Do-It-Yourself Scratch Repair

At some point or another, any automobile owner has to deal with the maddening annoyance that comes with having his or her car’s finish scratched, either by accident or through an act of malice. However, sometimes what looks like a scratch is not actually a scratch. Because the clearcoat on a car’s paint job is harder than that of a rubber shopping cart’s bumper or a wooden post, the rubber or wood particles may leave a stain, rather than a nick.

But if the material is harder than the surface of the paint job, then scratching will occur. Although extensive scratching can possibly damage the exterior of your car, most scratches simply gouge the clear cut and base color of the paint job, and thus can be removed with a little very careful sanding, buffing and waxing.

To determine if the mark actually is a scratch, hold your fingernail at ninety-degrees and trace the mark, feeling for any inconsistencies. If you discover that the mark is simply a stain left by rubber or plastic, it can easily be removed with acetone or adhesive remover. However, if you feel a trench, then it is that simple – you have a scratch in your car’s paint job. If the scratch breaks through into the primer, then you might have to have the whole panel repainted. However, a scratch in the clearcoat can easily be repaired.

First, wash the scratched area, dry it thoroughly and apply shoe polish to fill in the scratch and make it more visible. To achieve the latter effect, use a shoe polish that contrasts with your car’s paint job. For light colors, use a darker polish. For darker colors, use white polish.

Next, attach some ultrafine 2000- to 3000-grit wet/dry sandpaper to a rubber or wooden sanding block and dip it in a bowl of cold water with two or three drops of detergent added. Sand the area using light, short strokes at alternating 60-degree angles to the scratch. Move up and down the length of the scratch slowly and lightly, stopping frequently to rinse the paper in the water. Keep an eye on the bowl of water – if your car’s finish contains clearcoat paint and the sanding water shows any sign of color, you’ll have to respray the clear. If you have conventional non-clearcoat enamel or lacquer, the water will show plenty of color.

Before long, you should see the contrasting mark disappear. Make sure you don’t sand all the way down to the next layer of paint. Once the mark is gone, dry the sanded area thoroughly and inspect it for any lingering traces of the scratch.

Once you are sure the scratch is gone, apply a rubbing compound to the area, buff in a circular motion with a power buffer or a terry washcloth, then remove the haze with a clean towel.

As soon as the scratches from the sandpaper have been eradicated, use a soft, moist cloth to remove any excess grit and dry thoroughly. Apply a foam polishing compound or swirl mark remover to the area, buff and seal with car wax. Of course, it would be much easier and less time consuming if you were to bring this to a body shop.

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