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Can You Buff Out Scratches On Car – This article was written by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is an Auto Detailing Specialist based in Los Angeles, California. He is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the US and Sweden. He and his team are car detailing experts offering car detailing and care services.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
Can You Buff Out Scratches On Car
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Do You Really Need Body Shop Work For That Scratch On Your Car?
Scratches in car paint can be caused by a variety of things. Car accidents, vandalism, bad parking, and other parking lot mishaps are all common causes for a scratch or 2 on your perfect paint job. Although scratches detract from the look of your car, paying the body shop for a new coat of paint or even a small touch-up can be costly. You can try buffing surface scratches with toothpaste, using a scratch removal product for small scratches, or sanding and repainting the area if the scratch is deep.
This article was written by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is an Auto Detailing Specialist based in Los Angeles, California. He is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the US and Sweden. He and his team are car detailing experts offering car detailing and care services. This article has been viewed 2,620,236 times.
To remove a scratch on the surface of your car, try using a non-gel toothpaste. First, spread a thick layer of the toothpaste over the scratch with a cloth. Then, use a clean toothbrush to work the toothpaste into the scratch. When you have brushed the area thoroughly, rinse off the toothpaste, and the scratch should be gone. For deeper scratches, try using sandpaper. First, sand the scratched area with 2000-grit sandpaper until the surface of your car feels rough. Then, rinse the area and wipe it dry with a cloth. Next, spray the area you sanded with auto-body primer, and let it dry for 20 to 30 minutes. Once dry, spray the area with an auto body paint that matches the color of your car. Finally, seal the paint with wax or polish. If nothing else works, try using a car scratch removal kit. For more details on how to use each of these methods, keep reading! Editorial Note: This content was researched and produced by an ‘expert review team’. Links in this article may mean we earn a commission but do not affect our advice or recommendations. Learn more
Aidan Pounder is a product tester who has written reviews ranging from tonneau covers to roof cargo boxes. If he’s not burning through the clutch on his 2003 Ford Focus Zx3, you’ll find him keeping up with the latest happenings in European football.
How To Fix Deep Scratches On A Car
Every car will likely have a scratch or two on it from being ripped up in a parking lot or scraped against the garage door when pulling in. These scratches can add to and detract from the visual appeal of your favorite ride. They can also allow water damage or rust to take hold and cause an expensive repair bill. With a car scratch remover, you can treat those spots and make your car look like new again.
The car scratch removers in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching retailers like Amazon, RealTruck, and Advance Auto Parts for the best products, looking at factors like application methods, types of movers, customer ratings, and prices.
Our product testing team then ordered the auto scratch removal machines that best met these standards. A member of the team tested each product on one of our test vehicles, noting how easy the car scratch remover was to use, how effective it was, and whether it left any residue.
One of our team members had scraped their car against a cement pillar in a parking garage before testing. This gave us a perfect test vehicle that simulated the type of damage often seen on daily driver vehicles. The scrap was large enough to test all five products as there were scratches on the door and the corner of the front bumper.
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All car scratch removers were rated out of 5.0 stars based on ease of use, effectiveness, and residue.
Our review team thoroughly researched the most popular car scratch removers on car enthusiast message boards as well as websites like Amazon. We looked for products with positive customer reviews, known for removing minor vehicle scratches easily and effectively.
We then ordered a number of the best car scratch removers from different brands and at different price points to test them out.
Before testing, we thoroughly washed the scratches on the car to remove any dust or residue from the cement pillar. We then used a cordless drill and one type of polishing pad to test each of the products (except the 3M Scratch Removal System, which came with pads).
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Many of the scratches on our test car were deep. DIY car scratch removal products are only meant to resurface the top layer of clear coat, not fill deep scratches. You will find that some scratches are still visible after the test. However, the products removed most if not all of the minor scratches on the vehicle.
After using each car scratch remover according to the included instructions, we assessed the ease of use, the overall effectiveness of each product, and the amount of residue left after use.
Some car scratch removers are easier to use than others. For a specific product, could we easily understand how to use it and apply the right technique? Did the product require heavy scrubbing or a few flicks of the wrist to apply? Car scratch removers that are simple and quick to operate scored best in this category.
What kind of car scratches did the product remove, and how did the car look afterwards? We measured effectiveness by noting how well (or how poorly) each product concealed the scratches. We tested each remover on car scratches of varying depths with the expectation that these products would not remove deeper scratches.
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Car scraping products tend to leave a residue after the buffing process. How much did the product leave, and did it make the car difficult to clean? Products that left the least residue or residue scored best in this category.
Every year, we test over 350 car products on vehicles and in our testing laboratory. Our team of product testers thoroughly research the best products, unbox and get our hands on each component, and test the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive equipment, kit details, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate each product, check out our methodology page here.
After we tested several options ranging in price, we decided that Meguiar’s car scratch remover was among the best options based on cost and effectiveness. That said, our other recommendations are also effective scratch carriers that some may prefer depending on your time, budget and vehicle.
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* As cost data varies, the prices in the table above are approximate values which are regularly updated by our team.
For those interested in learning more, we’ve provided a detailed review of each of the best car scratch removal machines in the sections below:
Meguiar’s car scratch remover comes first because of its versatility and affordability. It removes all types of paint defects, including scratches and swirls. You can also apply it to any paint finish using your hands, a polisher, or a pad.
The product costs about half of what the other brands charge. It even comes in an eight-ounce bottle, which means you’ll have enough product to get rid of multiple scratches.
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We found Meguiar’s easy to work with, and it got rid of all the small scratches in this part of the car. We tested it in the central area of the picture above. You can see that there are far fewer scratches on the door and the remaining scratches are less noticeable. Again, many of the scratches on our test vehicle were too deep for DIY car scratch products to repair.
Customers are pleased with how well Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze Ultra-Cut Compound removes shallow and moderate scratches. Customers even say it leaves cars shiny, which suggests it contains some wax to match the rest of the car’s shine. However, some reviewers complain about how difficult it is to remove this product once you’ve finished buffing it into the scratch.
This is one of two car scratch removal kits in this review. It comes with a bottle of liquid and a cushion pad. The application process is easy and the pad only needs a little liquid and buffed into the scratch.
As well as removing the scratches on any paint finish or colour, it restores the paint, making the paintwork look shiny and new again.
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We saw that the Carfidant Ultimate Scratch & Swirl Remover has been discontinued
