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?
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.
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.
You will need a scratch removal kit for this process, which you can easily purchase from an auto products store or the Auto Supply section. The kit usually includes a scratch removal solution and polishing pad.
If you know little about the product you should buy. Then you can get help from the shopkeeper.
Microfiber towels are soft and suitable for removing scratches from cars without creating more scratches.
Some products also come with a mechanical polishing tool for removing scratches.
For this process, you need a few things, like the following:
Scratch removal kit
Microfiber towels
Car polish or wax
Wash the car: Wash the car with soap and water to clean the surface and dry with a soft towel before using this method.
Apply scratch Removing product: Using a microfiber towel, apply a small amount of scratch removing product to the scratch, depending on the size of the damaged area, and gently press in a circular motion for several minutes.
Be sure to apply the product evenly to the affected area.
After rubbing the product on the surface, clean the area with a clean microfiber towel to remove excess product to dry the car surface.
If there are still scratches, observe the area and apply again. You can use the product 2-3 times to get the desired results, but no more than that, as it can damage other areas.
Coating car wax: Finally coating car wax, so that the surface clean and bright.
3. The third method -- deep scratch paint:
Paint is used to remove deep scratches from cars. It's not a complicated process. You can do it yourself and save on the cost of the body shop paint job. For this method, you need something you can quickly get from an auto parts store.
Here's what you need for this method.
Masking tape
sandpaper
primer
draw
Microfiber towels
Car polish or wax
Wash your car: Wash your car with soap and water before using any method. Since the car must be cleaned and dried, using this process will give you excellent results.
Shelter: Wash and dry the car after washing. Take a strip of masking tape and apply it 1 inch above and below the scratch. Because once you rub the surface with sandpaper. It's hard to track the damage.
Sanding the scratch: sand the scratch with 2000-grit sandpaper and start rubbing for 10-15 seconds, then wipe it clean with a microfiber towel to see the effect. If there are still scratches, sand the area again for a few seconds. You can repeat this process two or three times to get the desired results. Apply gentle pressure when rubbing the area to avoid the risk of further damage to the area.
Hint: The smaller the number on the sandpaper, the less perfect it is. This means that 3000 grit paper is not as perfect as 5000 grit paper. So the bottom line is, if the scratch is not that deep, it needs to be wiped with 5000 grit sandpaper.
Always use sandpaper in the direction of the scratch. Rubbing the other side will do more damage.
It helps if you take care not to sand the surface too deeply. Once the scratch is gone, you should stop rubbing.
Clean the rubbed surface with a wet, clean microfiber towel. Always use a clean towel to clean surfaces, as dirty towels can make things worse.
Primer: Put some primer into an aerosol can and spray over the sanding area. Spray it back and forth (always following the same pattern). Then wait 5-10 minutes to dry and reapply the primer. Three sprays should be enough.
Tip: If possible, always choose a primer color that is close to the paint color of the car. To get a good look.
Paint coating: The next step is to spray paint on the new primer area. The paint color needs to be the same as the color of the car. After painting, allow 5-10 minutes to dry. View the results and spray another coat. Remember that you want to thoroughly dry the previous layer between each application.
Car wax: At the end of the final shiny appearance. Apply car wax to the recently painted area for a smooth, shiny look.