Parking your beloved car in a public place is a real gamble. You don’t know when someone decides to bump their car into yours or when you happen to bump into someone else’s car. Even when you are super careful in the parking lot, it takes only one close brush or minor smash-up with another vehicle to put deep scratches on your shining automobile. But don’t panic, as heartbreaking it is to witness a scratch on your car, it’s possible to fix such damages. We’ve got you covered with this comprehensive guide on how to remove deep scratches from a car. The article also talks about the different types of car scratches and how a car scratch remover works to magically clear any scratches. Read on!
Understanding your Car’s Paintwork
To understand the depth of the cut or scratch in the car, you must be aware of its different levels. A car’s paintwork is a layer of three different paints- primer, enamel coat, and clear coat.
- A factory finish or any latest model car’s paint job mostly starts with a primer that is sprayed all over the bare metal. The primer attaches itself permanently to the metal and keeps it free from corrosion and environmental damage.
- Primer is followed by one or more applications of an enamel base coat for color. This layer stays in the middle. The sole purpose of this thin layer is to give the paint a particular color.
- Lastly, the clear coat layer is for protection and shine maintenance. It is thick, transparent, and quite durable, resulting in protecting everything that lies underneath this level.
The third clear coat layer is the most vital layer since it has to endure all types of environmental changes like rain, dust, dirt, and other manual damages like chemical attacks, dents, and not to forget, scratches. The clear coat can result in easily corrosion and reveal the bare metal if it’s not durable enough.
Types of Car Scratches
Knowing the type of car scratch helps to find the accurate solution to remove such damages. Yes, there are different solutions for each car scratch and each one is tailored to remove a specific type of surface damage.
Your motor can bear three different kinds of car scratches:
Marks and Minor Scratches
These types of car scratches are some of the most frequent causes of damage seen in many cars. A simple thin line of marks that’s only visible if looked carefully enough. Realistically too, marks and minor scratches vandalize only the surface and the clear cost level of the car’s paint. Marks don’t penetrate too deep in the car, hence are one of the easiest car scratches to fix.
The minor scratches or marks on the surface occur when a sharp-edged object rubs against your car. The friction will result in scraping the finishing layer of your car but won’t penetrate the clear coat luckily.
Minor scratches are an easy job to get rid of. Just rub them gently with some apple lacquer thinner or acetone with a piece of cloth and you should be done.
Paint Scratches
Paint scratches or the base coat scratches dig into the enamel color layer of the car’s finish. Repairing paint scratches requires rubbing off the scratch using fine-grit sandpaper and an abrasive compound before reapplying a clear coat.
To remove paint scratches, there’s plenty of car scratch repair kits that include all necessary solutions to restore a car surface back to normal.
Note: The above two are surface scratches that are easier to get rid of. Put them in the do-it-yourself group. But the one coming below is a big boss and we need a pair of professional hands to deal with it.
Deep Scratches
As the name suggests, deep scratches cut very deep. It’s not good news if you have a deep scratch on your car as it requires a significant amount of work to repair each individual level up to the clear coat. Plus, if you go for an inexpensive repair job, the deep scratch can cause many major issues in your car. Deep scratches or primer scratches can expose the color coat underneath. If deep scratches are left untreated, the scratch can go on to contaminate the entry point.
Getting rid of deep scratches or primer scratches requires cleaning and filling the scratch. Then we need to apply a new layer of enamel paint, clear coat, and buffing.
How to Remove Scratches from a Car at Home?
Now you don’t have to stress any longer about making excuses to your dad or mom for damaging their car or even your dream car for this sake as mistakes are luckily repairable. Luckily, minor scratches on a car’s paint job are super easy to repair and you don’t need an expert mechanic’s skills or brains to remove a car scratch at home.
1: Toothpaste
A lot of people on the internet have claimed that toothpaste works as a sandpaper on the car’s paint. But, let me drop the truth bombs- toothpaste is as good as ineffective to remove scratches from the car. No matter if your car has got just one minor scratch, you don’t want to ask Google ‘how to remove scratches from a car with toothpaste’ because rubbing toothpaste on your car surface will do more harm than any good.
2: Scratch Remover
Scratch removers technically work like a mildly abrasive or cutting compound as they remove a very fine layer of the top-most clear coat so that the scratch is leveled with the surrounding. Scratch or swirl remover compounds include specialty polishing agents to remove light surface imperfections. There’s also a little bit of filler inside the scratch remover that goes into the scratch to minimise its appearance. However, scratch removers are not effective if the scratch is too deep, all the way through the paint.
