The shopping cart struck. You now have a big old scratch on the side panel of your car. The dealership says it will cost $1000 to fix (yes, for just a scratch). What do you do? You could check out ChrisFix’s video on how to permanently get rid of it.
Following these 5 steps, you can permanently get rid of scratches on almost any car:
- Clean the scratch area well
- Tape off the section of the scratch
- Sand the scratch properly
- Polish the scratch
- Wax the area
Those unsightly scratches don’t have to get your blood pressure up with these tips. Here, we’ll break down the process #ChrisFix offers. It’s a simple way to get you back on track. Check out other maintenance tips at Vehicle History.
Getting Rid of Scratches on Your Car’s Paint
There are several types of scratches that occur on cars. This video showcases the most common form – the clear-coat scratch.
Chris explains that every vehicle has three layers of paint. The first coat is the primer. It goes on the metal of the car. The base coat is next. It adds the color to the car.
The final coat is the clear coat. It gives it the glossy shine. The clear coat is the thickest layer and most likely to have damage. There’s also a wax layer on top of that.
How do you know it is a clear coat scratch? Spray some soapy water onto the surface. Wipe it down. It disappears for a few seconds, it’s a clear coat scratch. Deep scratches do not do this. You cannot use these steps to fix a deep scratch.
Step 1: Clean the Scratch Area Well
You need a spray bottle with some soapy water in it. You also need a microfiber towel. Be sure it’s clean and dry. Spray the area. Use the towel to wipe it down. You don’t want to rub dirt into the surface of the paint.
This is the perfect time to verify it is a clear coat scratch. Don’t attempt this process if your scratch doesn’t disappear (and come back).
Step 2: Mask off the Scratch Area
Now we need to mask off the area. The goal here is to ensure we know where the scratch is while still protecting the rest of the car’s paint. It’s also going to be hard to see the scratch throughout this process.
Place masking tape about a half of an inch on either side of the scratch. Align the tape so that the end of the tape matches the end of the scratch pretty closely.
This tape will move throughout this process. We’ll move it up and down to match the area we need to focus on for each step. This allows for feathering in the work to create a nice, clean look.
Step 3: Sand the Scratch Down
We need to sand down the paint just enough to get rid of the scratch. Run your fingernail over it. Does it catch your fingernail? If so, start with a 3000-grit sandpaper. If it does not grab your fingernail that much, you can use a 5000-grit sandpaper instead.
Sand perpendicular to the scratch. If the scratch is going from side to side, sand up and down. Go against the grain of the scratch.
Here’s a cool tip from ChrisFix. Wrap the sandpaper around a kitchen sponge (that’s clean and dry). This allows you to apply even pressure as you sand the area.
Before sanding, spray down the area with water. Wet the sandpaper as well. Then, start sanding slowly up and down against the scratch. Do this for about 15 seconds. Then, wipe down the area. See if the scratch is still there.
Continue sanding until the scratch is almost gone. Once you cannot see it well, move the tape up about an inch or two. Then, apply 5000-grit sandpaper to the area. Work on the process again but extend slightly further out from the scratch.
With the 5000-grit, make sure to go in a circular motion. The goal here is to get rid of those lines and to sand it all down evenly. Keep using the water and the kitchen sponge throughout this process. This helps blend the scratch into the surrounding paint.
Step 4: Polish the Area
When you cannot see any of the scratch at all, you are ready to move on to this step. Use a very fine polish. Look for one that specifically says “fine” polish.
Clean the surface of the area. Remove all dirt using a microfiber cloth. Put the polish on the towel. Apply it to the car. Feather out slightly beyond the hazy area (the area you just sanded). Apply a significant amount of pressure.
If you still see haze on the vehicle, repeat the polish step. Then, use a clean area of the towel to buff it clean. It should look like nearly brand new.
Step 5: Wax the Area
The final step is to use a paste wax. It works better than other products that are liquid. This step is important. The wax will fill in any areas where there are microscopic scratches. It will also help to protect the paint.
Apply the wax. Wait a minute for it to become hazy. Then, wax off the area. You shouldn’t have to repeat this process.
Getting Rid of a Scratch is Easy – Maintain Your Vehicle with Confidence
It’s always a good idea to keep up with the exterior maintenance of your vehicle. There’s so much more to do to maintain it, though. A part of that process is to always stay up to date on your car’s Vehicle History. We can help with that.
