Finding ugly scratches on your car is always an unpleasant surprise. Right away, you start thinking about hundreds of dollars you'll have to spend on car scratch repair and all the time you will be wasting taking your car to the paint repair shop. A lot of people don't realize that most scratches are very minor and can be easily repaired in just a few minutes. All you need is right products and good instructions.
Items you will need:
Since most scratches only damage the clear coat, you can quickly remove them with a little bit of good quality rubbing compound. Avoid using cheap products, since they can damage the paint and also leave swirl marks that can be hard to remove. High quality rubbing compound will safely fix the scratch, leaving a shiny and slick surface.
Rubbing compound works like a fine sanding paper, smoothing the edges of the scratch. This method is great only for minor clear coat scratches. If the scratch is too deep, rubbing compound will only lessen the appearance, but will not remove the scratch.
Car scratch repair instructions:
Start by cleaning out the surface with some warm water and few drops of Dawn dish soap. This will remove all the dirt and wax around the scratched area. Next, apply some rubbing compound to the foam pad that usually comes with the compound. Using back and forth motion start smoothing the compound onto the vehicle's surface. Apply some pressure, but not too much. Some people recommend using a power buffer, but I don't think it is necessary to spend $100 on the polishing machine just to repair a minor clear coat scratch.
White residue from the rubbing compound should be removed with a soft microfiber cloth. I always recommend using microfiber cloth vs. paper towel or bath towel, since other materials might leave scratches on the clear coat. Depending on the rubbing compound, you might see swirl marks on the surface, especially if you have a dark-colored car. Don't worry, there are a lot of liquid swirl removers on the market. For show room shine, follow it with polishing compound.
This easy scratch repair should take you not more than 15 minutes. When you done, it is good idea to apply wax. Good quality wax will protect your car from oxidization and weather damage. In the end, by spending only around $10, you can repair those ugly scratches yourself in just a few minutes.
