How to Safely Remove Fine Scratches from Your Car's Paint

Does your car have tiny scratches in the paint? Do you wash and wax your car, only to find that you cannot remove tiny swirls or scratches from your car's paint?
With the right products and the right knowledge, you can easily get rid of those hairline scratches on your cars surface.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clean, foam applicator pad
• Good quality terry cloth towel
• Microfiber towel
• Meguiar's ScratchX™ or any scratch removing product

1. 

   First, you will want to wash your entire car. It does not matter if you think your car is already clean. There are harmful elements in the air and environment that chemically bond to your car's paint surface. Washing your car thoroughly will help to remove dust, pollen, and debris from the road.

2. 

   Next, you will want to completely dry off your vehicle. You do not want to begin treating the scratched areas of your cars surface until it is completely dry. Any soap or water left from the wash could dilute or diminish the effectiveness of the product.

3. 

   After the car has been cleaned and dried, you can apply a high quality car care product like Meguiar's ScratchX™ or any other well respected brand onto the foam applicator pad. Other manufacturer's include Mother's, Eagle One, and Turtle Wax. All of these products have the intent to remove:
   1. Random, isolated scratches
   2. Cobweb-effect
   3. Buffer swirls
   4. Oxidation
   5. Pore imbedding stains
   6. Chemical etching
   7. Acid rain spots
   8. Etching from bird droppings

4. 

   Apply a dime size amount of the scratch remover on your applicator pad. Rub the product into the scratched area until the area is completely covered. This process is not so much about applying the product and then removing it, it is more about applying the product and working it into the scratches. It will seem that the product is actually "filling in" the hairline scratches, but it is actually removing the top layer of your car's paint.

5. 

   Once you work in the product on the desired areas of your car's surface, you will want to take a clean and dry terry cloth, ( a baby's clean cloth diaper is ideal), and polish the area with a nice spray wax.
   Using premium quality applicators and towels insure that you do not inflict any additional scratches back into the paint surface. This will polish the area and really bring out the shine and "mirror-like" qualities in your paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Never apply wax onto surfaces that cannot be easily buffed.
• Ideal waxing temperature is between 55˚F - 85˚F.
• Always apply paste wax in thin coats.
• Soft terry cotton makes perfect polishing cloths.
• Do not apply wax in direct sun on dark finishes, this makes polish and wax removal difficult.
• Only wax a recently washed surface.
• Most waxes/polishes contain very mild abrasives that actually remove the top layer of your car's paint, thus thinning it out slightly, so do not use too much product.

[Alisiane]

on 10/3/2008 I got my first brand new car a year ago and am horrified evertime I spot a little imperfection. Thanks for tips that might help me restore some of my sanity when I spot a little scratch.

[LynnG3]

on 9/21/2008 Thank you, i will try it!

[Preeti]

on 6/11/2007 Good advice. Especially for those of us living in L.A. where scratches and fender benders are a monthly occurrence.