A small dink or scratch in the paintwork of your car may not mean anything serious from a performance perspective, but once you notice it, it is likely that it will annoy you every time you see it. What you can do about a scratch depends on a range of things. Here’s what you need to know.
When you notice a scratch
You might know the moment that the scratch happens; maybe you are driving along an unfinished or gravel road, and a stone flies up, or maybe you have had to squeeze up a particularly narrow lane. You might have come back to your parked car only to notice that another road user has left an unpleasant calling card.
If you did the scratch yourself (without harming any other property) or you are not sure where the scratch might have happened, your first thoughts can go to how you can repair it. If your car has been deliberately vandalised or it has been damaged while parked in a public place, you may need to call the police. Call 112 to ask for advice.
Assessing the damage
Whether or not you can fix the scratch yourself or you need to go to your local bodywork specialist really depends on the severity of the scratch. Your car’s paintwork has three layers, the primer, which goes on first, the base coat, which gives the colour, and the clear coat, which protects the base and give the car its shiny (or occasionally matt) finish. If your scratch disappears when you wipe over it with a wet finger, great news! It is likely that only the clear coat has been scratched, which is an easy fix. If the scratch has removed the coloured paint or taken the three coats down to the metal, a professional fix is probably your best option as a DIY repair will be noticeable, as well as making your car more vulnerable to rust.
DIY repairs
It is possible that your scratch can be fixed with the humble toothpaste. To see how deep the scratch has gone, gently run your fingernail over it; if they don’t snag then only the clear top coat has been scratched. First, use warm soapy water and a clean cloth to wash the area. If the surface isn’t clean, you risk rubbing dirt into the scratch which will make it worse. Next, apply some toothpaste to a clean, dry microfibre cloth (whitening toothpaste works the best!). Using a gentle, circular motion, rub the toothpaste into the scratch. Rinse off the area using warm, soapy water, and repeat up to two more times to get a good finish. Don’t do the process more than three times as you risk creating more damage; if three attempts don’t work, you may need to consult your local garage for advice.
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