Scratches in car paint can be caused by a variety of reasons. Car accidents, vandalism, poor parking, and other parking lot accidents are all common causes of scratches or scratches in a perfect paint job. While scratches do damage your car's appearance, paying a body shop for a new coat of paint or even a small repair can be expensive. You can try scrubbing surface scratches with toothpaste, using a scratch removal product to remove small scratches, or if the scratches are deep, sanding and repainting the area.
Treat surface scratches with toothpaste
Cover the scratches with your fingernail to see if they are superficial or deep. If your nails don't catch the scratches, they're on the surface and using toothpaste might be a good option. If your nails do catch them, they are deeper and you need to use a professional scratch removal product
Wash and dry the scratched area. Before applying toothpaste to a scratch, make sure the area is very clean. Rubbing dirt and debris into the scratched area can make the scratches worse.
You can take your car to a car wash or wash it yourself.
To wash the car yourself, use a hose spray to wet it all and remove most of the dirt and debris. Then, use a large sponge or car wash brush to apply the specially formulated soap to your car. Apply the soap to all surfaces of the car and use a hose to spray it out. Dry the car with a clean dry towel.
Spread a quarter amount of toothpaste onto a damp microfiber towel. Dampen a microfiber towel so that it is completely damp. Then, apply a quarter amount of toothpaste to the towel, or more or less depending on the size of the scratch.
Whitening toothpaste works best, but you can try removing scratches with whatever toothpaste you have on hand.
You'll want to apply the toothpaste with a soft, clean microfiber towel to make sure rubbing in the toothpaste doesn't cause more damage.
Rub the toothpaste into the scratched area using circular motions. Push down on the microfiber cloth and move it in small circles to wipe away the scratches. Do this until the toothpaste is evenly distributed on the surface.
When applying the toothpaste, you need to apply some pressure, but not too much.
Rinse off excess toothpaste. After rubbing the scratch, rinse the area thoroughly to remove excess toothpaste. Spray the car with a hose, then dry the area with a microfiber towel.
You can also wipe off excess toothpaste with a damp microfiber towel.
Repeat this process up to 2 times. You may need more than 1 application to remove surface scratches with toothpaste. Check the area to see if the scratches are still visible, then repeat the process 1 or 2 more times as needed.
Make sure you apply no more than 3 times or you may damage the clear coat of the car paint.
Use scratch removal products to handle small scratches
Wash your car to avoid dirt or debris from scratches. It is very important to make sure the area is completely clean before using any product or trying to polish the area. Any dirt or debris left on the surface while polishing will cause more scratches.
Before using any soap, spray the car with the hose. Then, use the sponge or brush you use to wash your car to put the soap in it. Rinse off the soap thoroughly and dry the car with a microfiber towel. Be sure to use soap designed for car washes. Purchase a scratch removal product or kit. You can buy scratch removal products at an auto supply store or in the auto parts section of a large one-stop shop. These products are often sold as scratch removal kits, which include a scratch removal solution and a polishing pad for applying the product.
If you're not sure which type of scratch removal product to buy, ask the salesperson for help. Employees who work in auto supply stores usually know a lot about these products.
Microfiber towels are often a good choice for applying scratch removal products because they are gentle on your car's surface.
Some products even come with a mechanical polishing tool that you can use to remove scratches.
Apply a quarter-sized amount of scratch removal product to the pad. Depending on the size of the scratched area, you may need more or less. Spray the product onto a polishing pad or microfiber cloth, then fold it in half to apply the product around the surface of the pad or cloth.
Before you start, make sure the product is evenly distributed on the cloth or pad.
Work the product into and around the scratched area. You can operate the product using a circular motion or a back and forth motion. Do what's most comfortable for you, best covering the scratched area, but don't change directions! Only back and forth or in circles. Continue to work in the product for a few minutes to distribute it evenly.
Make sure to apply light to moderate pressure when working in the product.
Wipe off product residue. After wiping the scratched area, use a clean microfiber cloth to wipe off excess product. Use a circular motion to polish the surface of the car to which you apply the product.
Do not allow excess product to dry on the surface of the car.
Check the manufacturer's instructions to determine how to remove excess product.
Repeat 2 to 3 times if needed. Check the area to see if the scratches are still visible. If yes, then you can repeat the product application 2 to 3 times. Be careful not to do this too many times or you may damage the clear coat on the car.
Check the manufacturer's instructions before continuing with other applications.
Painting repairs deep scratches
Thoroughly wash and dry the car. If your car is dirty during the scratch repair process, that dirt may cause more scratches. Thoroughly wash the car to remove all dirt and debris. You may need to spend some extra time rinsing the scratched area to make sure it's clean.
Pay special attention to the area you will be repairing. Spray the scratched area with water, making sure to remove any debris from the scratch. Then, clean the area thoroughly with soap formulated for use in cars and rinse with clean water.
Sand the scratched area to remove the top paint. Wrap 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper around the sanding pad (sandpaper holder with handle) and start sanding the scratched area. [11] Grind for 10 to 15 seconds at a time, then check to see if the area needs to be sanded deeper.
Always sand in the direction of the scratch. You don't want to create opposite scratches, this just adds more ridges and valleys to the paint that needs to be repaired.
Flush the area with water as needed to check your progress. This will give you a better idea of whether you have reached the bottom of the scratch.
If the scratches are slightly deeper than the varnish, use 1500-grit sandpaper to smooth the surface, then use 2000-grit sandpaper to remove scratches from the coarser sandpaper.
Avoid getting dirt or debris between the sandpaper and the vehicle. This can cause scratches.
Rinse and dry the area. Rinse off any remaining debris by sanding the scratched area. Then, dry the surface with a clean microfiber cloth.
Avoid using old or dirty rags, as these may cause more scratches on your car's surface.
Spray several coats of primer over the sanded area. Put some sandable primer in an aerosol can. Spray primer onto the area that was just sanded. Spray paint using a back and forth motion. Then, wait 5 to 10 minutes for the primer to dry and spray on another coat. Do it 3 times in total.
If possible, choose a primer that is close to the color of your car's paint. It won't match exactly, but your paint will.
Apply a few coats of paint to match your car. Next, spray paint the same color as the rest of the car to the area where you applied the primer. Wait 5 to 10 minutes between each application to allow the paint to dry completely.
To make sure the paint matches, check with your car manufacturer for the same color paint. You can buy paint from an auto supply store, or you may need to special order paint from an auto manufacturer.
Wax the area to seal your repaired paint. Apply a high-quality carnauba wax to the surface of the car, then polish the area with a cushion or microfiber cloth. You can buy a waxing kit that includes everything you need to wax your car, such as wax and polishing pads or microfiber cloths.
Apply a quarter amount of wax to a polishing pad or cloth, then add more as needed.
Use circular motions and press down on the pad or cloth with medium pressure.
Keep going until the wax is evenly distributed and the car surface looks shiny.