DIY fixes for scratches

AFFORDABLE: YOU COULD GET INSURANCE, BUT THERE ARE REMOVAL KITS Repainting - sanding, rinsing, touching up and buffing - is risky and could get messy.

If you’re passionate about your car, there are few things more irritating than unsightly scratches caused by accidents, vandalism and parking lot carelessness. To fix these types of scratches, panel beaters and experts could cost a fortune.

“There are a few ways to repair these scratches on your own, at home, but affordable scratchand-dent insurance cover is probably less risky,” points out Barend Smit, marketing director of MotorHappy, a supplier of motor management solutions and car insurance options.

“This insurance covers you in the event of minor scratches, dents and chips, as well as small interior scratches. It’s the answer if you love your car and you try to keep it in pristine, condition inside and out.”

However, if you are the brave, do-it-yourself type, Smit lists the following at-home solutions to cleaning up some of those scratches on your car.

Scratch-removal kits

One option is to purchase the best car scratch remover you can find.

Here is the process for using a scratch-removal kit:

Wash the vehicle so there is no debris or dirt on the scratched area.

Microfibre cloths are best for drying the vehicle and removing unwanted dirt.

Remember to purchase the correct scratch-removal kit for your vehicle, as cars have different types of paint.

Your best bet would be to ask someone who works at the automotive shop which scratch-removal kit is best for your car.

Apply the scratch-removing agents to a microfibre cloth or buffing pad supplied with the kit.

Gently rub the cloth or buffing pad on the scratched area, make sure to move in a circular motion as this is best for avoiding new scratches.

Wipe away the excess product by using a completely clean cloth.

You can repeat this process if the scratches are still visible.

It’s important to always read the instructions of a scratch-removal kit in order to get the best results.

Repainting

“Before you consider this process, remember this technique requires some skill,” cautions Smit.

“When it comes to deep scratches, we recommend letting the professionals deal with it because a do-it-yourself job could get messy. This is a risky option for amateurs!”

If you still want to repaint to fix a deep scratch, follow these steps:

Wash the vehicle or scratched area to remove all dirt.

Sand the scratched area to remove surface paint, 2 000-grit wrap is the best ratio for sandpaper to lightly remove the paint.

Remember it’s important to sand in the same direction of the scratch to prevent causing other damage.

Rinse off the dirt caused by the sandpaper.

If the scratches are still visible, you can sand down the paint more until the scratches are not visible.

Spray three coats of primer onto the sanded area, wait five to 10 min between each coat that is added.

Apply two or three coats of paint which matches your car’s colour.

Check with your car’s manufacturer to buy the same shade of paint.

You should wait about 10 to 15 minutes between each coat to ensure the paint dries efficiently.

Lastly, wax the area that has been resprayed after the paint has dried.

A buffer pad works best for waxing.