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Best car scratch removers
Discover the best product for buffing away minor scratches that's easy to apply and keeps your car looking pristine
Looking for the best car scratch remover to quickly buff away scratch marks from branches or where someone has scraped past you?
We've put in hours of elbow grease testing the most popular scratch removers from Autobrite, Autoglym, Meguiar's, T-Cut and more on a pristine car door we scratched up.
The best product we found combined excellent scratch removal and durability with ease of application.
Another impressed us at a much cheaper price.
How our testing finds your the best
Applications needed
We buff scratches with each remover up to four times. Fewer passes = a higher score. Plus, bonus points if it removes deeper damage.
Surviving the wash
A remover’s no good if the scratch just reappears after its first wash. After treatment, we scrub them to assess how durable the product really is.
Ease of buffing
Elbow grease? Not needed with our Best Buys. We test how easily each remover buffs in so you’re not left with sore arms.
The best car scratch removers
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Car scratch remover
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We buy the bestselling and most searched-for car scratch removers from UK retailers. We buy every product we test – no freebies from manufacturers – meaning our reviews are honest and unbiased.
We then apply a set of scratches of a measured, even depth to a new car door using a specialist piece of scratch equipment.
We regularly revisit the car scratch removers on sale to see if there are any more popular products that need testing, and when we find them, we do so.
Applications needed
We give each car scratch remover four chances to remove shallow scratches.
We apply each product with a microfibre cloth, following the manufacturer's instructions.
After each application, we examine the scratches to see what difference, if any, the product has made. The fewer applications needed, the higher the score.
We also apply a medium and deep scratch to each section to see if the car scratch removers make a difference to these, too. However, most of the products we test aren't claimed to remove these types of scratches.
Washing after scratches are gone
We then wash the scratched sections of our car door with car shampoo and warm water, either until the scratches reappear or a maximum of five times.
The more washes a product survives, the higher it scores.
Ease of application
We rate each car scratch remover on how easy it is to buff in.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
Does a car polisher do a better job at removing car scratches?
You might be considering an electric car polisher if your scratches look particularly bad.
We tested the Halfords 110W Polisher on medium and deep scratches with three compatible scratch remover products.
We found that a polisher wasn't significantly better at removing these types of scratches compared with applying the products by hand with a microfibre cloth.
If you have deeper scratches in your paintwork, we'd recommend taking your car to a garage for a better result.
Can WD-40 remove scratches on a car?
We also pitted WD-40 against the same rigorous set of tests to see how it fared as a car scratch remover.
WD-40 is a multi-use product that stops squeaks, loosens rusted parts, frees sticky mechanisms and drives out moisture – but can it also remove scratches?
Yes, according to our tests. However, it took four applications to make a noticeable difference, and it washed away during the first clean, so the scratches were clearly visible again.
This makes WD-40 a useful fix to temporarily hide a shallow car scratch until you can get one of the best dedicated car scratch removers or visit a garage.
Looking for a shiny new car? Our number crunching and road tests have done the hard work for you – see our expert pick of the best cars
Types of car scratches – what's the difference?
There are three types of scratches that can affect a car panel: shallow or surface scratches, medium or basecoat scratches, and deep scratches.
Shallow scratch: a scratch to the clear coat
Medium scratch: a scratch through the clear coat and into the basecoat
Deep scratch: a scratch into the primer or to the metal of the car panel
To understand the different types of scratches, you also need to know about the layers that make up a car panel on most cars:
Metal: the car panel beneath all the paint
Primer: the most common undercoat used when refinishing car bodies, used to build up and level areas or rough surfaces and to provide a smooth surface for paint
Basecoat: the paint that gives the car its colour
Clearcoat: a layer of paint with no pigment, which acts as a protective layer to the undercoats
How to identify your scratch
Most shallow and medium scratches can be quite hard to tell apart. If you spot a scratch on your car, pass your fingernail over the mark. If your fingernail gets caught, this is at least a medium scratch.
With most deep scratches, you'll see a line that's a different colour from your car. That's the primer or metal showing through, depending on the depth of the scratch.
How to remove car scratches
The removal method will vary depending on the severity of scratch. We explain the best ways to remover shallow or deeper scratches on your car.
Removing shallow scratches
If you've identified a shallow scratch on your car and want to use one of our recommended car scratch removers, here's what you need to do.
Protect your hands with rubber gloves Many of these products contain strong chemicals that can irritate bare skin. If any of the car scratch remover does get on your skin, wash it off with soap and rigorous scrubbing.
Prepare the area Make sure you've cleaned the area with a decent car shampoo before applying the car scratch remover. Bear in mind that some of these products need to be applied out of direct sunlight or in a cool place, so check the instructions.
Grab a clean cloth or pad We used a fresh microfibre cloth for each of the products we tested. Some kits come with a foam applicator pad, or you can buy one separately. While not essential, they do make application easier.
Prepare for more than one application We found that many car scratch removers required more than one application to remove even shallow scratches.
Polish the whole body Once you've finished and the scratch is invisible, you might notice that the area you worked on has a slightly different finish from the rest of the car. It could be shinier, dull or just have a bit of haze across it. At this point, we recommend giving your car some TLC and polishing the entire body.
Removing deep scratches
Even the most careful and responsible drivers can end up with deep scratches on their car from time to time.
If you identify a deep scratch, it may be time to turn to the professionals. Depending on the depth of the scratch, a bodywork repair shop will either be able to smooth it out or, if need be, replace the car panel.
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