Repair Light Car Paint Scratches Using HOME REMEDIES

Can You REALLY Repair Light Paint Scratches Using The HOME REMEDIES Methods As Scratch Removers?

After looking at all of the articles written about these home remedy products and reviewing many videos, and trying most of the obvious methods, I personally would not advise using almost all of the recommendations below.

Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay

To me, it is much easier and a far better way to use a professional formula scratch remover from your local car store to get a much better result.

From the home remedies talked about, I would say the toothpaste method is the closest to reality. The rest are a waste of energy and time. WD40 is as expensive as a tin of car cleaning compound so go for the professional compound.

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What is a Car Paint Scratch?

Scratches are caused by small particles of dust and dirt, branches, twigs, car cleaning materials with small spots of dirt in them like your wet sponges and cleaning cloths that have not been cleaned properly,  and also from electric car washes with those terrible plastic strands that are supposed to wash your car for you. Avoid them at all costs.

A car’s paint finish is composed of several layers of paint. The top layer is called the clear coat. It protects the paint underneath it from weathering. Underneath the clear coat is the colors of the vehicle. These colors come in many shades, including white, black, red, blue, silver, gold, gray, and others. The next layer down is the base coat, followed by the primer. Below the primer lies the metal bodywork of the car.

The clear coat on a car’s exterior is usually about one millimeter thick. When a vehicle is parked outdoors for long periods of time, rainwater seeps into the clear coat and causes tiny pockmarks in the paint. If left untreated, these pocks become larger over time. Eventually, the pockmarks grow large enough to make the car’s paint look rough, scuffed up, or covered in light scratches, and the paint becomes very dull.

NOTE: The best solutions for cleaning small scratches are the correct compounds from your local store, like a soft rubbing compound and a microfibre cloth. You will also need the correct color match of your car paint to do a decent repair job. 

A deep scratch is almost impossible to remove and will need paint to fill the void. You should be able to patch it, but there is nothing like taking your time and having the right materials in the first place before you begin the task.

Deciding How Deep The Scratches Are In Your Auto Paintwork

Before you start cleaning up your vehicle, make sure you know what type of paint it is. If it’s metallic paint, such as chrome, aluminum, etc., it needs special care. Metallic paints are very thin and prone to scratching. They have a clear coat over the top of them. This is the coat that needs cleaning. Metallics are much harder to remove scratches than normal-based paint as you clean the top clear coat rather than the paint itself.

If it’s regular paint color like red or blue, green or white, you can use some common household items to clean up your scratch. 

Toothpaste To Clean Light Scratches- Yes, within Reason

Out of all the methods listed, toothpaste is one of those that may well work. It has compounds in it that will actually help to remove certain types of scratches from your car paint job without causing any further damage to your auto.

If you’re dealing with deeper scratches, you might need to apply additional layers of cleaner to remove the damaged areas fully. And if you really want to go above and beyond, try using toothpaste to take care of the problem.

Toothpaste contains abrasives that help remove stubborn stains and protect the finish, making it ideal for taking care of minor scuffs. Do not use excess toothpaste. Apply a small amount to a clean microfiber cloth and rub it into the affected area. Leave it to dry for a few minutes before rubbing it off again. You may need a small amount of water to thin the toothpaste out to remove it.

Nail Polish – NO, Not Really

Nail polish might mask your attempt at removing scratches, but it could also cause more damage than the time it is worth. It is a sticky substance that could take quite some time to dry and would more than likely leave a mark that does not look like your car paintwork.

Here’s what you do if you want to try the Nial Polish Method

1. Clean the spot thoroughly with soap and water. Make sure to use a scrubber sponge or toothbrush to help loosen up dirt and grime.

2. Apply a thin layer of nail polish. Start with one coat and work your way up to three coats if needed. If you’re worried about getting too much polish on there, just dab it off with a paper towel.

3. Let dry completely. Wait overnight if necessary. (Really)

4. Once dried, remove any remaining polish with a soft cloth.

Nail polish takes time to dry. Do not rush into smoothing it off until you have given it plenty of time to set. Failure to do this will leave marks where the polish has not dried correctly.

Personally, I would not bother with this method.

Candle Wax – No

For minor scratches on your car’s paint, you can try candle wax, but I would not recommend it. But if you want to ensure there are no unsightly marks left behind, check out what our experts say about using candle wax to repair small dings and scuffs on cars.

NOTE: Personally, I would not use this method as it could cause more damage than repair.

Super Glue – No

Superglue can repair a lot of different types of products, but it is not one that I would recommend to try and remove a scratch from your paintwork. In fact, superglue dries really quickly in many situations and could cause more problems when applied to paintwork due to this fact.

Not something I would recommend.

Vinegar – No

No videos about using vinegar, yet people still talk about it. Do not bother wasting your time with vinegar.

Wd40 – Will Remove Very Light Paint Marks Only

WD40 is great for a multitude of purposes when it comes to car maintenance. It will loosen off the top surface with lightly marked paint, and remove it. However, it does not remove light scratches. All it does is fill the paint with an oil-type substance.

This then must be washed off with a shampoo to get the oily substance off. The scratches will still be there after the oily substance has been removed.

Watch the video below, where they show you the effects of WD40 on scratches.

Using Sandpaper – Never

Unless you are an EXPERT at car renovation, do NOT use sandpaper. Even the lightest sandpaper will scratch your car paintwork. Sandpaper is to be used cautiously and only when you know what you are doing.

Dents in Your Color Panels

A dent is not a scratch and requires a puller to pull it back into shape. Dents can be a simple jb to a professional job, depending on where it is on your car.

Compound and Waxing Your Car

Not really a home product remedy but something that needs to be done correctly. The key to getting rid of those pesky paint scratches is to use a high-quality automotive compound, followed by a car cleaning polish.

A good quality paint cleaning compound will clean all the paint debris, and light scratches on your paint surface. The best way to do this is one panel at a time. That way, you concentrate only on the panel you are cleaning.

Once you’ve applied the compound, let it dry completely. It normally goes white color when it is dry. Buff it off with a microfiber cloth until clear. If the scratches are still there, apply more compound to the area. After two attempts, if you can still see the scratches, this means they are beyond fingernail deep and will more than likely need filling with fresh paint.

Clean the whole car using this method of one panel at a time. After cleaning everything off, take a look at the car again. Is there anything else you see that needs attention? There might be some small dings here and there, but nothing major.

My Views

Not all of the home remedies for removing paint scratches that you see talked about actually work. In fact, most of them just add insult to injury. The only one that sort of works is toothpaste. If you want to do a semi-professional job yourself, go out and buy a decent car rubbing compound and good quality car polish, a color-match paint, and a decent microfiber cloth to do the best possible job.

We all love our cars, and sometimes there are other issues or things that we like to look at or sort out. Here are a couple of other posts that may interest you if you own a black car or are looking for the best shampoo you can buy to keep your paintwork in tip-top condition.

• Why Do Black Cars Always Look Dirty
• Best Shampoo For Cleaning Your Pride & Joy