# \*Help\* How do I remove fine scratches from paint **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [March 14, 2008, 10:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020 "2008-03-14T10:23:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/1 "2008-03-14T10:23:54Z")
My wife used a shovel to remove snow from her car, it now has fine/light scratches on the paint. Whats the best/safest way to remove those scratches? WHat products do i need to get the job done? THanks JoJO ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/2 "2008-03-14T10:24:37Z")
:ham: the Wife. Clay bar…? ---
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:25am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/3 "2008-03-14T10:25:33Z")
> [@Nikuk](#): > > :ham: the Wife. > > Clay bar…? tell me about it. I almost killed her. Whats that clay shit? ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/4 "2008-03-14T10:27:14Z")
Aye. Her and nelstoys’ grandma should start a snow removal business. The detailers will step in with the best advice but I’m guessing something to the effect of cleaning, polish with elbow grease or a proter cable, and wax. That’s what they told me when I got assaulted by a shopping cart a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/5 "2008-03-14T10:27:38Z")
Clay bar will be the easiest way… Ideally you could buff out the whole car, more effort for a couple of fine scratches. [http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html](http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html) ---
**Author:** ![rdandy5875](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rdandy5875/32/7511_2.png) [@rdandy5875](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rdandy5875)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/6 "2008-03-14T10:27:47Z")
Clay isn’t going to do it. You need a polishing compound and a orbital buffer. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/7 "2008-03-14T10:28:10Z")
A clay bar is basically a lump of clay that you press onto the paint and when you lift it off it takes all of the tiny little bits and pieces of dirt and debris with it. It’s a way of cleaning the paint for those of us with OCD. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:28am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/8 "2008-03-14T10:28:51Z")
> [@rdandy5875](#): > > Clay isn’t going to do it. You need a polishing compound and a orbital buffer. Eh, wait for stealtth or psphinx or someone to confirm. I’m pretty sure you want polish, not polishing compound… ---
**Author:** ![eviltsi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c0e974/32.png) [@eviltsi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eviltsi)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/9 "2008-03-14T10:36:08Z")
Depends on the scratch. I’d start with a light polish and work my way up if need be. Chances are that a shovel left more that a light scratch, if you can feel it with a fingernail, it probably wont come out. ---
**Author:** ![rdandy5875](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/rdandy5875/32/7511_2.png) [@rdandy5875](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rdandy5875)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/10 "2008-03-14T10:36:50Z")
YES wait for the specialists. I don’t know the exact name, or have any good suggestions as to what products to use. But clay isn’t going to fill scratches… Bottom line is you have to remove some of the clear coat, and if the scratches go deeper than the clear, you have to basically re-paint and finish… This link has some nice little cross sections, just browsing the products: [http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-sfxscr-kit.html](http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-sfxscr-kit.html) ---
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/11 "2008-03-14T10:38:14Z")
THanks WHere is the best place to go to buy all these products? ---
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/12 "2008-03-14T10:40:18Z")
> [@eviltsi](#): > > Depends on the scratch. I’d start with a light polish and work my way up if need be. Chances are that a shovel left more that a light scratch, if you can feel it with a fingernail, it probably wont come out. well its not deep. I can’t feel it with fingernail at all. IM thinking maybe just the clear was scratched. :gotme: ---
**Author:** ![93dx\_hatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90ced4/32.png) [@93dx\_hatch](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/93dx_hatch)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/13 "2008-03-14T10:49:24Z")
What kind of car? With a polisher and a decent polish you should be able to get most of them out. They wont be as noticeable. BTW, if this is honda paint its a lot easier to correct then VW/audi paint ---
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/14 "2008-03-14T10:53:08Z")
Its a 2001 Toyota corolla Blue (Indigo Ink Pearl ) ---
**Author:** ![Boomin99GT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/boomin99gt/32/7306_2.png) [@Boomin99GT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boomin99GT)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/15 "2008-03-14T10:53:52Z")
Hit it harder with the shovel? Make those little scratches disappear by making them into deep scratches. Problem Solved! Sorry I’m useless. ---
**Author:** ![Muscle50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bcef8e/32.png) [@Muscle50](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Muscle50)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/16 "2008-03-14T10:55:35Z")
From the way your describing the scratches, you should be able to get them out with a buffer and 3M machine glaze and swirl remover with a black polishing pad. If they don’t come out with that then use a fine grit compound first, wash the entire car, then do it with the Machine glaze. (All with the black pad so it won’t swirl) ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/17 "2008-03-14T10:55:51Z")
You can get this stuff at any of the parts stores. Advance I know off hand has it all. You might want to just buy a 6 pack for someone with a orbital buffer. I tried to polish out my scratch by hand and it just didn’t work real well. It was light too. Didn’t go through the clear, couldn’t fingernail it. EDIT: Advance has cleaners & clay bars, polish. I don’t know if they have the more specific stuff that Jesse’s talking about. ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 10:57am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/18 "2008-03-14T10:57:19Z")
^^^^ Clay bar will remove contaminants from paint not scratches…Jesse it right ---
**Author:** ![Estorvito](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/estorvito/32/7234_2.png) [@Estorvito](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Estorvito)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 11:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/19 "2008-03-14T11:01:37Z")
> [@Muscle50](#): > > From the way your describing the scratches, you should be able to get them out with a buffer and 3M machine glaze and swirl remover with a black polishing pad. If they don’t come out with that then use a fine grit compound first, wash the entire car, then do it with the Machine glaze. (All with the black pad so it won’t swirl) Perfect. I’ll give that a shot. IM heading out now to buy all this stuff. Thanks guys ---
**Author:** ![Nikuk](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/nikuk/32/7254_2.png) [@Nikuk](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nikuk)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 11:04am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020/20 "2008-03-14T11:04:59Z")
> [@MaximaSE98](#): > > ^^^^ Clay bar will remove contaminants from paint not scratches…Jesse it right Totally. :sword: [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/help-how-do-i-remove-fine-scratches-from-paint/45020.md?page=2)