Gleaming paintwork is something every vehicle owner loves. Unfortunately, being directly exposed to the elements means that it’s one of the first things that can get scratched. Even if you lovingly lock your car or motorcycle up when not in use, some element of damage will still occur. 

But there are ways to address this. Let’s look at how to get scratches out of your car or motorcycle. Plus, a couple of ways to help reduce or even prevent them from happening in the first place…

Paintwork scratch 101: It’s time to Get Serious

• How to get minor scratches out of your car or motorcycle
• How to get major scratches out of your car or motorcycle

How to get minor scratches out of your car or motorcycle

Minor scratches are those that you can see but you can’t really feel. If you run your fingernails over a scratch and they catch, then this would be considered a more major scratch.

The good news is that minor scratches can often be dealt with at home. They only affect the clear top coating that’s applied to the car before it leaves the factory. Because of this, some careful polishing might be all that’s needed to remove them.

There are many products on the market to polish out scratches. You can also use toothpaste if you like (whitening ones are the most effective). Whatever you choose, follow these steps.

• First clean the area with warm, soapy water and dry thoroughly. This is essential, otherwise you might rub debris into the paintwork and make the scratch worse.
• Apply your product using a damp microfiber cloth.
• Rub into the scratch in a circular motion. Be sure to use an even pressure and don’t press too hard.
• Once done, rewash with soapy water and dry.
• If the scratch is still visible, you can repeat up to twice more (ensuring you wash and dry in between).

If the scratch is still apparent, then it’s classified as a major scratch.

How to get major scratches out of your car or motorcycle

Deeper scratches go through the clear top coating and into the paintwork itself. You shouldn’t use toothpaste in this instance—only a dedicated paint scratch removal product.

The process is virtually the same: clean the area, rub the product into the scratch in a circular motion, and then clean and dry. 

However, if the scratch has gone right through the paintwork and onto the primer or metal below, then it’s probably better to take it to a professional bodywork company.

The Wonderfully Advanced World of Paintwork Protection

• Protecting paintwork from scratches

Protecting paintwork from scratches

Of course, if you really care about your car or motorcycle, then you’re probably going to want to protect it from scratches.

There are two products that effectively do this:

1. Paint Protection Film (PPF): This is applied to the paintwork panels (it can also be installed on the car’s lights). It’s made of ultra-thin, see-through polyurethane and is invisible once in place. It protects the paintwork from scratches and other environmental damage. It’s also self-healing. This means that minor damage or scratches to the PPF can be magically removed, simply by the application of heat.
2. Ceramic coating: This chemical compound is applied directly to the paintwork, where it cures to a super-strong, hard coating. It contains nano-ceramic particles that make the paint shine in a way that no amount of polishing can ever achieve. It also helps keep the car clean, thanks to having hydrophobic properties.

You can have either product fitted to cars and motorcycles. Or, for the ultimate paintwork protection, you can even have both.

Fed Up With Scratched Paintwork? Let Auto SuperShield Apply the Ultimate Protective Coating 

Scratched paintwork on your car or motorcycle can be a thing of the past when you get a professional coating applied. At Auto SuperShield, we live, dream, and breathe great paintwork protection.

From ceramic coating to PPF—or the ultimate hybrid installation—we’ve got your ride covered.

Discover more at https://www.autosupershield.com/ceramic-coating and call us today to discuss your options.