One or two scratches on your car paint can make your cute looking car have an unappealing look. Car scratches are often caused by car accidents, vandalism, poor parking and other parking lot mishaps, intense traffic and road fights etc. Not all car scratches are deep and require a visit to a car paint shop for a total paint overhaul; some scratches are just minor and can easily be removed.
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How To Remove Surface Scratches
You can detect how deep a car scratch is by running your fingernails over it. If your fingernails do not catch on the scratch but run smoothly, then it’s likely it’s merely a surface scratch. Toothpaste can be a good option to remove surface scratches. Follow these steps to remove surface scratches from your car;
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- Wash and dry the car, especially the scratched area. Using toothpaste with dirt and debris on the car will make the scratch worse.
- Apply a quarter-sized amount of toothpaste to a soft, clean, damp towel. It’s necessary that the towel is clean and damp, so that it does not make the scratch deeper. Whitening toothpaste is preferable, however, you can use any toothpaste you have.
- Using the soft, clean, damp towel rub in the toothpaste into the scratched area in circular motion. Apply a little bit of pressure as you rub the toothpaste on the scratch.
- Rinse the area thoroughly of excess toothpaste after you have finished buffing out the scratches.
- Spray your car with a hose and then dry with a clean cloth to ascertain if the scratch is gone.
- Repeat the process one or two times if need be to remove surface scratches.
How To Remove Small Scratches
Small scratches are a bit deeper than surface scratches, but they can easily be removed too. Small scratches are best removed by scratch removal products. Follow these steps to remove small scratches from your car;
- Purchase scratch-removal products at auto supply stores near you. These products are often sold as a scratch-removal kit that includes the scratch-removal solution and a buffing pad to apply the product.
- Before applying the product, wash your car with clean water and soap to remove any dirt or debris. Applying the scratch removal product with dirt on the scratch area can result in many more scratches.
- Apply the scratch removal solution into the buffing pad (or a soft, clean, damp towel). Ensure the scratch removal product is evenly distributed on the pad before you use it on the scratch surface.
- Apply the product on the scratch surface and the surrounding area in a circular motion or back and forth motion. Apply a little pressure as you do this.
- Wipe away excess product residue with a clean, soft towel. Ensure not to allow excess scratch removal dry on the car surface.
- Repeat the entire process one or two times if needed.
How To Remove Deep Scratches
Deep scratches require painting to remove them. Follow these steps to remove deep scratches.
- As usual, ensure your car is clean by washing it thoroughly before you begin scratch repair. When washing the car, ensure you give extra cleaning to the scratched surface to remove hidden dirt and debris.
- Using a sanding paper, sand away the scratched area to remove the top layer of paint. Wrap 2000-grit wet/dry sandpaper around a sanding pad (a holder for the sandpaper with a handle on it) and begin sanding the scratched area. Regularly check the scratch area to know if you have to sand deeper.
- Rinse away debris and dirt caused due to sanding the scratched area. Then dry with a clean cloth.
- and dirt caused due to sanding the scratched area. Then dry with a clean cloth.
- Using a primer close to the color of your car, spray a few coats onto the area you have just sanded. Do this in a back and forth motion. Then wait for about 5-10 minutes for the primer to dry. Repeat the process for a total of three times.
- Next, spray on the same color paint as is on the rest of your car to the area where you applied the primer. Wait for about 5-10 minutes for the paint to dry off between each application, until the color is even with the rest of the car.
- Using a car wax kit, apply a high-quality carnauba wax to the surface of your car and then buff the area with a buffer pad or clean tower/cloth. Wax the painted area in a circular motion until it is evenly distributed.
CONCLUSION
Car scratches on your car, though painful, are nothing to get upset about. They can easily be resolved by applying any of the methods highlighted above.
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