It’s one of those inevitable and unfortunate things that happen no matter how careful you are. At some point, your precious car will get a scratch and you’ll have to deal with it. As you can imagine, not all scratches are created equally, with some deeper than others. But for most minor and light scratches, or paint transfer marks, you don’t have to go straight to the body shop. Instead, grab yourself a bottle of car scratch remover, set aside some time, and give it a shot before you pay a professional detailer for paint correction or worse, go to a body shop to have something blended.
It goes without saying that car scratch removers aren’t miracle workers and if your scratch is deep into the paint, then it won’t do much for you. A general rule I tell others is to run your fingernail across the scratch. If your nail can feel it, there’s a good chance a car scratch remover won’t do much for you. That being said, some of these products do work on moderate scratches but you’ll have to judge whether it’s cut into the paint.
When judging car scratch removers, I didn’t just look at their performance, although that was the most important factor. I also considered on how easy they were to use, and how much effort was required in order for them to be effective. Some car scratch removers eventually do the job, but it may take four or five passes at it until you see a difference. Better products work quicker and with less effort.
Below you’ll see my recommendations for the best car scratch removers, followed by some additional information about car scratch removers and how to use them.
1. Top pick: Chemical Guys VSS Scratch and Swirl Remover
A few years back, my personal car got a few light scratches on the front bumper and fender. Although it wasn’t a huge area to work with, I took the opportunity to test three different car scratch removers to see if there was a noticeable difference between all of them. Now, the scratches I got weren’t terribly deep, but the best results I got that day was from Chemical Guys’ VSS Scratch and Swirl Remover. It was the easiest to use and performed the best when compared side-by-side-by-side with Adam’s Scratch & Swirl Remover and Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound.
According to Chemical Guys, its car scratch remover is formulated using diminishing abrasive technology, designed to cut fast to remove swirls, scratches, and oxidation. As an all-in-one solution, it’ll finish like a polish. Unlike other scratch and swirl removers, Chemical Guys claims its product doesn’t just fill or cover up the defects. It works without oils, silicone, or fillers and is VOC compliant and body-shop safe.
This product is ideal for light to moderate swirl marks and scratches and is definitely worth trying before you take your car to a body shop. I found it really easy to apply and buff off, and was seeing results with just a single pass with the product.
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2. Runner-up: Adam’s Scratch & Swirl Remover
Another one of the three products I tested that day on my personal car, Adam’s Scratch & Swirl Remover did the job, it just took a bit more effort compared to Chemical Guys’ VSS Scratch and Swirl Remover. I’d say it’s very similar to our top pick in terms of performance depending on the severity of your scratches. It’s formulated with a blend of diminishing micro-alumina abrasives, designed to disintegrate as they polish out worn, scratched, or oxidized clear coat. Like Chemical Guys’ product, it doesn’t have any waxes, additives, silicone, or other fillers, so it offers true paint correction.
What I do like about this product is that Adam’s includes a polishing foam pad applicator so you can get to fixing those scratches right away. Personally I say you can’t go wrong with either this pick or our top pick, as they’re both high quality products that will tackle light to moderate scratches on your car.
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3. For advanced detailers: Griot’s Garage BOSS Fast Correcting Cream
If you know a thing or two about detailing and you’re dealing with more severe paint defects, consider Griot’s Garage BOSS Fast Correcting Cream. This product is designed to work quickly to remove severe defects and while I have personally never needed to use it, I have heard positive feedback from friends who have. It’s part of Griot’s Garage’s Best of Show System (BOSS) and should be used with a machine polisher for best results.
This product features “high loads” of sub-micron abrasives, allowing it to work through pretty severe defects including significant oxidation, moderate to deep scratches, and heavy swirl marks. It does take quite a bit of work, which is why it’s our recommendation for advanced detailers. Give this a shot if you have deeper scratches and have the time to put in the elbow grease necessary to get good results.
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4. Also consider: Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound
Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound is actually I product I have used in the past on previous cars, and for the price it performs quite well. I do have to say that it works best for light scratches and blemishes, and I would recommend something towards the top of our list for bigger defects. But if your scratch truly looks like “something that will buff out,” Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound should be adequate. Like our other recommendations, it cuts using micro-abrasive technology and does require a little bit of effort. More importantly, if you don’t see results on the first pass, try again. Some scratches may take a few attempts before you’ll start seeing an improvement.
You can apply this by hand or machine, and it’s the ideal product for light scratches and blemishes on your paint. I did find that it would often take several passes before getting results, which is why I have it lower on my list of recommendations.
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5. Honorable mention: Carfidant Scratch and Swirl Remover
I have personally never used Carfidant’s Scratch and Swirl Remover, but given the amount of positive reviews it has online, it appears many users have had good results. It’s also often a top seller in the category, so we feel comfortable mentioning it as an option. It’s designed for light scratches and swirls, acting as a rubbing compound that can also be used to remove water spots and oxidation.
User reviews range wildly on this product, although most are positive. It’s difficult to judge a car scratch remover based on user reviews however, because the severity of the damage plays an important role on how effective a product is. Some people just aren’t aware that certain scratches have completely removed the paint, in which case, no car scratch remover is going to fix it.
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Do car scratch removers really work?
Of course they do, otherwise we wouldn’t be recommending them! But you should be aware that your results will vary, based on how deep the scratch is. As I mentioned before, a general rule I follow is to run your fingernail across the scratch. If you can feel the scratch with your nail, chances are a scratch remover isn’t going to magically make it all go away. For minor scratches and paint transfer marks, these products will do the job with a bit of effort.
How do car scratch removers work?
Quality car scratch removers should be formulated with polishing agents that work to remove surface imperfections. This typically involves removing a thin layer of your car’s clear coat, which sounds scary but it isn’t. In fact, it shouldn’t have any adverse effects on your paint so long as you correctly polish and wax once you’re done. By removing that thin layer, the surface of the scratch becomes smooth and even. Some scratch removers will contain wax or other polymers to fill in deeper abrasions, which really just “cover up” the scratch. It’s up to you to decide whether or not that’s adequate for you.
How do you use a car scratch remover?
Most car scratch removers are very similar to applying a coat of wax or polish to your car. You’ll use a buffing pad of sorts to rub it into your paint, and then you’ll buff it off with a separate towel. Before you use a car scratch remover, you’ll want to wash your car and dry it properly. Read the instructions that came with your particular product before starting. Once you’re done and happy with the results, make sure to apply a coat of wax to protect all your hard work.
Recent updates:
Updated (5:40 p.m. EST, 1/5/2023): Additional shopping options added for our recommendations.