A scratch in the car paint can have many causes. An accident, a mischief, a bad parking or a small mishap in the maneuvers are the most common. Scratches make the car look worse, but going to a body shop for a new paint job or even a small touch-up can be very expensive. Try these techniques to remove scratches from your car paint without the help of a professional.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Check for Damage
Step 1. Check that the scratch is really an incision and not a foreign body on the paint
Watch the area closely to see if that odd mark is a scratch or just plain dirt.
Sometimes, what looks like a scratch is actually a surface line of material after an impact. This happens when you come into contact with other bumpers or any other object that is softer than the body paint. These imperfections require much less work to remove
Step 2. Determine the depth of the incision
After making sure that it is an abrasion that needs to be repaired, you need to determine its severity, as it will be decisive in choosing the technique and tools you will need to use. Superficial scratches, those that only affect the clear coat, are easy to remove by following the instructions in this tutorial.
The body has 4 layers: the clear coat, the color, the primer and the steel. If the scratch affects only the clear coat or color, it will be much easier to remove. If it is a different color than the rest of the car or you can see the steel, the scratch is very deep and you may not be able to fix it
Step 3. Check if there are other parts to repair
Even if you only have one scratch that really bothers you to see, it's always a good idea to check for imperfections elsewhere to fix. Since you've already got all the necessary materials, why not do a full job?
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Area for Repair
Step 1. Wash and dry the car completely
If the machine is dirty during these operations, you will cause further scratches.
Pay special attention to the area that needs to be repaired. Spray it with water and make sure any residue is removed
Step 2. Lightly sand the scratch
Wrap 2000 grit water sandpaper around an emery block and start sanding. Your goal is to sand only the clear coat, without going too far.
- Always follow the direction of the scratch so as not to create others. If you sand it perpendicular to the scratch, you will create more grooves and lines that will need to be repaired.
- Rinse the area with water from time to time. This way you can check if you have reached the deepest part of the incision.
- If the scratch is slightly deeper than the clear coat, use 1500 grit sandpaper to start and then switch to 2000 grit to remove the marks left by the first.
- Avoid leaving residues and dirt between the emery paper and the paint, you will scratch the body even more.
Step 3. Rinse the area, make sure it is clean and dry
Use a good quality microfiber cloth to dry the car body. Remember that old rags could scratch the car even more!
Part 3 of 3: Repairing the Surface
Step 1. Apply abrasive paste to the scratch
Do not turn on the polisher just yet, but use its pad to spread the paste on the area that has become dull due to the sanding.
Abrasive paste, as the term indicates, is a product that removes the surface layer of the paint and makes it smooth to prepare it for wax. It is used to eliminate scratches produced by emery paper
Step 2. Polish the body with the abrasive paste
Start the polisher at idle and move the swab over the affected area for about 10 seconds. You need to polish the body quickly enough to prevent the abrasive paste from drying out before being smoothed.
- Increase the speed to 2000 RPM and continue polishing for about a minute. You should first slowly move the swab horizontally and then vertically.
- Continue until the opacity has disappeared without affecting the paint layer. It will take about 5 minutes depending on the scratch and your speed.
- Don't dwell on the same area for more than a second. You may scratch the underlying layers.
Step 3. Wash the area once more
Use clean water and a cloth to remove any residual abrasive paste from the paint. If the abrasive paste has gotten into any crevice, remove it with an old toothbrush.
Always remove any residue of abrasive paste immediately after polishing. The residues that remain attached to the paint become increasingly difficult to remove
Step 4. Apply car wax to seal the paint
Use a good quality product (a carnauba wax) and then polish the body with an orbital polisher.
If you apply the wax regularly, use the technique you are used to. If you've never done this before, follow the instructions in this article
Step 5. Finish the job with one last wash
Make sure any scratches are gone and that the area is shiny and water-repellent.
Advice
- You can remove light scratches by wiping the area with a soapy cloth. If that doesn't work, use a product to remove the stickers.
- While one end of the scratch may be shallow, the other may be much deeper. Examine the entire scratch before deciding how to move.
