Even the most careful drivers have to deal with a scratched car from time to time. From shopping carts to tree branches, living a busy life sometimes means dealing with simple repairs—especially if you want to keep your car looking its best.

At Cutting Edge Collision Center, we know how important your vehicle is. We’re Tucson’s expert auto painting professionals, and we’re here to help our clients get the most out of their automobile investments. In this blog, we cover how to remove deep scratches from car exteriors, including doors, hoods, bumpers, and more.

Why not keep your car looking amazing and operating efficiently by taking care of the exterior as well as the engine? For more information about how to keep your car or truck looking brand new, reach out to our auto body restoration team.

Use a Repair Kit

If you’re looking for a simple at-home fix for automobile scratches, we recommend trying a scratch repair kit. These kits work best for light scratches or marks that don’t score too deeply into your car’s paint job. Most auto supply stores offer these kits for reasonable prices.

A scratch repair kit typically includes:

  • Cleaning supplies
  • Buffing pads or microfiber cloths
  • Scratch removal solution

Follow your kit’s directions exactly, making sure to avoid applying any scratch removal paste or solution directly to your car’s paint or scratches. Improper use of scratch removal kits can result in more damage and increased repair costs.

Other DIY Methods

Often, over-the-counter scratch removal kits can’t tackle deep or wide scratches. If you’re wondering how to remove deep scratches from car paint without paying for abrasive methods like wet sanding, other DIY solutions may help.

Rubbing Compound

Many companies make a buffing or rubbing compound designed to remove scratches from car paint. While these compounds may not work for scratches that expose bare metal, they often remove minor scratches and marks to improve the car’s overall appearance.

Glazing Putty

Glazing putty is available at most auto repair shops and auto supply stores and works by filling in scratches and minor marks on the car’s surface. A dime-sized amount of glazing putty is enough for most scratches and works to fill in and level the mark, creating an even, smooth surface.

Painting the Scratched Area

No matter which method of scratch removal you use, you will likely need to paint the affected area. We recommend avoiding DIY paint methods, as these at-home fixes often look uneven, fail to match colors, and may even damage the original paint.

Trust the Experts

Tried all of the above methods and still wondering how to remove deep scratches from car paint? You may benefit from professional scratch repair.

Despite the reputation that auto body repair work is expensive, scratch repair services are typically very affordable. Experienced repair shops can remove the scratches, repair dents, repaint your car, and so much more.

To learn more about auto body restoration, reach out to Cutting Edge Collision Center today.