Making Scratches Go Away

When a fine scratch or scuff affects the clear coat, our 3M Scratch Removal System goes to work to smooth it out. Consisting of a three stage system of sanding, compounding and polishing, it is designed to remove defects to the thin outer coat of your car's finish. The kit removes small imperfections caused by keys, fingernails, shrub or tree branches, clothing, wash rags and car wash brushes. It is particularly useful in high-contact areas such as around door handles, door panels and trunks.

What is the Clear Coat?

Vehicles are manufactured with exterior finishes comprised of multiple layers: primer, colored paint and a final very thin top layer known as the clear coat. This kit is designed to remove fine scratches that go no deeper than the clear coat. If a scratch is deeper, it may require a more extensive repair such as repainting a portion of the vehicle.

How Does it Work?

The 3M Scratch Removal System is based in a simple 3-tiered approach to scratch removal: 1) sanding using the included 3000 grit sandpaper to reduce the scratch, 2) application of 3M rubbing compound refining of the scratched area, and 3) polishing and restoring the scratched area using a 3M polishing pad and scratch remover compound. An additional recommended step is to apply automotive wax over the repaired area to protect the car's finish. With any car paint scratch remover, you are actually removing a very thin layer of the clear coat paint, so it's best to add a layer of protection with a polishing wax after the job is done.