How to remove a scratch by hand.

Removing a scratch by hand.

Removing a scratch requires you to remove the layer of paint or clear coat that contains the defect. This is best accomplished by compounding and polishing with a circular polisher (Makita 9227 or DeWalt 849). See "Removing scratches with a circular polisher". The next best method uses an orbital polisher. See "Removing scratches with the Porter Cable polisher."

That said, very light scratches can be removed by hand and deeper scratches can be made much less noticeable.

The picture at right shows a scratch on a car's roof, just above the driver's side door.

	Removing a scratch requires you to abrade away the top layer of paint or clear coat that contains the scratch. This is best accomplished with a machine polisher.

It's almost impossible to remove enough paint by hand to completely remove a scratch. What we can do is round off the top edge of the scratch and rob sunlight of a sharp edge to cause a reflection. We can then apply a finishing polish which fills the scratch with fillers and finish with a coat of wax or paint sealant. My favorite product for removing/ reducing scratches by hand is Meguiar's ScratchX but 3M Perfect-It Rubbing Compound will also work.
Procedure: Apply some Scratch Remover to a Microfiber Applicator Pad and rub the scratch using moderate pressure. Rub at a right angle, across the scratch. Wipe the scratch with a Terry towel or Microfiber towel and inspect the surface. If the scratch remains, repeat the procedure, rubbing more aggressively. Continue the rubbing and inspecting procedure until no further improvement can be observed.


Apply ScratchX with a Microfiber or Terry applicator pad.	Rub at right angle to scratch and inspect the results.

Follow with a polish to fill the remaining indentation and restore surface gloss. Apply a finishing polish such as Menzerna Final Polish, Meguiar's No. 9 Swirl Remover or 3M Perfect-It Swirl Mark Remover to a Terry cloth or Microfiber Applicator Pad and go over the area repeatedly until the polish is almost dry. Buff off any remaining film and follow with your favorite wax or paint sealant.


Apply a finishing polish to a Terry or Microfiber applicator and go over the scratch repeatedly.	Buff off any polish residues.


Finish by applying your favorite wax or paint sealant. Give the area a final wipe down with a Terry or Microfiber cloth.	It's very hard to photograph the faint line that remains. From 3 feet away the scratch is invisible.

Results:

After compounding, polishing and finishing by hand, a very faint line remained. The scratch was all but invisible from a distance of 3 feet but could still be seen in certain light conditions. This is the best that can be accomplished by hand. Further improvement will require a machine polisher. See "Removing scratches with the Porter Cable polisher" and "Removing scratches with a circular polisher."

Note: Scratches deep enough to be felt with your fingernail can be made to look better but probably can not be removed by hand. You should not attempt to remove scratches that go all the way through the paint or clear coat. These scratches require re-painting and should be repaired by a body shop technician.
	You should not attempt to remove scratches that go through the top clear coat.