Stripes, keys, and friction of all kinds … It does not take much to damage the body of a car or a motorcycle. We can be careful, sooner or later, it happens anyway. But no need, necessarily, to go to the garage! We explain how to remove scratches yourself at a lower cost. Following tips are recommended by Fresno Auto Body.
Clear scratches with polish: how does it work?
There are polish and other specific products to remove surface scratches, which allow to remove small defects by polishing. Repair kits consisting of a single product or two complementary products are commercially available. Rather recommended for novices, the former are used as a classic polish. The abrasive component they contain dissolves during application. With this type of product, there is no risk of doing more harm than good to your car! The most complete kit, to use when the simple polish is inefficient, is intended for more experienced people. It usually consists of two different polishing products, abrasives and some rags to apply the products and polish the surface. Here is how to apply a polish:
- Thoroughly cleanthe area to be treated to remove any dirt and grit that may scratch the car even more than it already is.
- If the scratch is deep, sand itfirst with the abrasive paper in the kit. Go smoothly! It is best to slightly moisten the front paper.
- Then apply a thin, even layer of polishwith circular motions and gentle pressure.
- Let the polish dry briefly and then apply the second productof the kit, if there is one. Then, pass the cloth: the stripe should now be gone.
It should be noted that in addition to repair kits, there are also special polishing pastes that can also be used to remove scratches by polishing. Be careful: improperly used, they can result in expensive bodywork! The best results are achieved with special polishing pads, available in several hardnesses.
Tip: Before using heavy artillery to remove scratches, try toothpaste! This one will make a perfect polish thanks to its abrasive particles. Apply it with a damp cloth on the place to be treated then polish to make the scratch disappear.
The alternative to polishing: the touch-up pen
If the scratch is so deep that it cannot be erased either with a polish or with a repair kit. There is only one solution: hide it with a touch-up pen so that she cannot see herself anymore. In addition to being easy to use, these pens are also particularly effective since they will withstand even washing station. The color must match the color code of your car. Some manufacturers offer pens specifically designed for your car. Educate yourself! The retouching pen is used as follows:
- Prepare the surface to be treated by sanding it lightly. If necessary, remove the rust that has formed. If you leave it, it will show up very quickly under the painting.
- Shake your pen vigorouslybefore use and then apply the paint in a regular layer.
- Let the paint dry for one to two hoursthen cover it with a clear varnish.
Garage repairs
Polishing and retouching pens are two inexpensive ways to remove scratches yourself. But when the scratch is so deep that it reaches the finish, you will usually have no choice but to go to a garage. Many workshops offer “Smart Repair”, which have the distinction of being fast and inexpensive. It should be noted, however, that a repair performed by this process will not take longer than the wax layer sprayed on the car at the car wash. The scratches will reappear after only a few weeks.
To permanently repair a scratch, nothing beats a complete painting of the scratched part. Ask the mechanic to prepare an estimate. In general, the cost of repair does not depend on the number of scratches, but on the size of the surface to be treated.
