How to buff out paint scratches on a car

best car scratch remover

Cars may appear to be all strong, but there are simple things that can ruin a car’s image. Scratches and chips always ruin a perfect car paint. The thing is scratches and chips are unavoidable one way or another you or someone else will accidentally scratch off your car paint. I know it is annoying to look at a car’s chipped paint but, there is a way to fix up the paint scratches without going broke.

That’s right. You don’t need to go to the garage to have paint scratches corrected. You can trust us, we’ve done the research on buffing out scratches on your car for you! You can do it all at home. Now that you have breathed a sigh of relief at the realization that you won’t be spending hundreds of dollars to buff out paint scratches on your car, it is time to learn how to restore your vehicle to its previous glory at home.

Before you begin the process of clearing out paint scratches on your car’s surface, it is crucial you know the difference between polishing compounds and scratch removers. The difference between these two products is their formulation. Rubbing and polishing compounds are best used when the focus is oxidation and dull finish while scratch-repair or swirl removing products are used if the focus is repairing of a scratch or removal of finish blemishes.

How car scratch remover products work

best car scratch remover

When you want to remove scratches on your car you probably want to use products that have single application formulas. What products, like scratch and swirl removers, with single application formulas do is allow improvement of your paintwork finish quickly and easily. You can use scratch and swirl removers to perform a localized repair.

I know, you’re probably wondering when do we get to the steps of how to get rid of paint scratches. Here are the steps you should follow in order to restore your car’s paint work after its chipped.

Removal of swirls from paintwork

1. The first step in how to remove swirls is washing and drying your car.

2. Apply a wax scratch repair and renew product of your choice to a cotton or microfiber towel that is folded into a square measuring roughly 6″x6″. After applying the product spread it to an area on your car’s surface that measures 2’x2′ square foot.

3. For about 60 seconds, rub the area using back and forth strokes.

4. Let the surface dry to a light haze. Remember to remove the excess swirl removal product with a towel or soft cotton.

5. Watch your car go back to looking good as new.

Removal of light scratches

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1. The first thing you do when you want to clear out paint scratches is washing and drying your car.

2. After the car has dried, mark the scratch using masking tape in order to make the application process easy.

3. Apply the scratch removal product of your choice on the marked surface where the scratch is located using a cloth for 30 seconds in a back and forth motion. Remember to apply firm finger pressure when doing the rubbing.

4. Wipe the area dry using a dry microfiber towel that is clean and inspect the results of the scratch removal process. Assess whether further steps are needed.

5. Reapply the scratch repair and renew product of your choice until you get the results you desire or until the scratch becomes invisible.

6. Finish the process by applying the scratch removal product to a larger surrounding area in order to blend the repair in.

Removal of scrapes

The methods you can use to get rid of scratches on your car are more than one. If you have a shallow scrape on your car, you can use the toothpaste method. Yes, toothpaste can be used to remove scrapes. Toothpaste is equally abrasive as grit sandpaper and can be an excellent alternative to remove small scratches.

The other method you can employ to clear out scratches needs you to have the following materials: a sandpaper, microfiber towel, polishing compound and a rubbing compound. To know whether the scratches on your car qualify for the repair we are about to go through do this simple experiment. Run your fingernails across the scratch.

If you glide across the scratch with your nails without catching the scratch, the scratch is minor. Here are the steps to repair the scratch.

Removal of minor scratches

1. Wet the scratch and the sandpaper then sand lightly until you get a dull look from the finish and the scratch no longer appears obvious.

2. On the polishing pad, apply a squirt rubbing compound then use the pad to spread the compound around.

3. At an rpm of 1200 run the drill or polisher until you get a haze that’s light. To restore the shine of your paint, follow up with a polishing compound.

Removal of deep car scratches

It’s harder to remove deep car scratches. However, with a little patience you get rid of the paint scratches that have cut deep into the car’s body in no time. The steps are:

1. Sand the scratched area using sandpaper until you reach your car’s metal panel. Remember to sand in the direction of the scratch.

2. Using a paper and masking tape mask off the scratched area to keep the paint from spreading to other areas. Using a primer spray the scratches area and let it dry.

3. Spray the scratched area with a paint that matches that of your car then let it dry.

4. Polish the newly-painted area to make it look like the rest of your car. Onto a polishing pad lay a quarter-sized bead then in circular motions rub the bead in until all the polish is removed.

There you have it, the different steps you can take to buff out paint scratches while at home. Whether your car has a minor or a deep scratch you now know how to repair it yourself and restore your car’s paint.

To find the best car wax to remove scratches, see what we have recommended for you!