What to Use to Get Rid of Key Scratches

Coming out of a store to find car key scratches on your vehicle is a very unsettling experience. Fortunately, if the scratches are not too deep, they can usually be removed fairly easily. This is because the scratch has only penetrated the clear coat and not the base color paint.

Scratch or Mark

First of all, distinguish if the damage on the car is really a scratch or just a mark. Determine this by lightly running a fingernail over it and see if the paint has been gouged out of the clear coat or has simply been marked. If it is a mark, first clean the area with soap and water. Then use acetone or lacquer thinner on a soft rag to rub it out. If the mark is stubborn, apply a rubbing or polishing compound and rub in a circular motion until the mark is gone. Afterward, buff the affected area with a clean cloth then apply car wax.

Light Scratches

Light scratches on the clear coat can be removed completely with the right treatment. First, thoroughly wash and dry the area. Apply a polishing compound or light rubbing compound. Rub until the scratch is no longer visible. The deeper the scratch is, the longer it will need to be rubbed. Since the polishing compound is a bit strong, try not to get it all over the rest of the colored trim. After removing the scratch, clean the area with a wet rag and apply wax to the entire vehicle.

Stubborn Light Scratches

If the light rubbing compound does not do the trick after several minutes of rubbing, try using a heavy cut rubbing compound in the same way. You may find that part of the scratch penetrates only the clear coat while the other parts of the scratch have cut through the base coat and primer. Remove what you can with the compound and leave the rest to be assessed by a professional.

Deep Scratches

A scratch that extends into the base coat of paint and the primer can be removed through sanding then repainting. Some car insurance policies will cover this repair. However, as the exact color of paint on the car may be difficult to match, many car owners wait to fix these deep scratches when the entire car needs to be repainted.