How to Repair a Keyed Car
You may take as many precautions as possible with your vehicle, parking it as far away as you can from other cars to minimize the chances of someone accidentally hitting and damaging the car's finish. So it's understandably unsettling when you come out of a store and find that someone has keyed your car. Fortunately, your car can be repaired as good as new with a little bit of work.
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Things You'll Need
- Sponge
- Dish washing soap
- Shoe polish
- 2,000- or 3,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper
- Wooden block
- Towels
- Microfiber cloth
- Rubbing compound
- Power buffer
- Car wax
Instructions
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1
Run your fingernail over the scratch to see if the paint has been damaged or the scratch is on top of it. When a car is keyed, the scratch usually lies on the surface of the paint.
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2
Wash the damaged area with a sponge and soapy water to remove any dirt and debris. Rinse the area with clean water and let it air-dry.
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3
Rub a shoe polish that contrasts with the car's paint into the scratch to ensure that you don't sand deeper into the scratch than is necessary. For example, if your car is white, use black shoe polish; if it's black, use white shoe polish.
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4
Sand the scratch gently using 2,000- to 3,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper which you can find at any auto parts store. To wet sand, cover a wood block with the sandpaper and dip it into a bucket of cold water. Add a few drops of dish soap to the water so the paper is slippery when you sand. Use up and down light strokes, alternating them with 60-degree strokes as you sand. Rinse off the sandpaper frequently as you work. Continue to sand the scratch until the shoe polish has disappeared. Rinse the area then dry it with a towel.
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5
Check if the scratch has been removed. If it hasn't, repeat Step 3 then use a microfiber cloth to apply a small amount of coarse rubbing compound into the area to remove any sanding scratches. If you have a small scratch, a microfiber cloth and some rubbing compound will work well. If the scratch is long, this job is easier with an oscillating power buffer. Whichever tool you use, buff the area in a clockwise motion and be careful not to buff through the next layer of paint.
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6
Use a towel to remove the rubbing compound, using a light back and forth motion. It may be necessary to wash it off with water.
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7
Buff the area with a very fine rubbing compound. Finish by polishing the area with car wax.
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