How To Remove Car Scratches

A lot of people care more about their cars than their loved ones, so it is easy to understand why they freak out and scour the internet to learn how to remove car scratches. The car is their baby. Freaks. But luckily, most scratches (think cat claws) come out no problem. This will save you a ton of cash but if the scratches are really deep (think angry girlfriend with car key) you will need some professional help.

To remove car scratches, you will need:

• Orange clean
• Soap
• Water
• Sandpaper
• Masking tape
• Touch up paint

1. Scratched? Before you begin to remove car scratches, check to see if the car is actually damaged. Rub your finger across the area and see if it wipes off. Shopping carts and errant bumpers can leave marks in the wax but do not necessarily scratch your car. If it is just a bumper smear, use a product like Orange Clean to remove it.
2. Smaller scratches. To remove car scratches that are not deep, you can use car wax. There are even brands that are formulated just for this purpose. Technically, this is not removing the car scratches. but it will make them disappear. Skip the colored car wax you see for sale, because the wax is only hiding the scratch and not fixing it.
3. Scratch prep work. Scratches that do not fade with a good wax job need a little extra help. To remove these scratches, you will need to buy touch up paint. Your local auto supply store will have a guide (or you can ask) that matches the vehicle model with the paint you need. If you are dealing with small scratches, you can use the paint pen option. If not, buy some brushes as well. You will also need a fine grit sandpaper. Anything over a 1000 will work.
4. Clean it. Wash the area with soap and water to remove any grime or grease. Use the fine grit sandpaper and gently sand away the edges of the paint in the scratch. Now, mark the area off with masking tape. This will keep the paint from spreading out too far.
5. Paint it. Now go ahead and remove the car scratches with paint. Try and go in only one direction to keep the repair work less obvious. Allow the paint to dry overnight and then wash and wax the car.