How to Repair Scratches on a Refrigerator
Refrigerators can suffer wear and tear from being moved from place to place, or even from everyday use. Since this large appliance takes up a significant amount of floor space, it can be a target for unfortunate incidents. Sometimes, unsightly scratches appear that can be superficial or more pronounced. Repairing these scratches can be a simple or more involved process. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Soap and water or appliance cleaner
- Towel
- Touch-up paint
- Commercial scratch filler
- Very fine sandpaper
Instructions
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Repair
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1
Examine the scratches to determine if they are light surface abrasions or if they are deeper. This will help you make a decision to repair the scratches on your refrigerator.
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2
Clean the exterior of the refrigerator with soap and water or a commercial-brand cleaner that is safe for use on appliances. Wipe away any existing chips of paint with a towel. Allow the area to completely dry.
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3
For surface-based scratches, apply appliance touch-up paint to mask them. Appliance paint is available in a wide range of colors and comes with a tiny brush for applying the paint to small areas. Carefully dot or stipple the paint onto the scratch. This will make the repair job less obvious. Wipe away any excess paint from unaffected areas.
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4
For deeper scratches, you will need to fill them with a commercial scratch filler available in do-it-yourself scratch repair kits for appliances or in the scratch repair section of an auto parts store.
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Allow the filler to dry and then decide if you need to sand the surface to even it out. If you do, sand it lightly with a piece of very fine sandpaper, and then wipe away any residue so the surface is clean and ready to paint.
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Paint over the filled scratches with the proper color of appliance paint. Use the stippling effect to make the repair less obvious to the human eye.
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Tips & Warnings
If the refrigerator has an abundance of scratches, consider sanding and repainting the whole appliance.
Ensure that you choose the right shade of appliance paint for your refrigerator. Many appliance-makers sell touch-up paint for the makes and models of refrigerators that they sell.
