Clever hack to remove car scratches uses just two household ingredients

24 June 2024 , 11:46

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A TikTok user has shared their method to remove car scratches (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A TikTok user has shared a nifty car scratch removal method using two common household items.

The viral video, which has racked up over 12 million views, sees Victor Dias explain: "Coconut oil and white vinegar... then mix it together. Then wipe on the area you have scratches. Bam... all gone. You're welcome."

In what appears to be an extreme demonstration, Victor intentionally damages his red Range Rover using a sharp knife and stone just to showcase his hack. He then pours roughly 100ml of white vinegar into a jar, mixes in two tablespoons of coconut oil, stirs, and applies it with a microfibre cloth to the scratches.

Despite the immediate results, sceptics emerged amongst his followers, prompting another TikTok to clarify that "the vinegar causes the paint to dissolve and the coconut oil fills the scratches, the dissolved paint then mixed with coconut oil so it replicates the colour."

"I'm a vehicle paint sprayer of 25 years," another person responded. "Guess that's me out of a job?!" Concerned about their own cars, one follower expressed: "Somebody please tell us if it really works... I don't want to damage my car any further," sparking affirmative responses from others who had tried it.

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Yet othersremained dubious, as one TikTok user reasoned: " The only way this can work if the scratches are minor and on the clear coat only, once it's past that you need to paint the car. And even if it does work in the case above it's just temporary and as soon as you wash the car it'll be gone. To test this you can even pour water on the small scratches and they will disappear."

Meanwhile, experts at LeaseCar suggest that other household items could also do the trick, including toothpaste, nail varnish, shoe polish, and even white vinegar, which could be the most cost-effective solution.

The firm's motoring expert, Tim Alcock, explains: "Not all car scratches need to be fixed by professionals as they can be easily fixed with some simple DIY. Using nail varnish or shoe polish is a great way to disguise minor scratches. Other options like toothpaste and spray paint are genius hacks for trying to buff out scratches and make them disappear."

However, he cautions: "Make sure to only use a small amount of products like nail varnish and vinegar, as they could cause damage to the paintwork if used too often or in large quantities. Use small amounts at a time and make sure to not leave it on the paint for too long before wiping or buffing it off. Buffing out scratches may take a few tries to remove them fully, but the end result will help save drivers a lot of money in the long run."

Alan Johnson