How to Deal with Scratched Paint?
4 Answers
Apply toothpaste to the scratch and rub it in the same direction with a cotton cloth, ensuring even application. Repeat several times to effectively reduce the mark and prevent rusting at the scratch site. When touching up the paint, a touch-up pen is needed. Ensure the color matches the car body when selecting one. Shake well before use and apply color to the scratched area. Clean the scratched area, sand it smooth with water sandpaper, then apply putty carefully. Be careful not to exceed the scratched area to avoid contaminating undamaged parts.
Don't panic when you see your car paint scratched. I just dealt with a scratch last week. First, park the car in the shade and clean the scratched area with a wet cloth. Check carefully whether the clear coat is damaged or the primer is exposed. For shallow scratches that don't expose the metal, applying toothpaste on a soft cloth and rubbing in circles dozens of times can usually cover it up. A scratch wax bought from a roadside shop for 30 yuan works even better and lasts longer. If the primer is exposed, it's best to deal with it as soon as possible, or rust will become a big problem. Remember to lightly sand off any rough edges with sandpaper dipped in water before applying the touch-up pen, and use a polishing sponge to smooth it out after the paint dries. Doing it yourself for small areas can save you hundreds of yuan, but for large scratches, it's more reliable to drive directly to the 4S store.
I've been driving for fifteen years and have encountered minor scratches over a dozen times. First, it's crucial to identify the depth of the scratch: those with whitened paint can be smoothed out with a 3M repair wax. If the gray primer is exposed, immediate action is required. Nail polish, which can be bought at supermarkets, can actually serve as an emergency rust prevention measure, but the color must match the car paint code. I keep a touch-up pen with the same color code on hand. When treating scratches, spray a bit of alcohol first to remove grease, then apply the paint vertically like writing, with each thin layer left to dry for ten minutes. After three or four layers, the scratch becomes nearly invisible. Remember not to work under direct sunlight, as temperature changes can cause the new paint to bubble. For deep scratches, never attempt to sand the metal layer yourself. Last year, I followed an online tutorial and ended up causing the entire section of paint to peel.
Dealing with car scratches involves three steps. First, rinse off any dirt from the scratched area with water and use your finger to assess the depth: minor scratches can be treated with a scratch remover and microfiber cloth through repeated rubbing. If the primer is exposed, purchase a touch-up paint kit matching your car's color code, which includes sandpaper, primer, and color paint. Before starting, clean the affected area with alcohol wipes, lightly sand the edges of the scratch with 600-grit sandpaper dipped in water, and fill any dents with putty. Apply a thin layer of primer, wait half an hour, then apply the color paint—remember to use thin, multiple coats. Finally, use scratch wax for a mirror finish to restore the car to nearly new condition. The entire process takes about two hours and costs less than a hundred yuan in materials.
