How to Remove Car Scratches?
4 Answers
If it is a small scratch, you can apply car wax to the scratched area, then soak a towel in warm water and wipe the wax applied to the scratch repeatedly several times. This will remove the small scratch. Alternatively, you can use wet sandpaper for polishing. Prepare a sheet of wet sandpaper and a basin of water, soak the sandpaper in the water, take it out once moistened, and then gently sand down the fine scratches. For more severe scratches where the underlying primer color is visible, the treatment depends on the location of the damage. Generally, parts like the bumper, side mirrors, and some wheel arches are made of engineering plastic and may not require repair. However, if these deep scratches appear on other parts of the car body, a paint touch-up will be necessary.
I often deal with scratches on my car myself. For light scratches, toothpaste works—just squeeze some onto a soft cloth and gently rub in circles for a while, and the scratch will fade. However, this is only a temporary fix. Deep scratches shouldn’t be forced, as it could damage the paint further. Instead, use a professional scratch repair pen or touch-up paint kit—clean the surface, dab with a brush, and polish after drying. Parking away from areas with lots of branches can prevent many scratches. From my own experience, the key to scratch repair is gentle movements, patience, and regular waxing to protect the car’s surface, preventing rust. In short, tackle small issues yourself, but leave major problems to the professionals.
Having driven for so many years, I've seen plenty of scratches. For light scratches, I directly apply scratch wax, spreading it evenly to restore shine within minutes; for medium to deep scratches, it's more reliable to use a polisher for slight grinding, followed by primer and color paint application. For prevention, I make it a habit to check that the cleaning cloth doesn't carry sand when washing the car, as it can easily cause scratches. It's better to deal with scratches early to prevent rusting. If you're doing it yourself, keep some tools handy, like microfiber cloths and repair pens, which are economical and practical. But remember, different types of car paint require different approaches—metallic paint, for instance, needs extra care.
To save money on removing scratches, a scratch repair pen is the most effective. I bought a pen for just over ten yuan, applied it evenly on small scratches, gently spread it out, let it dry, and then polished it to cover the color difference. The operation is simple: first, dry the car surface, don't use water. This method doesn't work well for deep scratches, but it's enough for temporary cover-ups. Using a soft brush when washing the car is key to prevention.
