How to Remove scratches from a car

Scratches in car paint can be caused by a variety of things. Car accidents, vandalism, poor parking, and other parking lot mishaps are all common causes for a scratch or 2 on your perfect paint job. While scratches do detract from the appearance of your car, paying a body shop for a new coat of paint or even a small touch-up can be costly. You can try buffing out surface scratches with toothpaste, using a scratch removal product for small scratches, or sanding and repainting the area if the scratch is deep.

Run a fingernail over the scratches to see if they are surface or deep. If your fingernail does not catch on the scratches, then they are on the surface and using toothpaste might be a good option. If your fingernail does catch on them, then they are deeper and you will need to use a professional scratch removal product.

Wash and dry the scratched area. Before you apply toothpaste to the scratches, make sure that the area is very clean. Rubbing dirt and debris into the scratched area will make the scratches worse.

• You can take your car to a car wash or wash it yourself.

• To wash your car yourself, spray it with a hose to wet it all over and remove the majority of the dirt and debris. Then, use a large sponge or car-washing brush to apply soap formulated for vehicles to your car. Work the soap into all surface of your car and then use the hose to spray it off. Dry your car with a clean, dry towel.

Apply a quarter-sized amount of toothpaste to a dampened microfiber towel. Get the microfiber towel wet enough so that it is just damp. Then, apply a quarter-sized amount of the toothpaste to the towel, or a little more or less depending on the size of the scratch.

• Whitening toothpaste works best, but you can try removing the scratches with any toothpaste you have on hand.

• You will need to apply the toothpaste with a soft, clean, microfiber towel to ensure that rubbing in the toothpaste does not cause more damage.

• Enjoy...and watch your car from scratches.