Free Tips To Fix a Scratch on Your Vehicle's Paint Job

There has more than likely been one time or another when you have experienced a scratch on the paint job of your vehicle. Did you know that there are ways that this can be repaired without the costly trip to the dealership or auto body shop? The truth is, sooner or later – every car is going to get a scratch, so – use these tips to get rid of the unsightly marks.

If the car has been painted with enamel paint, than the vehicle repair may need professional attention, if not – than you can go ahead with these simple tips to repair a scratch on the surface of the vehicle.

When repairing a scratch, it is important to lightly wash the surface of any material that would affect the bonding of the paint that is going to be applied to fix the scratch. Sometimes, when vehicles have been waxed, it decreases the ability for the paint to create a bond with the metal, creating an obvious paint line. A mild dish detergent or even a mild laundry detergent can be used to take off any wax, protecting or seal that is on the vehicle and could interrupt the scratch repair process.

Next, you will need to lightly sand the area where the vehicle is scratched with fine grained sand paper. When completing this step, it is most effective to do this by hand. This will ensure that the vehicle will not be over-sanded and damage the body of the vehicle, or even further damage the paint job of the vehicle. Never use an electric sander to repair a small scratch on the body or door of the vehicle; this will lead to unsightly marks being left after the scratch has been repaired. When sanding, go with the direction on the scratch, as this will not make it worse.
If there is rust near the scratch, than it can be easily removed with rust-cleaner and sandpaper treatment. When sanding, only be sure to grind down the area that is closest to the scratch.

Before painting, tape-off the area of the scratch using newspaper, allowing a small cutout for the scratch. This will ensure that only the area required is painted. After all, the paint is more than likely not going to be the exact same tone, unless the vehicle is new and the exact paint is chosen.

How do you choose paint for your vehicle that is being repaired? Often, there is color swatches available from the dealership that the vehicle was purchased from, if not, than at the local auto body supply store there should be a sufficient color. Remember, these colors may not go on completely flush with the current color. The more a vehicle has been exposed to the elements, the more the color fades – making it hard to determine the replacement color.


Next, the area should be sprayed with touch up paint, avoid brushing as it could cause unsightly marks to occur within the paint. Next, remove the paper and let the vehicle dry overnight to ensure it is not going to be effected by the elements.

Guides on Paint Touch Up

Don’t get caught trying to touch up a scratch or scrape on your car’s paint job with nail polish. There are some great nail polish colors that look great our toes and fingers however they don’t go so well on cars. Even if you think the color is close enough it is almost guaranteed that someone else will notice the blemish. It is always better to get the job done right the first time. So if you shouldn’t use nail polish, how should you fix those scratches and scrapes?



The answer to your problem is to get the paint touched up from an auto body repair shop. Don’t worry; you are not alone with this dilemma since about 80% of cars on the road today need some form of touch up work done to the paint. The reason you should chose an auto body repair shop instead of nail polish is because the shop can match the touch up paint almost identical to the paint on your car. So you may be thinking you can save money by buying paint from an auto parts store. Well, that is not a good idea because it is also hard to match the color directly. Seriously, how close can you get with a one color matches all? We all know that one size does fit all so why would one color match all?
Paint touch up can be effective on paint chips, nicks, scratches, rust spots and bumper scrapes. Keep in mind that it is a touch up job and that it will not be perfect. The importance of getting the paint touched up is more for the protection of your vehicle. It protects the metal from rust and other further damage. Since the area of repair is kept to a minimum you will not spend a great deal of time waiting to get the touch up done. Also there will be a lot less out of your pocket than getting the whole area repainted.
So, if you bring your car to an auto body shop for the touch up, this is what you might expect to happen. At the auto body shop they will prepare your car for the repair by washing the area(s) thoroughly and letting it air dry very well. Then the area will be lightly sanded with the correct type of sander for automobile paint. Then a clear layer will be applied to act as a base coat. They will use their computerized system to get the color code for your car’s paint color. They will most likely do a test of the color on a part of your car that is not visible. This is done as a precaution to make sure the match is correct. Then they will begin work on the problem area(s) in a straight, even, back and forth motion. After the paint is dry in all areas they will complete the repair. The last step to touching up the paint is to apply a layer of wax and buff the area. This usually does not take much time at all.
So, keep the nail polish away from your car and let the pros touch up your cars paint.