Over time, the paintwork of a car becomes covered with chips, scratches, and other traces of careless use. Even when visiting a regular car wash, the body may become covered with small scratches that spoil the appearance of the car. After some time, for example, after a cross-country trip or an unsuccessful parking near a supermarket, new flaws are added to the old scratch. For those drivers who want to keep their car in perfect condition, it is important to know how to remove scratches from their car. You can get rid of scratches and chips on a car body using different methods; you will learn more about them in this article.
Where do Scratches Come from?
It is assumed that only beginners can get scratches on the body, but experienced motorists deny this. Inexperienced driving and minor accidents are far from the only causes of paintwork damage. Small stones from under the wheels of a car or bushes on the side of the road can leave unpleasant marks on the body even for experienced aces, not to mention random passers-by who can scratch a parked car.
Causes of Scratches on The Car Body
The appearance of chips or other damage to the plastic elements of the car (bumpers, skirts, outer mirrors, etc.) is not a cause for concern. But if a scratch has formed on a metal surface, then you cannot delay the repair. The fact is that even minor damage leads to corrosion over time, especially if the scratch is deep.
Painting Parts
The body painting procedure is carried out in several stages. Before painting, the surface must be cleaned. Cleaning involves removing from the surface of a car element:
- Rye
- Pollution
- Fat
You will need sandpaper for cleaning. With its help, parts of the machine are processed, after which you can move on to the next stage. To apply the paint evenly, it is necessary to clean the damage and the surface around it.
Methods to Remove Scratches On a Car
Various technologies are used to repair paintwork damage. You can get rid of shallow scratches by polishing the surface, but for deeper damage, special abrasive polishes are used. We are talking about various restorative compositions in the form of a paste, which includes small abrasive particles. The polishes used are colorless since after processing the body they remain on its surface.
Removing Scratches Using Varnish
To eliminate scratches, a full body paint job is not required. It is enough to use a few simple techniques to remove minor flaws. The work can be done in a garage or even on the street.
Step 1. Degrease the area of the body where further work will be carried out. You can degrease with warm water and soap. Dry the surface with a clean towel.
Step 2. Apply special car varnish or wax. In some cases, this procedure is enough to mask the flaws. But if the scratch is large and the varnish does not cope, you need to take other measures.
Hold the can at a distance of 15 cm from the surface and rub the applied product.
Step 3. Dampen a clean rag with acetone and gently wipe the car body where the scratch appears. Continue applying acetone to the paintwork until the damage is completely gone.
Step 4. If applying acetone does not help get rid of the scratch, then use car polish. Depending on the type of product, the method and amount of its application may vary. Therefore, be sure to read the instructions.
Step 5. Sand the surface of the body with fine-grained sandpaper. Before doing this, it needs to be moistened in water. All movements must be careful not to remove too much coating.
Step 6. Upon completion, wipe the surface to be treated with a dry cloth. Remove any accumulated debris from the polishing area and conduct a visual inspection of the surface.
When the process is complete, reapply wax or car polish. As a rule, one procedure is enough to eliminate minor damage. But if they are deep, then polishing can be done again.
Removing Scratches with a Pencil
Shallow scratches can be “fixed” using a special wax pencil.
Step 1. Prepare a scratch remover pencil. There are quite a few of them on the automotive market, so there will be no problems with choosing.
Step 2. Read the instructions before using the pencil. In this case, it is indicated on the product body.
Step 3. Thoroughly wash and degrease the car body. You can use the pencil on a dry surface.
Step 4. Shake the pencil, and then, pressing it against the body, cover the scratch or scratches on the car.
Step 5. After using the pencil, carefully inspect the surface and cover any gaps if there are any.
Removing Scratches with Brake Fluid
Small but clearly visible damage will be removed by brake fluid. It will dissolve the paint and cover the scratches with coating from adjacent areas.
Carefully wash the area to be treated and let it dry, otherwise, dirt and moisture will prevent the paint from softening.
Apply the liquid to a rag and rub the scratched area with circular polishing movements for 10 minutes. After this, rinse the car and let it dry.
This option hides scratches for a long time.
Final Thoughts
There are no methods or means that can protect a car body from cosmetic defects 100%. But you can minimize the likelihood of scratches if the car is stored in a garage or under a special cover. You won’t need to think often about ways to remove scratches if you use the services of high-quality car washes.
We hope you found this article helpful. If you did, be sure to check out our blog for more great content like this.
