When a scratch appears on a car’s exterior, most responsible car owners search the shelves for specific car products, often being confronted with the many car scratch removers that are in the market today. But did you know that you need not look any further when your car has an annoying scratch? You’ll be surprised that your good ol’ household supplies cabinet may have been storing the best car scratch remover products you have ever imagined.

Car Scratch Remover: Available at Home

What items in your home can double as car scratch remover products? Watch this video:

1. Shoe Polish

Before applying shoe polish, it is important to clean the area and examine the scratch carefully. Wipe it with soap and water then dry thoroughly. Next, you’ll need a shoe polish that has a darker color than your car paint. Once you apply the shoe polish onto the area of the scratch, it will spread out and fill in the scratch or small dent. Now it will be easier for you to remove the scratch very gently using sand paper. Minor scratches can be removed by sanding down the surrounding area so that the scratch won’t be visible since the damaged area is now at the same level with its surrounding panel. This has to be done very carefully so that you won’t be sanding down too much. If you do, you could be damaging the next layer of paint, worsening the situation. The shoe polish guides you to sand without going too deep. You can continue sanding lightly until completely removing the applied shoe polish. Then you can use a cloth to buff the area and check if the scratch has disappeared. If the scratch is too deep, an auto detailing shop would be your best option.

2. Toothpaste

Yes, your trusted teeth cleaning partner is, surprisingly, a good car scratch remover too. Toothpaste has natural abrasive components that can erase minor scratches on your car. Just like using any other home remedy, make sure the damaged area is clean. Next, use the toothpaste to buff the area. The best way to do this is to use circular strokes, but there are other ways to buff your car. Wipe clean with a soft cloth and repeat the process if the scratch has not completely disappeared.

3. Nail Polish

This colorful fingernail companion is also a good car scratch remover. Some scratches you cannot remove by buffing or sanding, so the best way to deal with them is to cover them up. Nail polish is available in a variety of colors that can match any and every car color. This makes it an effective alternative car scratch remover. You just need to look for the closest color to your car paint that you can find and apply evenly so that the scratch will no longer be visible. If you can still see the scratch after application, you can try other car scratch removers available in the market.

4. Candle Wax

You can also use candle wax to remove light scratches on your car paint. It is not actually a car scratch remover but it can work really well to cover up light scratches. Ensure that the area is clean. Then, rub the candle wax very lightly onto the damaged area. The wax will cover up and seal the scratch.  Be aware that this remedy is only for car scratch emergencies, not a long-term solution.

5. Super Glue

Super glue can serve as a transparent material that will level the scratch with the rest of the surrounding area. Its ability to blend with the surrounding surface makes it a great car scratch cover up. You just need to apply it thinly onto the scratch.

Home remedy options are recommended for minor car scratches only. Take note, however, that they may not be applicable for all types of scratches. So if you are not too sure about what to do, it is best to bring your car to professional detailers to for effective car scratch removal.

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