Advice from experienced car owners on how to remove scratches from car plastic

Even the most careful driver will not be able to avoid scratches on the plastic parts of the car.

You can ignore them, or you can try to bring the damaged elements back to normal.

Read the article about how and with what means to remove minor abrasions and deep scratches from the plastic outside and inside the car.

How to remove minor scuffs on a car?

There are several ways to remove scratches from plastic car parts. They are polished, ground or heated. If you spend a little time, you can even cope with multiple defects on your own.

Polish

Plastic polishes are special silicone-based compounds. The following are used as auxiliary additives:

• polymers,
• wax,
• antistatic,
• fragrances,
• humidifiers.

You can purchase polish in the form of:

• pastes,
• spray,
• foam,
• liquids.

The most convenient to use are aerosol polishes. In them, silicones are replaced by surfactants and aliphatic carbons.

You can also purchase compounds with antistatic and water-repellent effects. Each manufacturer includes instructions for their product, which may differ.

1. The surface is prepared, dust and other contaminants are removed from it, and then dried.
2. Holding the aerosol can at a distance of 20 cm from the part, spray the product evenly. This method is suitable for getting rid of surface scratches.
3. If the damage is deep, choose a gel polish. It is squeezed onto plastic and left for a while. When the paste changes color, begin polishing.
4. Rub the surface with a sponge or soft cloth. Often this material comes complete with polish.

If it was not possible to completely restore the surface the first time, apply the polish again. After completing the treatment, wash off the remaining product with clean water.

Wax

Wax is a popular polish that drivers have been using for quite some time. Unlike classic wax, the modern product contains auxiliary components that make it possible to better disguise existing defects.

Mode of application:

• wash and dry the area to be treated;
• soak a soft cloth in polishing wax and apply it to the plastic in a circular motion;
• wait until the composition dries, when white streaks appear on the surface, they are removed with a dry, clean cloth.

Wax is convenient to use. It has a thick consistency and adheres well to the surface.

Household or construction hair dryer

A hair dryer is often used to remove scratches from plastic. It helps to cope with deep defects. To ensure that the parts are not damaged during processing, you must strictly follow the instructions.

Procedure:

1. Degrease the area and remove all contaminants from it.
2. The construction hair dryer is turned on, setting the temperature within 200-400 degrees.
3. They turn on the device and begin to warm up the defects.
4. The hairdryer must be moved smoothly from side to side all the time. You cannot keep your hand in one place. If plastic is overheated, it will become deformed.
5. After warming up for a short time, the part should be allowed to cool. You should not try to achieve results from the first approach.
6. The warming up procedure is repeated after 10 minutes.

When working with a hair dryer, you need to consider the following points:

1. If you overheat a part, it will change color. This is not too noticeable on black plastic, but gray or light-colored products will suffer significantly.
2. It is impossible to achieve a targeted effect of hot air on scratches. It will always hit nearby parts.

   When overheated, they become deformed and lose their functionality. For example, plastic buttons may stop working.

3. If there is a design on the plastic, it may change.
4. The fabric surrounding the plastic often burns through. To protect it, use masking tape.

Do not bring the hair dryer too close to the surface. The general recommendation is 20 cm. However, plastic parts differ in their structure and composition, so the gap can be increased or decreased during operation.

Sometimes you can find a recommendation for using a household hair dryer to combat scratches. on the plastic of the car. However, this method is ineffective, since it does not allow achieving the desired temperature. At a distance of 5-10 cm, it will heat the plastic to 70 degrees.

If you press it tightly, you can achieve an increase in temperature up to 120 degrees (not for all models). With such indicators, success tends to zero.

Firstly, the heating is too weak, and secondly, working with a hairdryer pressed to the panel is simply inconvenient. The only thing that can be achieved in this way is to burn the part, causing color fading.

What to do if the damage is deep?

If the scratches are very deep, it will not be possible to deal with them using the listed methods and means. You will either have to replace the damaged part, or resort to drastic ways to solve the problem, including:

1. Car painting. The composition is acquired to match the color of the plastic part. The paint is carefully applied to a cleaned and degreased surface with a thin brush. When the scratch is filled, it is covered with a layer of clear varnish, and then a glossy or matte polish is applied. Before painting, the surface of the scratch must be leveled. If it is not smooth, the paint will not adhere well.
2. Use vinyl film, which is pulled over the damaged surface and heated with a hairdryer. This method allows you to disguise even deep defects. However, over time, the film will become unusable, so it will need to be replaced.
3. Retighten the part with leather. If you don’t have the skills to work with this material, you will have to turn to specialists. Such a service will not be cheap, but the leather panel looks stylish and modern.

Features of surface treatment outside and inside the car

To process parts located inside the passenger compartment, do not use polishes and abrasive compounds intended for car body care. They contain particles that can disrupt the structure of the product and deteriorate its appearance.

It is always more convenient to carry out work from the outside than from the inside, since it is possible to gain full access for its high-quality polishing or heating.

The parts located in the cabin are made of softer plastic and are often coated with gloss. Therefore, they can only be polished with soft, non-abrasive materials.

Plastic body and bumper panels are made primarily from thermoset plastic alloyed with propylene or fiberglass. This ensures their strength, so abrasive grinding attachments are used to remove scratches from them, which will be detrimental to interior plastic.

Helpful information

Tips for removing scratches from car plastic:

• when using polishes, you need to ensure access to fresh air in the room - inhaling an excessive amount of even the safest polishes will lead to dizziness and deterioration of well-being;
• before starting to process a part located in a visible place, you need to test the chosen method on an unnecessary plastic product;
• when using polish, it is necessary to correctly calculate the amount of the product - its excess will negatively affect the quality of the work performed;
• You need to apply the substance to treat parts on a cloth, and not on the plastic itself.

A lot of useful and important information about methods and means of removing scratches on a car can be found Here.

Video on the topic of the article

The video will show you how to remove scratches without painting the bumper:

Conclusion

Getting rid of scratches on car plastic is easy. You can polish them yourself or level them with a hairdryer. These methods do not require significant financial investments. If the damage is significant, the parts are masked with paints, vinyl or leather.