Removing Light Scratches Yourself

A car that has never picked up a scratch is a rare thing. Day-to-day use leaves light damage. Repainting is the usual answer, but for small marks it feels like poor value, while leaving them is irritating. Light scratches can be dealt with yourself.

Which scratches can an owner tackle? Correction is skilled work, so there are limits. The types:

1. Swirl marks, or "sun marks": regular circular patterns caused by wind-borne dust at speed.

2. Hairline scratches: irregular fine lines, most visible on the bonnet, caused by towelling.

3. Spider scratches: regular longitudinal lines, again most visible on the bonnet, from automatic brush washes.

4. Rubbing marks: irregular broad marks on the boot lid, usually from bags set down on the paint.

5. Branch marks: irregular scratches along the sills, from branches and leaves.

What can you fix yourself?

1. Hairline marks: visible against the light as broad swirls, very shallow, no groove under a fingertip.

2. Oxidation across the paint and fine scratches that are visible but have no groove under a fingertip.

3. Shallow scratches with a groove under a fingertip but no primer showing.

Medium scratches with a deeper groove but no primer, and deep scratches that have reached the primer, need professional attention.