Promptly buff out scratches in painted surfaces.
Accidents are inevitable, and beautiful painted surfaces can quickly appear dingy and poorly maintained. Simply using dirty rags and slightly abrasive polishes on vehicles and other painted surfaces can create swirl marks and scratches. Besides causing aesthetic damage, scratches can also cause painted metal objects to rust and slowly deteriorate. Highly abrasive materials, such as other metal objects, produce deeper scratches in paint. Fortunately, basic polishing techniques can buff of most scratches and restore painted surfaces.
Instructions
1. Fill a plastic bowl with cold water. Add three drops of liquid dish soap to the water. Mix the solution thoroughly.
2. Dampen a soft cloth in the soapy solution. Wash the scratched paint with the soapy cloth to remove dirt and dust particles.
3. Rinse the paint with water. Wipe the paint with a terry cloth towel until completely dry.
4. Rub shoe polish into the scratches. Use a color of shoe polish that contrasts with the paint color.
5. Wrap a sheet of 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper around a sponge pad. Refill the plastic bowl with fresh solution if necessary. Dip the pad into the soapy solution.
6. Sand the scratched paint with the wet sandpaper, using short strokes at a 60-degree angle to the scratch. Apply light pressure to the pad, and use slow, back-and-forth motions. Frequently dip the pad in the solution while sanding. Sand the area until the shoe polish dissipates.
7. Wipe the sanded area with the terry cloth towel until dry. Apply rubbing compound directly onto the affected area.
8. Set the speed on an oscillating polisher to 900 RPM. Buff the affected paint with the polisher until the rubbing compound dissolves. Wipe the area with a clean terry cloth towel to remove any remaining haze.
9. Apply automobile wax to a microfiber cloth. Buff the paint with the cloth in circular motions to add shine. Follow the instructions on the product label.
