Can You Fix Scratch With Just Touch Up Paint

Michael Simari Car and Commuter

Uh-oh. If you're here, you've probably discovered an irritating scratch on your vehicle. Perhaps it came from a rebellious shopping cart, a bike in the garage, or a tree branch that reached out just a bit besides far. Accept no fright! This doesn't necessarily mean an expensive trip to the body shop—at that place are over-the-counter scratch removers y'all can purchase for cheap.

Ane mean solar day Motorcar and Driver'southward 2022 Ram 1500 TRX long-term examination vehicle returned from an off-road escapade with a (thankfully) light scratch that stretched forth the entire rider'south side, all due to a pesky chip of leaf. The Gear Team was summoned, and we decided to perform a side-by-side comparison exam of some popular machine scratch removers. Here'south how they fared.

Our Elevation Picks

Best Overall

Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit

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Best Results

Turtle Wax Premium Scratch Repair Kit

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Best One-Step Product

Formula 1 Scratch Out

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Honorable Mention

Meguiar's Scratch X

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Honorable Mention

Turtle Wax Scratch Repair & Renew

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Will these products have out all scratches?

No. These scratch-remover products are designed to mend calorie-free, minor scratches. These typically occur when the clear coat is damaged, leaving a faint scratch. If a scratch is too deep, particularly downward to the bare metal, information technology'll likely require a professional person prepare. One easy way to determine this is to run your fingernail beyond the scratch—if your nail gets hung up in the valley of the scratch, these products probable won't take intendance of the problem.

A scratch remover uses extremely fine abrasives to smooth the jagged edges of a scratch, then blends the clear coat together to make full the valley until the scratch is no longer visible. Some heavier-duty scratch removers will actually get down into the primer coat and meld the paint back together. For our exam, nosotros avoided scratch removers that come up with pigment correction for two reasons: The Ram TRX is a loaner vehicle, and nosotros wanted to keep the test as unproblematic as possible.

To determine which car scratch remover was the best, we taped off seven even sections of the scratch on the TRX. We then rubbed in the various compounds, with even pressure, for thirty seconds each. Most of the removers only required rubbing in the compound with a microfiber cloth, while others featured a few extra steps. After testing, we present the best machine scratch removers for your vehicle.

Tested: Best Car Vacuums for 2022

Best Overall

Meguiar'south Scratch Eraser Kit

This kit worked so effectively that we decided to use it to remove the sections that didn't turn out so well later our testing.

Best Results

Turtle Wax Premium Scratch Repair Kit

There were some audible wows from our testing team after the third pass with this kit.

Best 1-Footstep Product

Formula 1 Scratch Out

Despite the unpleasant odour, this stuff works well as a one-step scratch remover.

Honorable Mention

Meguiar'south Scratch X

You can use this canteen as a refill for the Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit rather than buying a whole new box.

Honorable Mention

Turtle Wax Scratch Repair & Renew

While the picture makes it seem like the scratch is completely gone, the blemish is still faintly at that place. Capturing it on the body panel's angle proved to exist tricky.

Detect how the swirls of this stuff don't spread out evenly? We think this inconsistency and the Nu Finish Scratch Doctor'due south bad operation are a result of the runniness.

Quixx Paint Scratch Remover

We had to capture a lot of steps for this one, and the results didn't match the effort.

How We Tested Car Scratch Removers

To test these scratch removers as uniformly equally possible, we taped off even sections of an equally deep light scratch along the passenger's side of a 2022 Ram 1500 TRX.

With each product, we performed 3 30-2d passes over the respective department and noted the results. We directly followed the instructions for each product. We besides noted smells, consistency, and other observations.

We then compiled our results based on performance, ease of use, speed, and cost. We experience sure that each car scratch remover was tested and judged equally.

Do scratch removers actually work?

We were wondering the same thing. The verdict? Yes! Well, some. And simply in certain situations. Scratches in your vehicle'due south clear glaze are repairable; anything deeper will probably require a professional. For light scratches like the one in our test, scratch removers really practice work.

What is the best scratch remover for cars?

For the best overall, meaning a combination of time and performance, the Meguiar's Scratch Eraser Kit is our choice. For all-time results, the Turtle Wax Premium Scratch Repair Kit is superior for completely erasing a lite scratch.

Tin can a detailer buff out scratches?

Occasionally, and for a price. Since nosotros like doing things ourselves, we prepare out to run into whether these products could remove scratches right in our own garage. If you're uncomfortable with trying to remove a scratch yourself, detailers are a dandy option—just if the scratch is deep enough, even they might be unable to remove information technology.

Tin I employ WD-forty, toothpaste, or a Magic Eraser to remove scratches?

Not for results even close to what a $20 scratch removal kit tin do. In fact, using household items to try to repair a scratch can end up costing you far more in the long run. In short—no, and we don't recommend you lot try it.

Why trust us?

Car and Commuter and its sibling publications at Hearst Autos stand for three of the most influential automotive publications in the world. With the legacies of Autoweek, Auto and Driver, and Road & Rail behind us, the Hearst Autos Gear Team doesn't demand to worry about our lesser line. Our picks and recommendations of products and gear are based on testing and knowledge, non hype.

For consistency, this examination was conducted in an environs that provided equal testing procedures for each product: the Car and Commuter garage. Upon tallying up our findings, nosotros agreed that our test was fair and legitimate—and provided the about complete information for u.s.a. to recommend our picks.

Read more about our product testing and evaluation process here.