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Best car scratch removers 2026
We've tested car scratch removers from Autoglym, Meguiar's, TurtleWax and more to find out which are best at buffing away minor scratches
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 Autoglym, Meguiar's, T-Cut, Turtlewax 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. Two cheaper products also impressed us.
Scratch removers worked well on shallow scratches in our tests. If your car has a deep scratch, you're better off taking it to the garage for a professional repair.
How our tests find you the best
Applications needed
We buff scratches with each remover up to five times and give higher marks to products that require fewer applications.
Surviving the wash
A remover’s no good if the scratch just reappears when you wash the car. 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.
We also test...
On medium and deep scratches to see if any can save you a trip to the garage.
The car scratch removers we tested
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Car scratch remover
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Score
Scratch removal
Durability
Ease of application
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Need to know Can be used with a car-polishing machine
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How we test car scratch removers
We buy the bestselling car scratch removers and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We then apply a set of scratches to a new car door using a specialist piece of scratch equipment to make sure each scratch is a measured, comparable depth.
We regularly revisit the car scratch removers on sale to see if there are any more popular products that need testing. When we find them, we do.
Applications needed
Our expert tester rubs in scratch remover solution.
We give each car scratch remover five 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.
The best can make a difference in two applications or fewer, while the worst will require five.
Most of the products we test don't claim to be able to remove medium or deep scratches, but we try them on these types of scratches as well to see if they can make a difference.
Durability
We 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.
The worst don't survive the first wash, while the best will remain after all our attempts to wash it away.
Ease of application
We rate each car scratch remover on how easy it is to buff in and use the product.
The worst are thick, pasty and hard to rub in. The best are liquid enough to glide on easily, but thick enough that you arms not swooshing around from a lack of texture to the solution.
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
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
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
Our expert tester applies car scratch remover with a microfibre cloth
The removal method will vary depending on the severity of the 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.
Can you remove deep scratches?
A before and after of a scratch remover. The 'D' represents the deep scratch and there's no change.
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.
However, we have found a couple of products that work really well on medium scratches, and one that did a good job on a deep scratch.
Log in or join Which? to find out which car scratch removers worked deeper scratches.
Can WD-40 remove scratches on a car?
We've 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
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.
In the past, we've 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.
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