How To Repair A Scratch On Your Car

Have a scratched windshield and aren't sure how to continue?

Sadly, insurance rarely covers the price of scratch repair, and most shops charge between $150-$300. Why waste matter money if yous don't have to?

Thankfully, we have put together a elementary DIY guide explaining how to remove scratches from a windshield yourself.

Here's what you volition need:

Drill with safety polishing bicycle
Scratch repair product
Glass cleaner
Microfiber textile
Masking tape

The procedure is fast and like shooting fish in a barrel, taking less than an 60 minutes to complete from outset to end.

Just before we explain the steps, let us kickoff wait at the dissimilar scratch repair products available.

Afterward, nosotros will review how to decide if you're dealing with a scratch or a crack and finally, we will become over a few simple ways to aid forbid scratches in the future.

Let'southward become started!

Windshield Scratch Repair Products

Clear Acrylic Nail Shine

Yes, you read that correctly.

Clear acrylic nail polish is useful equally a windshield scratch remover. It acts equally a sealant that fills in the grooves left by scratches.

Not only is it clear, only when information technology dries, it solidifies, and when used correctly, leaves behind a scratch-free surface.

Blistering Soda And White Toothpaste

Toothpaste squeezed from tube, close up, on white background

Ready for some other DIY mixture for scratch repair that might surprise yous?

Baking soda combined with white toothpaste. We're serious.

Yet, it only works well on smaller scratches and requires repeated applications since it wears away rather quickly.

Cerium Oxide

Cerium oxide is an oxide from the rare globe metallic Cerium. It comes in powder grade, and when mixed with a small amount of water, it becomes a thick paste-like substance.

Many specialty windshield polishing products contain cerium oxide. Meaning y'all tin can either purchase the pulverization yourself or purchase a product that has information technology in the mix. Either of these is your best bet for deep windshield scratches.

What'southward The Difference Between A Scratch And A Fissure?

If you didn't already know, a windshield typically features two sheets of laminated glass with a plastic layer in-between them. If the impairment to your windshield penetrates the outside layer, it's a crack, and if it doesn't, information technology'southward a scratch.

While y'all might exist able to reduce the appearance of a fissure using a windshield repair tactic, you won't solve the problem completely. If one is left alone, information technology's probable to spread.

This volition not only farther impede your visibility merely may compromise the integrity of the windshield as well.

Think of a scratch equally basically, a groove etched into your glass. By filling in that groove with a articulate substance and polishing the surface afterward, you effectively remove the scratch.

DIY Steps For Repairing Scratched Glass

Stride 1: Determine How Deep The Scratch Is

The first stride is to determine whether a repair is even possible at all. You can do this by running your finger or fingernail across the surface.

A fixable scratch shouldn't grab on your nail and should experience smooth to the bear upon. If it does catch, information technology's likely too deep to repair using a DIY method.

Footstep 2: Make clean The Windshield With Glass Cleaner

Using the glass cleaner and microfiber cloth, wipe downwardly the entire windshield to ensure there's no debris left on it. Dust and dirt can collect on your polishing wheel, which will further scratch your windshield while polishing.

Step 3: Tape Off The Affected Area

Especially afterwards getting wet, scratches tin be hard to meet in one case you've repaired the deeper areas. For this reason, you'll desire to surround it with masking record to ensure you lot don't lose sight of information technology. Yous can likewise use a dry-erase marker if you don't have record bachelor.

Footstep 4: Prepare And Use The Scratch Repair Product

Depending on the repair products y'all've settled on, you lot may need to gear up information technology. This applies to cerium oxide pulverisation, as well every bit blistering soda and white toothpaste, which require a small amount of water to exist added into the mix.

The same might utilise to some specialty products as well. Yet, most of these come every bit a gel-like substance that can exist directly administered to the windshield. Exist certain to follow any additional instructions listed on the canteen.

For acrylic boom smoothen or an acrylic-based scratch remover, simply apply, wait for it to dry, and wipe clean.

For the other options, you will take to adhere a polishing cycle to a drill. And then, apply the production, and start buffing. The idea is to keep a milky consistency. Too much and you'll get out a mess, too little and information technology may non fill the scratch fully.

Work in circular patterns upward and down the scratched expanse, gently, with limited pressure level. Don't buff for too long in one spot either, as information technology might get hot, in which example you might harm your windshield.

Yous might take to repeat the process several times, just if it was a lite scratch, you lot should notice it disappear entirely.

Pace 5: Make clean The Window

Finish by spraying the windshield with glass cleaner once more and wiping it clean with the microfiber material.

Tips For Preventing Future Scratches

Keep Your Windshield Clean

While they might not cause deep scratches, debris left alone on your windshield can leave light scratches as your wipers pass over them.

Thankfully, if you make it a habit to keep your windshield clean, you can reduce the chances of this happening.

Watch For Signs Of Aged Wipers

Worn wipers are one of the main culprits of window scratches. If you lot start to notice they're less efficient than usual, it can hateful their safety blades are starting time to wear.

If they vesture too much, it may expose the metal surface, which is what volition exist scraping against your windshield.

Other signs include chattering against the windshield at highway speeds or leaving streaks. As well every bit visual impairment like cracks.

Be sure to replace them with a fresh pair every change in the season (around every vi-months).

Keep Wiper Fluid Topped Off

Using your wipers without spraying the windshield kickoff is a peachy way to end up with lite scratches. Remember, dust and dirt are basically small rocks, and if your wipers scrape them against the windshield information technology's probable to leave a scratch.

Thankfully, a small spritz of washer fluid is all it takes to keep your windshield safe while wiping.

Don't Waste material Coin If Y'all Don't Take To

Instead, repair lite scratches yourself at home.

All it takes is a handful of household items, a scratch repair product, and a little time and effort. At the end of the day, you will accept a scratch-free windshield, and a higher rest in your checking account.