Deep scratches and scuffs on your car’s exterior can make it look permanently damaged. While professional auto body work is ideal for fixing extreme paint damage, you may be able to improve the appearance of scratches at home using simple ingredients and supplies. Follow these home remedies to help remove or reduce the noticeability of deep marks. Prepare the Scratch Surface Before applying any home remedy compound, you need to clean and dry the scratched area fully. This prevents trapping excess dirt or moisture underneath. Use a mild soap with water initially when washing, followed by an alcohol-based cleaner to remove deposits in the scratch. Let the area air dry afterwards.
Remove Deep Scratches
Examine Type of Scratch Determine key traits like scratch width, length, depth level, and whether the mark penetrates the clear coat layer or exterior paint. Shallow, surface-level clear coat scratches allow for gentler home remedies. Deep scratches reaching the base paint require heavier-duty compounds to fill in gaps and blend with surrounding color. Try Rubbing Compounds and Polishes Over-the-counter rubbing compounds contain mild abrasives suspended in a paste or liquid that wear down blemishes in a vehicle’s clear coat when applied. They help refine scratches to a smoother surface level. Carefully rub a small amount of compound over the scratch using a microfiber applicator, allowing it to penetrate the mark’s depth fully. Let it set before buffing out excess with a clean towel.
Use Paint Touch-Up for Deep Marks
For heavy gouges into the paint, apply a matching automotive touch-up paint using thin coats over multiple sessions. Allow paint layers to dry fully between applications to avoid excessive buildup and peeling. Once satisfied with covered depth, wet sand paint using fine 800+ grit sandpaper followed by rubbing compound to help blend with the surrounding finish.
Consider Baking Soda Mix Treatment
As a mild natural abrasive, baking soda can scrub away top layers of light scratches when combined with water and applied with friction. Mix 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda with just enough water to form a thick paste-like consistency. Rub the paste along the length of a minor scratch using an old toothbrush or microfiber applicator for 2-3 minutes. Wipe away residue. Repeat if needed before buffing out the area.
Try Using Everyday Fillers
Scratches resemble thin gaps in the exterior paint that reflect light. Using everyday viscous materials allows you to safely fill these recesses temporarily. Apply toothpaste, crayon, or moldable putty gently over the scratch using a plastic spreader. Smooth evenly with the surrounding area before wiping away any excess borders. The filler provides a safer bridge between intact paint sections, reducing the mark’s visible contrast.
Pursue Additional Home Remedies
Other home ingredient alternatives to test as scratch removers include vitamin E oil, petroleum jelly, olive or vegetable oil mixed with lemon juice, vinegar, egg whites, aluminum foil, lemon peel paste, and wire brush massaging. Experiment with small batches based on stain type and severity. Just be sure to follow safety guidelines – some acids require dilution and careful handling. Consider combining multiple options like compounds and DIY fillers for enhanced effectiveness on stubborn blemishes. Know the Tradeoffs With patience, it is possible to improve the look of deeper scratches without professional auto body work or repainting. However, the vehicle likely still retains underlying surface irregularities and vulnerabilities in the damaged area.
Take care to avoid direct pressure or friction against treated sections that could re-expose issues. home remedies mainly address cosmetic visibility rather than restoring original structural integrity. Still, quick fixes allow extending a quality paint job at minimal cost. With smart ingredient usage and techniques matched to your car’s unique blemish, you can often minimize unsightly scratches‘ aesthetic impact yourselves. Just manage expectations on achieving a flawless factory-level finish through basic home repair methods.