How to Remove a Windshield Scratch

Vehicle windshields take a lot of abuse and they frequently get scratched and chipped from road debris. Scratches can impair the vision of the driver in addition to being unsightly. Car owners can repair most minor windshield scratches themselves using glass repair kits. If the scratch is deep enough to put your fingernail into, approximately 1/8 inch, take it to a glass repair professional to fix. These deeper scratches can crack the windshield if not repaired properly.

Instructions

1

Move the vehicle out of direct sunlight and into an area with a temperature between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

2

Clean the entire outer surface of the windshield with a cloth and a standard glass cleaner.

3

Get inside the car with a roll of masking tape. Place a piece of masking tape 1/4 inch away from one side of the scratch and extend parallel all the way to the end of the scratch. Repeat to place another piece of tape 1/4 inch away from the other side and parallel to the scratch. When you look at the tape from outside the vehicle, the scratch should be between the tape lines.

4

Fill a cup with 2 cups of warm water and insert the polishing bob into it. Allow it to soak for one to two minutes until it is saturated. The felt polishing bob comes with the glass repair kit and attaches to a drill.

5

Mix the polishing compound with warm water as directed by the instructions in the glass repair kit.

6

Insert a sponge into warm water and wipe the cracked area of the windshield.

7

Use the mixing stick from the kit to apply a thin layer of the polishing compound onto the windshield so that you cover the space in between the two tape lines.

8

Remove the bob from the cup of water and insert it onto an electric drill. Set the drill speed tgo o between 400 and 600 rpm and put on safety glasses.

9

Position the bob flat against the windshield directly on top of the polishing compound. Turn the drill on and move it in slow back-and-forth motions along the line to polish out the scratch. Continue until you have covered the entire length of the scratch.

10

Turn off the drill and remove the safety glasses. Wipe the entire windshield with a sponge damped with warm water to remove most of the polishing compound. Rinse the sponge as needed in clean warm water.

11

Clean the outside of the glass with glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth to remove all remaining traces of the polishing compound and shine up the glass. Remove the masking tape from the inside of the windshield.