Even if you’re a very careful driver, scratches can happen. Sometimes it’s as simple as sliding a grocery bag off the top of your car or brushing against a bush as you pull into your driveway. Some minor scratches can be fixed at home, but keep in mind that repairing or repainting a scratch incorrectly can incur further damage. Here are a few tips on how to decide when it’s best to try a DIY repair or take it to a professional.
If a scratch is minor or barely noticeable, there’s a chance you can fix it at home. If the scratch is shallow and the length or width is less than an inch, you may be able to buff it out yourself. A good test is to see if your fingernail catches in the scratch.
A scratch repair kit is worth a try for those “barely there” scratches and can be purchased at most auto body shops, online, or in other retail stores. Most will come equipped with scratch repair polish and paste, touch up paint and buffers.
For all scratches, you’ll start by first cleaning the area with soap and water, using a microfiber cloth. This removes any debris that might cause further scratching. Next, apply the scratch removal paste to a microfiber cloth or the buffers the kit came with – not directly to the scratch – and gently buff the scratch to fill it in.
Then, use the scratch removal polish with another buffer or microfiber cloth to gently buff the scratch again. Take your time – this process can take a few minutes. Don’t repeat the buffing process more than three times, or it may erode the clear coating on the auto body.
Finally, remove any extra polish with a clean cloth, and touch up the paint as needed with the paint that came in your repair kit. Let the paint dry for 8 to 12 hours, then consider getting your car waxed to protect the paint once again.
If a scratch is big enough to catch your fingernail, or that you can see bare metal, it’s a bigger job – and you should consider contacting a professional. However, if you want to attempt to fix it at home, you can try using glazing putty.
Glazing putty can be purchased at most auto shops and some retail stores. This putty can fill in bigger scratches, and it’s the best method if a scratch is deep enough to see the metal beneath the paint.
In this case, you’ll again clean the area, but this time use rubbing alcohol to remove any residual wax or dirt from the area. Next, apply the putty directly to the scratch on the car. Use a spreader tool to spread it evenly and fill in the scratch. Allow it to harden for several minutes before moving on.
Finally, you’ll remove any excess putty with a liquid paint leveler and a microfiber cloth until the scratch looks flat and the area around it seems transparent. Then, you’re ready to repaint.
Keep in mind that the paint may not be an exact match to the color and finish of your vehicle. If the scratch is large enough, a mismatched paint job will be just as noticeable as the scratch itself, so you may want to seek paint repair from a professional auto body shop near you. Professional auto body technicians have the tools and resources to repair the scratch efficiently and match your vehicle’s color and finish.
Carwise.com can help you find a shop near you that can get your vehicle’s scratches fixed quickly and correctly the first time. Carwise has details on more than 21,000 shops, from hours and locations, to shop certifications, reviews by real customers, and before and after photos. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.
