How to Remove Dents Using Dry Ice
Fixing dents on your car can be expensive. It's little wonder so many drivers never get around to fixing their dented cars. But dent repair doesn't have to be costly and you certainly don't need professional help to do it. Dry ice can help you remove minor dents from your car quickly and inexpensively.
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Instructions
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Assess the damage. For best results, use dry ice on shallow dents that cover a wide surface area. Large dents and those found at the edges of your vehicle are not easily fixed with dry ice, because the curvature of the metal makes it less malleable. It can also be difficult to remove dents on older vehicles with thicker metal panels.
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Heat the surface by leaving your vehicle out in the sun for a few hours or with a hair dryer. Pan the dryer back and forth using the medium heat setting and keep it at least 5 inches away from the car's surface at all times to keep the paint from peeling. Continue panning for up to three minutes.
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Put on a pair of insulated protective gloves. At -109.3 F (-78.5 C), dry ice can freeze the cells in your hand and cause damage similar to burns.
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Press a small piece of dry ice against the center of the dent and move it across the surface. This will cause the metal to cool quickly. As the dry ice presses against the warm surface, the extreme temperature change will make the metal contract, eliminating the dent.
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Press another small piece of dry ice to the dent if the mark remains. Depending on the extent of the damage, the dent on your vehicle may still be noticeable. Apply several rounds of dry ice, if necessary, to remove any other imperfections.
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Tips & Warnings
Any damage to the paint itself will still be visible after the dry ice treatment.
Wearing gloves while handling dry ice is an absolute must. Dry ice is extremely cold and can quickly cause cell damage and frostbite.
Keep all dry ice out of the reach of children.
References
Resources
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