Discovering a scratch on your car is a very common damage, yet irritating, especially if it’s a brand-new car. These scratches may not cause any functional damage, but they aren’t good to look at and will affect the feel and value of your vehicle. Many car owners want to get rid of scratches as quickly as possible.
There are several layers of the car’s paintwork; primer, base paint, and a topcoat/clear coat. Some people also wax their cars, adding a final layer of shine and protection. The repair of a scratch depends on how many layers of paintwork a scratch penetrates through.
Scratches in car paint can be caused by a variety of things. Car accidents, vandalism, poor parking, and other parking lot mishaps are all common causes of a scratch or 2 on your perfect paint job. It can be costly to pay for a body shop for a new coat of paint. Now, some of the scratches may need a professional expert, while it is also possible to remove scratches from your car yourself through different scratch-removing tactics.
Steps to Fix Car Scratches
Step 1: Wipe out the Dirt
The first step in working on removing a car scratch is to clean the surface that requires the work. For this, you need soapy water and a clean towel to wipe off the dirt in the area that has a scratch. Remove any tags on your towel to avoid further scratches. You should also make sure to remove any jewelry you may be wearing on your hands or fingers that could touch the car’s surface and scratch its body.
Soapy water can also help you identify if the scratch is removable or not. If the soapy water makes the scratch disappear, this means the scratch can be removed.
Step 2: Masking
After cleaning the surface area of the scratch, place the masking tape about 1 inch above and below the scratch. Masking tape helps you keep track of the scratch surface.
Step 3: Sand the Scratched Area
The scratched area needs to be sanded using sandpaper. You will be needing 3000 grit sandpaper if you can feel the scratch with your fingernail; indicating that it is a deep scratch. For less deep scratches you will be using finer sandpaper. And the rule of thumb is, the lesser the number on the grit paper, the less fine it is. This means the 5000-grit paper will be finer than the 3000-grit paper. And if the scratch is not very deep then you will need to use 5000-grit paper to rub it off.
When sanding, go perpendicular to the scratch and against the grain of the scratch. Place a kitchen sponge between the sandpaper to even out the pressure you apply while rubbing the scratch. Sprinkle the soapy water and rub perpendicular to the scratch. Every once in a while pause and wipe off the area to check if the scratch is still there and be careful to not sand too deep. Stop once the scratch is gone.
Step 4: Fine Polish
Before polishing, make sure that the surface is clean and there is no grit. With the help of a microfiber towel, apply the polish on the scratch and rub it in circular motions to cover all the angles of the scratch. You might need to apply two coats of polish.
Step 5: Wipe off the Polished Surface
The last step is to wipe off the polished surface using paste wax. Paste wax is preferred over liquid wax as it helps to fill up the scratch also and adequately protects the third layer of paint, that is, the clear coat.
Use of Toothpaste:
One more simple way to remove scratches from the car is by using toothpaste. If you have minor scratches on the car’s surface then you can use toothpaste.
Clean the scratch area with a microfiber towel. Then apply toothpaste on it and rub it gently with your fingers. Then with a clean towel, preferably a microfiber towel, run the scratch and surrounding area. While rubbing the area, apply some pressure. You can reapply and rub it more and use some water during the process.
Conclusion
Nobody wants to find a scratch on their car’s body, and when they do, they want to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The above steps will help you remove the scratches from your car and give it a fresh brand-new look scratchless look in just a few steps. For more professional help in protecting your car from scratches, visit Toyota Creek Motors.
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