Secrets for At-Home Scratch Removal
Whenever you have a new car in your driveway, your main goal is maintaining its beautiful paint finish. But sometimes you can’t do anything to prevent damage to your car’s finish. But once you do find a scratch on your vehicle, don’t freak out because you can remove the scratch yourself and return your vehicle’s exterior beauty.
ATC is here to help you buff out those scratches on your own so you won’t have to drive around with a dinged-up car or wait for a mechanic to have an open time slot to perform the work. Read on for our secrets for at-home scratch removal.
You’ll need:
- Sandpaper
- Clean rags
- Rubbing compound
- Well-working buffer
Step 1: Assess the scratch
Before you begin your scratch removal, you need to determine the severity of the scratch. Deeper scratches will obviously be harder to repair, while light scratches to the top layer of clear coating can easily be fixed.
Step 2: Prepare the scratch for repair.
Before you can begin buffing out the scratch on your car, you need to prepare the area. Start by thoroughly washing the area around the scratch. This is important because if there’s dirt on the scratch when you begin buffing it out, the dirt could cause more scratches. Water is ideal for washing the area.
The next step is lightly sanding the area around the scratch in order to remove the first layer of clear coat paint. You should always sand in the direction of the scratch to prevent further damage to the area. Periodically wash the area between sanding to remove any debris and to see if you’ve reached the bottom of the scratch.
Step 3: Repair the scratch
To repair your scratch, apply rubbing compound to the affected areas. The rubbing compound is designed to smooth out the surface to prepare it for buffing. Once the compound has been applied, you want to quickly polish the area with your buffer so the rubbing compound doesn’t dry before you smooth it out. Set your buffer to its lowest level and move it around for about 10 seconds.
Then bump up the speed of your buffer to 2,000 RPMs and buff the scratch for about a minute while consistently moving the buffer back and forth. The time duration of the buffing depends of the severity and depth of the scratch.
It’s important that you don’t buff in the same spot for more than a few seconds, though, because otherwise you’ll scratch into the next layer of paint and create an uneven surface on your car.
After a good five minutes, the scratch should be removed and your car will look brand new again.
Don’t let scratches ruin your car’s appearance. Use ATC’s at-home scratch removal tips to return your car to its natural beauty.
For more information on how to keep your car in good condition for years to come, you can download ATC’s free ebook: 7 Secrets for Improving a Vehicle’s Longevity.
