Removing Scratches & Scuff Marks On Your Car’s Paint Job With The Power Of Toothpaste

In the never-ending battle against wear and tear, there’s one weapon we often overlook: toothpaste. Believe it or not, this household staple can help remove scratches and scuff marks from your car’s paint job. So the next time you’re polishing your ride, don’t forget to add a little toothpaste to the mix!

What Types of Car Scratches Can Toothpaste Fix?

Toothpaste is excellent for removing superficial car scratches, also known as clear coat scratches. These kinds of scratches don’t go through the paint job and only affect the clear coat. While they may not be as severe as deep scratches, clear coat scratches can still be pretty noticeable.

Preparing Car’s Surface Before Applying Toothpaste

Before you start applying toothpaste to your car’s scratches, it’s essential to prep the surface. It will help the toothpaste to work better and prevent any further damage.

First, wash your car with mild soap and dry it off. Next, use a microfiber cloth to dust any dirt or debris from the area around the scratch.

If the scratch is in a hard-to-reach place, you can use a toothbrush to prep the surface. Just make sure the toothbrush is clean and only use gentle pressure.

How to Use Toothpaste to Remove Scratches & Scuff Marks

Toothpaste is a mild abrasive, so it can help remove minor scratches and scuff marks from your car’s paint job.

Just squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto a soft, clean cloth and rub it into the scratch or scuff mark. Rub in a circular motion until the blemish disappears, then buff the area with a clean, dry cloth.

If the scratch or scuff mark is deep, you may need to pair toothpaste with a stronger abrasive like sandpaper. Use very fine sandpaper (2000-grit or higher) and wet it before you start rubbing. Wet sanding will help prevent the sandpaper from scratching your car’s paint job.

Once you’ve removed your car’s scratch or scuff mark, wash and wax the area to protect it from future damage.

How Does Toothpaste Work?

Toothpaste polishes down the rough surface of your automobile’s glossy sheen and fills in the space. Toothpaste is abrasive enough to deal with foreign paint marks but gentle enough not to damage your car’s clear coat.

Toothpaste is a sanding tool similar to a lighter, softer form of sandpaper. When you massage toothpaste onto a slick surface, it “catches” on any flaws and gently removes them, polishing the surface clean. That’s precisely what it does with your teeth at night if you haven’t thought of it like that before.

Limitations of Using Toothpaste:

You can’t use just any toothpaste that’s lying around. Your car may not appreciate the gel toothpaste with sparkles as much as you do. You’ll need one with abrasives like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or water.

Whitening toothpaste works the best because it contains more abrasives than other types. It also has a gritty and rough texture that can help remove scratches quickly.

Don’t use toothpaste if the scratch is:

• Deeper than the clear coat
• On the windshield
• More than a few inches long

Conclusion:

If your car has deeper scratches, toothpaste may not be as effective. However, our expert technicians at Scott Robinson CDJR, serving Carson, CA, can help you buff out any scratch.

Please schedule an appointment with us today to get started!