With the daily wear and tear of transporting kids, groceries and luggage, it’s easy for your car’s interior trim to pick up scratches and marks, or just start to look a little tired. Show Scratches on interior surfaces not only look ugly, they can depreciate your car’s value when it’s time to trade-in. No driver wants to see their car’s cabin pockmarked with scratches, but luckily there are things you can do to remove or reduce them. In this guide, we offer practical steps and top tips for DIY car maintenance involving removing scratches from your car’s interior panels.
How to Remove Scratches from a Car InteriorThere are two avenues you can go down to remove scratches from your car’s interior panels: buy a specialist kit containing everything you need to remove the scratch, or use a combination of sanding, painting and heating to remove it by hand. While some kits work well on light scratches and abrasions, we find that the best way is to fix it yourself, especially if the scratch is quite deep. Below, we guide you step-by-step through the process of fixing an interior scratch yourself. What You’ll NeedFor a professional finish when repairing an interior scratch, invest in the following tools and equipment:
The ProcessStep 1: Clean the area on and around the scratch with interior plastic cleaner. Removing all the dirt and debris will help you get a smooth finish and stop dirt from melting into the plastic, which could affect the colour. Make sure the area is clean and dry before you move on to the next step. Step 2: Using a heat gun (at around half power), gently apply heat to the plastic until it begins to soften. Don’t heat it for too long, as the plastic could warp and burn, leaving you with irreparable damage. You’ll be able to tell when the plastic is ready for moulding, as it will lose its texture and appear slightly glossy. Step 3: Apply a grain pad to the affected area, using very light pressure. This will smooth out the scratch and also give a textured finish to the plastic so that it blends in. Grain pads are available to buy online and usually come in a variety of different finishes. Choose the one that most closely resembles the plastic trim in your car, and apply it to the area using the hard-plastic application pad which comes with the set. Step 4: Let the area cool and harden. The texture should now look similar to the unaffected area, however, you’ll need to sand it down to ensure a smooth and authentic-looking finish. Use a superfine grain paper to smooth it out where necessary. Step 5: Clean and dry the area again using the same method as in step 1 – and you’re done. Restoring Interior Plastic TrimIf your car’s interior plastic trim is starting to look a little worse for wear, or the heat gun has discoloured it in any way, use a plastic restorer pad or spray to help restore its colour and shine, leaving it looking refreshed and new. When using a restorer pad, apply it in a gentle, circular motion and avoid scrubbing too vigorously. Keep the pad in your glovebox so you can easily repeat the process whenever you have a problem with the appearance of your car’s interior. For more DIY car maintenance guides and advice, don’t forget to check out the rest of the Holts blog and our handy help and advice page. Alternatively, if you need to fix scratches and problems in your car’s paintwork, visit our Paint Match Pro site. Today, plastic is the main component of many furniture and gear. Although it is an excellent material which can last for thousands of years, it is prone to scratching and smearing. You can have one lousy movement and ruin the plastic immediately. These scratches can be unnoticeable but, over time, can wear out the look. Luckily, you can fix those scratches. With a little bit of sandpaper and baking soda, you will have freshly new furniture. It is crucial to analyze and inspect the scratches. Each one of them requires its unique treatment. Use the correct tools and equipment, and you’ll be done in no time and with no effort. One wrong step, and you’ll create even more scratches or, worse, amplify the older ones. So, to avoid that, we’ve compiled a list of things you need to do. Here is how to how to remove deep scratches from plastic furniture. Equipment needed for this projectBefore you know how to remove deep scratches from plastic, know the equipment you’ll need. You have to make sure you have the proper tools and equipment for this project. Here’s a complete list of all the necessary things:
After you’ve collected all of these things, you can begin with your project. Inspecting and analyzing the damageHow deep the scratch it will tell you how to remove it. Shallow scratchToothpasteIf the scratch is on the surface, you can use toothpaste to remove it. Apply a small amount on the blemish and start working in tiny circles. Rub until the body starts evening out. Then with water, rinse it out. You can repeat this process until you achieve the desired result. Now you know how to remove deep scratches from plastic with toothpaste. Baking sodaMix water and baking soda to make a thick paste. Then, apply it with a round cotton pad in circular motions. Rub gently. After each round, rinse out the paste to see how far you’ve progressed. To this until the scratch is completely gone. Deep scratchGet several grades of sandpaper:Perhaps the scratch is more in-depth than those surface ones. If that’s the case, you can try using sandpaper to remove it. Use several grades of sandpaper to achieve the best results. You can find sandpaper at any local home improvement store. It often comes in a pack with other grades of sandpaper. Use circular motions when using sandpaper
How to remove deep scratches from plastic by using sandpaper? The sandpaper is abrasive. That’s why when you rub it against a surface, it removes any scratches the surface has. However, you have to use it lightly, as it can cause new scratches. Remember to add moisture to the sandpaper. That way it won’t dry out When you’re done, wipe away the excess debris with a cloth. If the area isn’t completely smooth, you can always use a more delicate grip paper to smooth it out. That is why it is crucial to examine the scratch area after each round. Use the same process as before. The finer grit you’re using, the lighter the pressure should be. Keep the grit wet. l You should be able to feel it getting a lot smoother. After you’ve rubbed the paper enough, the impacted area shouldn’t be noticeable. Run your finger across the surface. If you have done it correctly, you should not be able to notice the scratched area. Once the product has been sufficiently worked in, it should then be gently buffed off. You must use a clean, soft, high-quality microfiber towel for removing the polish residue to prevent any more scratches from being inflicted. Apply polish to renew the shineAfter such intense improvement, the surface is probably going to be dull looking and dusty. It is entirely normal for a surface to lose its glow. To bring back the shine, apply a small amount of either plastic or metal polishing compound. You should apply just enough to cover the dull spot. Apply it in circular motions with a clean and dry cloth. You may need to repeat the process a few times, but the plastic will eventually gleam as good as new again. How to remove deep scratches from plastic by buffingYou can bring into play a clean cloth to gently buff the area with the polish. Just like everything else, again, use the same small circular motions. Then, evenly spread the polish over the place. The scratch should now be gone. The scratch is not gone. Repeat this process with another thin layer of polish and work it into the area. Polishing sensitive plastic surfacesModern plastic surfaces come with their type of polish. The reason for this is because they are made with an anti-glare coat on top. This coat gives off a purple tint. If you apply your store-bought polish, this could result in removing the plastic covering and ruining it. To minimize the formation of new scratches, you have to apply the correct products and techniques. Don’t use harsh chemicals on sensitive plastic. Instead, use a detailing spray, or an anti-static cleaning product designed for cleaning computer monitors and similar. Apply this spray and then gently wipe with a soft microfiber towel. This is the most crucial factor to consider when cleaning plastic surfaces, as this is when scratches are easily inflicted. Plastic is rising in popularity. It has an extensive amount of usage. It’s easily moldable, durable, and cheap. Plastic is often used in furniture. If you do happen to own plastic furniture, know that it can be horrifying to see your furniture scratched. Fortunately, it is fixable. Knowing how to remove deep scratches from plastic is crucial if you want to extend your furniture’s life. With the proper tools and equipment, your furniture will look freshly new. If you enjoyed reading this article about how to remove deep scratches from plastic, you should read these as well: |