Not a single car owner is insured against scratches on the car body. These damages can appear unexpectedly and, of course, entail certain financial costs.
There can be many reasons for the appearance of scratches on the car body, but the following are considered the most common:
- falling of small stones from under the wheels of a vehicle moving in front;
- touching hard branches of trees and shrubs when going "into nature";
- use by car washers of dirty rags with particles of sand and dust adhered to them;
- inaccurate opening of doors in the parking lot.
The reasons can be listed for a long time, while among them there may be the most commonplace. For example, a cat resting on the hood is also quite capable of harming the paintwork of a car with its seemingly delicate claws …
So what can be done? What to do in a situation when a scratch appears on the body of your favorite car?
The main thing is not to lose heart and to approach the solution of the problem thoroughly, in a businesslike manner!
Preparing the surface
The first step is to thoroughly wash your iron horse. However, it is not necessary to completely wash the car; only the problem area itself can be cleaned of dust and dirt.
After the car body has dried, the place where the scratch has formed should be degreased, in other words, wiped with a cloth dipped in white spirit.
Important: when carrying out work, the car must be in a clean and dry place, protected from dust and direct sunlight.
The most efficient ways to handle scratches
One of the main methods of getting rid of scratches on the car body is polishing with abrasive polishes. With a special polish available in most motoring stores, you can remove the thinnest layer of paintwork, effectively "rubbing" the scratch.
The main thing is not to overdo it during the polishing process and not to remove too large a layer of coating. In order for everything to work out "at its best", you must carefully follow the instructions that come with the abrasive polishes.
Perhaps the safest way to mask a scratch is with a special wax crayon. With such a pencil, it is enough to once over the scratch and the wax contained in this tool will completely fill it. If the scratch is not deep, then after processing with a pencil it will be practically invisible.
A scratch on the car body can also be painted over. To do this, you must purchase a special repair kit (paint + varnish). The color of the paint can be selected using a special digital code.
Painting should be done in two stages, applying a second coat after the first one is completely dry. After the paint is completely dry (after 24 hours), the problem area should be carefully cleaned with a fine-grained sandpaper, and then a layer of varnish should be applied. After the varnish has hardened, sanding must be repeated.
