Can Toothpaste Remove Car Scratches?
3 Answers
Toothpaste has a polishing effect and can repair some minor scratches, but improper operation may cause more severe scratches. Here are the main methods for dealing with car scratches: 1. Deep scratches: If the scratch directly exposes the metal panel of the car body or the scratched area exceeds the size of a fingernail, the damage has reached below the primer. Immediately drive the car to a 4S shop or an auto beauty shop with a baking room. If the damaged paint is not repaired in time, corrosive substances will slowly oxidize, causing the scratched surface to rust and worsen, leading to greater losses. 2. Moderate scratches: If the color paint layer is clearly visible or felt, you can purchase a touch-up pen of the same color to repair the damage at any time, protecting the paint from deeper corrosion and damage. 3. Minor scratches: If the car paint is only slightly dented and only the transparent layer of the paint surface is damaged, fine polishing wax can be used to repair the minor scratches.
When I was doing car maintenance before, I thought about using toothpaste to remove scratches. Toothpaste contains fine abrasives, such as calcium carbonate, which can provide a slight polishing effect on very shallow paint scratches, making the surface smoother. However, this method isn't a cure-all—it only works for minor issues in the clear coat. If the scratch is deep enough to expose the primer or metal, toothpaste is basically useless. Additionally, you need to be careful because the hardness of toothpaste abrasives isn't uniform, and prolonged rubbing might make the paint surface look more uneven or create swirl marks. If you want to try it, first test it on a small, inconspicuous area by applying toothpaste with a wet, soft cloth in a circular motion to see the results before deciding whether to proceed. Overall, it's only a temporary fix—for stubborn scratches, professional polishing or touch-up wax is still the long-term solution.
I enjoy DIY car care and have tried using toothpaste to remove scratches. I found a soft cloth and regular white toothpaste in the garage, applied it to the scratch, and gently rubbed for a few minutes before rinsing with water. The result was that the shallow scratches became slightly lighter and less noticeable. However, not all toothpastes work—you need to choose a mild one; toothpastes with strong abrasives can easily damage the car paint. I also found that it works better in humid weather, leaving fewer stains. But this method has significant limitations—it doesn’t work at all on deep scratches, and you need to repeat the process regularly for any effect. If you insist on trying it, make sure the car is completely dry after washing to avoid secondary damage. To prevent scratches, park away from branches or hard objects to reduce hassle.
