To car enthusiasts, there is nothing more horrifying than finding scratches on your car. Luckily, light scratches can be removed with the help of a car scratch remover. But unfortunately, not all scratches are light.
The car’s paintwork has several layers. It consists of a topcoat, base paint, and primer. Those who wax or coat their cars put an additional protective layer on the paint.
First, you need to determine how deep a scratch your car has, meaning how many layers has the scratch penetrated. You can do a fingernail test by going over the scratch with a fingernail. If your fingernail doesn’t catch any paint, the scratch has damaged the topcoat resulting in a light scratch. If it does capture some paint then the base coat and primer are damaged resulting in a deeper scratch.
Light scratches can usually be removed with the help of a car scratch remover. With deep scratches, you generally need to do a lot more than just use a remover. You may also want to consider going to a professional for deep scratches.
Removing Light Scratches With A Car Scratch Remover
Items you will need:
- 2 microfibre cloth
- Masking tape
- Car scratch remover
Step-by-step guide:
- Start by cleaning the exterior of your car thoroughly and then pat it dry with a clean cloth.
- Locate the scratches on the car and mark them with masking tape. This will help ensure that you don’t miss a scratch when applying the car scratch remover.
- Using a microfiber cloth, apply a generous amount of the car scratch remover onto the scratch. Use a circular motion to apply and firmly rub it in for about 30 seconds.
- Wipe the remover off using a clean microfiber cloth.
- If the scratch remains, reapply the car scratch remover until the scratch is no longer visible.
- Apply a small amount of car scratch remover to the area surrounding the scratch so the paint blends.
Removing Deep Scratches From Your Car
Items you will need:
- Primer spray
- Paint spray
- Car polish
- Polishing pad
- Masking tape
- 2,000 grit Sandpaper
As stated before, only attempt to do this if you are familiar with how automotive paint works. Otherwise, you may risk ruining the paintwork of your car.
Step-by-step guide:
- Wash your car thoroughly and pat it dry.
- Using sandpaper, rub the area of the scratch until the metal panel of the car appears.
- Apply masking tape and paper in the area surrounding what you’ve sanded off. So the paint doesn’t spread to it.
- Use a primer spray and spray the sanded area and let it dry.
- Spray paint over the primer now and let it dry.
- Now, polish the area using a polishing pad. Make sure to apply the polish in a circular motion and keep rubbing it in until all the beads of the polish are removed.
- Remove the masking tape and paper.
The process may seem simple, but if you don’t have the right equipment or don’t work carefully, you can easily mess up the paintwork of your car.
How To Protect Your Car From Scratches
Here are some tips to help you prevent swirls and light scratches on your car.
- Don’t use a cloth or towel to wipe the dust off a dry car.
- Wipe your car only after you’ve washed it thoroughly using a microfiber cloth.
- While washing your car, rinse and clean the sponge or mitt often. Have two buckets with you while you wash the car, one with water and the other to rinse the mitt and sponge.
- Dry your car off with a clean, thick microfiber cloth that easily absorbs water.
- Avoid automatic car washes as the machine can leave scratches on your car.
Getting Rid Of Car Scratches
No matter how protective you are of your car, it will eventually get scratched. You can deal with minor swirls and scratches yourself. Just use a good car scratch remover to get the job done. When it comes to deeper ones, you may want to consider going to the professionals, unless you know how to work with sandpaper and paint. Otherwise, you may end up ruining your car’s paint by trying to save some money.