A Beginner’s Guide to Removing Light Scratches with a Car Scratch Remover

Car polish, removing car scratches

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.

Looking After Your Car, Car Polish

Removing Light Scratches With A Car Scratch Remover

Items you will need:

  • 2 microfibre cloth
  • Masking tape
  • Car scratch remover

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Start by cleaning the exterior of your car thoroughly and then pat it dry with a clean cloth.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Wipe the remover off using a clean microfiber cloth.
  5. If the scratch remains, reapply the car scratch remover until the scratch is no longer visible.
  6. 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:

  1. Wash your car thoroughly and pat it dry.
  2. Using sandpaper, rub the area of the scratch until the metal panel of the car appears.
  3. Apply masking tape and paper in the area surrounding what you’ve sanded off. So the paint doesn’t spread to it.
  4. Use a primer spray and spray the sanded area and let it dry.
  5. Spray paint over the primer now and let it dry.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
Car polish, removing car scratches

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.

How to use car wax to remove scratches

best car scratch remover

Whether you own a new or used car, it can be a real bummer when you discover a new dent or scratch. A scratch or scuff mark can not only ruin the appearance of your vehicle but also lead to rust or other severe damage to the paint. In this situation, it’s ideal to use car wax to remove scratches.

Car scratches

But accidents happen, and we all make mistakes. Sometimes those scratches are our fault by grazing the door with our watch, missing the keyhole every now and then, poor parking, or those scratches can be caused by a variety of things like vandalism, minor car accidents, or road debris.

Discovering a new scratch on your car’s surface is the worst feeling ever, especially if you have a brand new car. But, you can solve this problem by using car wax to remove scratches and save a few bucks in the process by avoiding those expensive repairs at a body shop.

It doesn’t matter if it’s one scratch or many, for a first-time car owner, fixing those scratches may seem like an impossible job to do. But don’t despair, there are a few tips and tricks you can do to restore the shiny appearance of your car.

Car Wax to Remove Scratches

Waxing your car is more than just giving it a shiny look. When done correctly, you can extend the life of the paint job, protect it from environmental damage, and also remove some light scratches. Implementing a car wax to remove scratches regularly is crucial because it can help with scratches, color fading, and external corrosion.

There are different types of car wax to remove scratches, and you need to know the difference. The two main types are natural and synthetic.

Like the names suggest, the natural car wax is made from natural ingredients, most commonly from the leaves of the carnauba palm tree. The natural wax is recommended for vehicles with darker colors, and it’s very popular among owners of vintage classics because of the high level of protection it provides and the stunning shine it offers. On the negative side, the natural car wax tends to wear-off rather quickly, which means you’ll need to re-apply it more often.

best car scratch remover

The synthetic car wax is artificial and it’s specifically made to bond with the paint, giving it a shiny look and protection that can last for up to a year, depending on whether you keep your car in a garage or at the mercy of mother nature. Because of its durability, the synthetic car wax is often the preferred choice, but if you are looking to keep your car as shiny and glossy as possible, the natural car wax is the way to go. If you would like to see the best car waxes we recommend for your car, read here.

What You Need to Do

Assess the Damage: The first step is the most important. To determine how severe the scratches are, take a closer look. You can do a simple test by guiding your nail across the scratch. If the marks feel smooth to the touch and your nail doesn’t catch between the scratches, it means the scratches are not too deep and you can resolve this problem with regular car wax to remove scratches.

Clean and Dry the Area: Before you start, you need to make sure there are no residuals of dust, sand, or oil on the area you are going to work on, or you risk damaging the area further. Make sure the scratching spots are cleaned and dried thoroughly.

Wax on – Wax off: Apply the car wax to remove scratchesand with a microfiber cloth wipe on the scratched surface gently and in small clockwise circles. Apply this technique until you can no longer see the scratches.

Inspect: If the scratches are gone, wipe the area with a clean microfiber cloth, but if you still see the scratches, repeat this process all over again, until desired results are achieved. If the scratches are still there, they might be too deep, and you need to look for an alternative method.

Alternative Methods to Remove Scratches

Best wax for clear coat

Scratch and Swirl Removal Products: Such types of products usually contain several specialized polishing agents intended to eliminate imperfections in the surface and could include wax or clear polymers to fill in deeper scratches. You can use these products to repair a single scratch or you can apply them for overall restoration. They are easy to use and don’t require special expertise or deep knowledge.

A Paint Pen: This is a quick and easy way to fix scratches, especially in smaller areas. But it’s important to make sure that the paint pen is the exact color code as the paint on your car. The good news is, you can find the perfect match pretty easily because most car manufacturers make them. Upon applying the paint pen, let the primer dry for at least 20 minutes, and then apply a layer of clear coat.

With many different kinds of scratches, there are different ways you can resolve the problem. For the shallow scratches you can use car wax to remove scratches. But for more severe scratches, finding a professional auto repair shop is your best option.

Conclusion

When it comes to paint correction, everyone takes care of their cars differently, and that depends largely on what kind of investment you want to make. Dealing with your car’s paint and scratches requires a lot of time and patience, and before you even begin, you need to prep the surface so naturally, you’ll be bending a lot, kneeling, and standing up which takes a toll on your body. You need to consider how much time and effort are you willing to invest in your car and whether a trip to the shop would be a more productive choice. The decision to perform the work yourself by using car wax to remove scratches or to pay an auto repair shop is not going to be an easy one.

Our recommendation is to attempt the process of repairing the scratches at least once, just to get the feel for it. It will certainly cost you less than taking your car to the professionals, and you even might learn a new and valuable skill that will come in handy for the rest of your life. Whichever option you choose, the habit of using car wax to remove scratches and detailing your vehicle on a regular basis will pay off in the long run.

If you’re looking for normal wax for your car, see our recommendations for wax for black cars and white car wax.