Removing scratches from car paint involves polishing the paint by hand or machine. Apply paint polish to a microfiber towel or pad and gently buff the paint in a circular motion to remove light scratches from a car’s paint. Machine polishing the paint with a polisher and buffing pads will yield the best results while saving countless time and physical effort.
Always start with a polish to test the paint’s hardness. If the scratches are still present, a compound will be necessary to remove scratches from the car’s paint. Compounds are more abrasive than polishes and will remove a more significant amount of paint faster, which can generate a noticeable amount of heat. Be careful not to make the paint too hot when eliminating scratches. Don’t work on hot car panels because the compound or polish won’t have enough time to work effectively.
Expert Tip: Never attempt to polish matte paint to remove scratches, or it will become shiny. Matte paint requires a trip to the body shop for repainting to fix scratches.
Paint Scratch Removal Steps:
- Wash and dry the paint.
- Clay the paint to remove bonded contamination.
- Apply polish to a microfiber towel or pad and gently buff the paint in a circular motion.
- Remove the polish using a microfiber towel and isopropyl alcohol diluted to 20%. For an approximate dilution ratio, add four cups of water to one cup of pure isopropyl alcohol, adjusting for its initial concentration. It’s not scientific, but it gets you in the right ballpark.
- Check the paint using a bright direct light or the sun to see if the scratch is still present.
Since 2009, I’ve been performing paint corrections to remove scratches and swirls from car paint. While removing a scratch or two by hand is possible, polishing an entire car by hand would be very strenuous, and the result wouldn’t be comparable to machine polishing. Removing deep scratches will require compounding and, in some instances, wet sanding. Removing car paint scratches you can feel with a fingernail isn’t possible, but improving their appearance is.
The pictures show a 14-year-old car with 80,000-plus miles before and after compounding, polishing, and applying a ceramic coating. Once the swirl marks become severe enough, the paint’s gloss becomes almost nonexistent. Under all the swirls and scratches, the red paint hid a beautiful metallic flake.