Steps to Remove Car Scratches with a Scratch Remover
Removing car scratches is a simple four step process. You don’t need any expert skills, just a few good quality products will do the job nicely.
Things you Need
- Car wash shampoo
- Microfiber towels
- Scratch repair product
- Buffing pad
Finally, we are ready with all our tools. Let’s get done with this silly scratch:
Step 1: Nicely Wash the Scratch Area
Make sure there is no dust or debris left on or around the scratch. Tiny particles like these can fill inside the scratch, and worse, they can rub against the paint and put more scratches. It is always better to use a good car wash shampoo rather than picking just any soap. Splash the scratch area with some water, work with some car wash shampoo on it, rinse it off and then dry with a microfiber car towel. Check our blog on how to wash a car at home like a pro.
Step 2: Rub the Scratch Remover on the Scratch
Pour a dollop of scratch remover onto the buffing pad and rub it on and around the scratch area in circular motions. You can also do it in a back and forth motion but make sure not to switch directions.
Step 3: Remove Excess Product
You have to wipe away all the excess product before it dries. For this, use a different, clean microfiber towel. You can check the user’s manual on instructions for removing the excess product.
Step 4: Repeat Until the Scratch is Gone
You may need to repeat the given steps 2 to 3 times to completely remove the scratch. Just make sure not to do it in excess as by doing so you may damage the clear coat.
Removing Scratches from Different Parts of the Car Body
Scratches on different parts of the car require special products for their unique textures. A versatile scratch remover can do the job nicely but you wonder how different it can be when you work on each car surface with a special scratch removal product.
1: Removing Scratches from Car Bumper
A regular scratch remover is ideal to remove scratches from car bumper, car doors, and other outer car surfaces. Try a scratch remover pen to make the job easier.
2: Removing Scratches from Car Glass
A glass rubbing compound is made of cerium oxide which reacts with the glass surface chemically to seal the scratch and also prevent it from deepening. Car Glass scratch removers also work well to remove scratches from car headlight, and windshield. Just make sure to clean the glass surface with a nice glass cleaner before applying the rubbing compound.
3: Removing Scratches from Plastic Car Interior or Exterior
While the roads can be cruel on your car’s shining body, at least its interiors are safe. But, what if your dog loses his car etiquettes and scratches on your car interior? Thank god we have special compounds to remove scratches from textured plastic or car dashboard. A plastic texture spray can be sprayed on the scratch to help it blend with its surrounding. Use dedicated interior care products to prepare the scratch area to remove scratches in car.
4: Removing Scratches from Back of Car Seats
Scratches on car seats can be repaired by working on the scratch area with a filler compound. At the end, you can also spray the scratch with a colorant to achieve the perfect, brand-new look.
Prevention Tips to Avoid Car Scratches
Prevention is better than car cure – isn’t it how the saying goes?
While latest car care and auto detailing products make it easier to do the job at your home yourself, car scratch removal is still a task. Check these tips to keep your lovely vehicle from getting any scratches:
1: Bath your Car Regularly
Dirt and dust are not your friends. They can cause nicks and swirls to your beautiful car body. Hence, give it a nice bath every two weeks to keep all the dust away.
2: Use Microfiber Car Cleaning Clothes
Microfiber clothes are specially designed to be harsh on stains and soft on the paint work. Hence, you must always use a special car microfiber cloth. Just make sure not to use a cloth on a dry car surface. Check this microfiber glove by Softspun for easy, quick and effective car wash.
3: Use Dedicated Clothes for Different Car Parts
You want to use different clothes for car wheels and car panels. Also, use different microfiber clothes to clean and dry the car after car wash.
4: Don’t Park the Car at Vulnerable Spots
When you have to park your car at a public parking, try to look for an empty place or a space as clear from other vehicles or things as possible.
5: Drive Clear of Other Vehicles
Keep distance from vehicles and other things like overhanging branches, and bushes that can scratch your car.
6: Don’t Put any Objects on the Car Surface
Even when you’re very careful, sitting or putting something on your car roof or hood will scratch the car body.
7: Use a Soft Line Car Cover
Cheap car covers might not fit your car nicely. Also, they are typically made with metal grommets that can add more scratches by rubbing against the car surface.
Takeaway
Car maintenance is as crucial as driving it every day. Eliminating all sorts of scratches is the best way to get started. Scratches are easily fixable as you’ve read, depending on the type. Remember to always use a good quality scratch removal compound to remove scratches on car, only from a trusted brand and always use a light hand when dealing with any damage.
