How to Repair Small Dents on Cars

Save money by removing small dents from your car at home.

Small dents and dings detract from the overall picture of your car. Unfortunately, even the smallest of dings can be expensive to repair, especially if there are a lot of them. If your car has a small dent from an accident, a door ding or a number of small dents from a hail storm, you can save money by repairing the dents in your own garage without hurting your paint job, instead of taking it in to a professional repair shop.

Things You'll Need

• Sponge
• Bucket of water
• Dry towel
• Outlet
• Extension cord
• Hair dryer
• Rubber gloves
• Can of compressed air

Instructions

1. Dip a sponge in a bucket filled with water and wash all of the dented areas of your car. Dry with a clean towel. Park your car as close to an electrical outlet as possible.

2. Plug a hair dryer that has a "high" heat setting into the electrical outlet and check to make sure that the hair dryer cord is long enough to allow it to reach all of the small dents on your car. Use an extension cord if necessary. Uncap the can of compressed air and set it within easy reach of where you will be working. Put on a pair of rubber gloves.

3. Turn the hair dryer on the "high" setting and direct it at the center of the small dent on your car, moving the hair dryer in small circles around the entire dented area. Heat the dent for one minute, holding the dryer as close to the dent as possible without allowing it to touch the car.

4. Turn off the hair dryer, set it down and pick up the opened can of compressed air. Turn it upside down so that the bottom of the can is facing up. Spray the small dent on your car with the can of compressed air held upside down for 10 seconds.

5. Watch and listen for the small dent to pop out of your car. Wait for the icy substance to melt off your car. Then dip your sponge in the bucket, wash off the residue and dry with a clean towel. Repeat the process for any additional dents.

Tips & Warnings

• Holding the can of compressed air upside down causes it to release liquid carbon dioxide. The extreme temperature difference between the heat from the hair dryer and the cold from the liquid carbon dioxide causes the small dent to pop out of your car. If the dent does not pop out on the first try, heat the dent with the hair dryer 10 seconds longer and spray the dent with the can of compressed air held upside down five seconds longer.

• Liquid carbon dioxide can cause chemical burns, handle with extreme caution.

References

• Wise Bread: Remove Car Dents Quickly and Cheaply

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Ding King