result, apply it to other areas.
FAQs:
Q1: Is toothpaste can be harmful to car paint?
The toothpaste cannot damage your car’s paintwork excess rubbing it on the paint surface can be damaging.
Q2: Is WD-40 can remove scratches from car paint?
WD40 can stop squeaks, unfasten rusted parts, open sticky mechanisms, and cover light scratches.
Q3: Can waxing remove scratches from a car?
Waxes cannot remove scratches and swirl marks. They can make tiny scratches less visible but can’t remove the deep scratches. To remove minor scratches, you need to use polish or compound, and for the deep ones, you can do the paint job.
Q4: Is there any way to make a car shine without car wax?
After washing your car. A half-cup of hair conditioner mix in two cups of water. Apply this conditioner mixture on a car with a microfabric towel and rinse it. After that, dry your car with a towel.
Q5: How does the car look shiny to car dealers?
Car dealers’ cars are shiny because they hired specialist staff known as detailers who use unique auto detailing products and tools to give polished showroom finish to cars.
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