10 Best Scratch Removers in 2019 – Reviews & Buying Guide

Taking good care of your car involves scratch removal from time to time and that's a job best done with specialized scratch removers. Although it's possible to have others do it for you at a price, you can also use a car scratch remover to do the job by yourself.

Different manufacturers offer different solutions for removing car scratches, including those that only offer a temporary cover and those that offer a more permanent scratch removal.

Many manufacturers also offer their products as a kit containing all the tools you'll need for your convenience, including sandpaper, microfiber pads, and different repair compounds or polishes.

This best scratch removers review presents you with the best offers in the market, as well as a buying guide to help you make the right buying choice.

10 Best Scratch Removers – Reviews

1. 3M ​39044 – Fast & Fine Compound for Clearcoat Scratches

Editor's Rating: (4.1 / 5)

This scratch remover from 3M gets the job done quickly and permanently by actually polishing the scratches on your car out and not filling it up with wax.

It works on everything, including scuffs, car wash scratches, and different stains and blemishes. 3M mixes fine abrasive and finishing compounds to produce this easy to use and all-in-one compound.

You are free to apply it either by hand or using a power tool. The 8-oz bottle comes alone in this offer, but you can choose to select another package from 3M with more accessories like an abrasive square, microfiber cloth, and a foam applicator.

3M is a well-known brand in the auto detailing world, so you should better have a closer look at this offer if you're looking for the best scratch remover compound without accessories.

Editor's Rating: (4.2 / 5)

Here's one of the best scratch removers that goes beyond removing only scratches. The Meguiar's G17216 is also named the Ultimate Compound and for a good reason. It's the best compound scratch remover on this list.

Developed in a professional body shop, this compound combines a micro-abrasive and a polishing technology into one ultimate compound that makes car detailing a breeze.

It cuts fast like a harsh abrasive and brings you quick results, but without any damage to your paint-job or top-coat. This reduces the time you need to restore your car.

This compound also adds gloss to your car and all in one step, further cutting down on the working time. It's usable by hand for small areas and with dual action polishers for larger areas.

If your car has no serious scratches and you're searching for the right compound to only polish it with, then this Meguiar's Ultimate Compound is worth a try because it's guaranteed to bring back your car's paint-job glory.

This offer is for the 16-oz bottle but Meguiar's also has 20-oz offer and a 10-pack offer of 16-oz bottles to suit all kinds of users.

Editor's Rating: (4.2 / 5)

After the success of Meguiar's Scratch X for nearly a decade, the company decided to make some updates and came out with this Scratch X 2.0, another top-rated scratch remover.

Although it's still the same spot treatment designed for light scratches and swirls, the Scratch X 2.0 can additionally work with rotary polishing power tools, while the Scratch X was only for hand use.

The first thing to keep in mind about this compound is that it's not designed for all kinds of scratches. If you've got seriously deep or wide scratches, then it's probably not for you, else it's still the best car deep scratch remover on this list.

If you also just got light scratches and feel like buffing your car, then this Meguiar's Scratch X 2.0 is most definitely for you.

Part of the secret that helps to make it the best car scratch remover for light scratches is Meguiar's micro-abrasive technology, which makes it easy to remove light scratches and oxidation without the need of much pressure.

Editor's Rating: (4 / 5)

When you're searching for the best auto scratch remover you can get, one thing to consider is quality of the ingredients used in making the polish or compounds.

TriNova's scratch remover package comes with a polish that's made using premium ingredients. This makes it gentle on your car's paint-job and maintains its color for a long while.

This package additionally includes a buffer pad for applying the compound to your car. You can also use an orbital polisher for the application if you like, but this included pad makes it unnecessary for small jobs.

TriNova demands a comparatively higher price for this offer, but considering the premium ingredients and the buffer pad accessory, it seems worth it.

Editor's Rating: (4.1 / 5)

Professional car detailers often produce astonishing results because they use the right tools. This 3M 39071 scratch removal system aims to put those same tools in your own hands.

You get ​one of the best car scratch repair kits, which includes a disc pad holder that attaches to a drill or other rotary tool, a compounding pad and a polishing pad, 1 oz of scratch remover and 1 oz of rubbing compound.

There is also a piece of 3000-grit abrasive square to round off the package and you'll need to supply the rest of the items, like the rotary tool, a microfiber detail cloth, and water.

As professional as this package appears, it's one downside is the small quantity of the rubbing compound and scratch remover, which means you'll need to buy extras in time.

Editor's Rating: (4 / 5)

The Chemical Guys VSS is a 1-step polisher to restore your car's paint-job back to its glory. All you need is one polishing step to remove scratches and swirls, leaving your car with a mirror finish.

It does not use wax or fillers and works using diminishing abrasive technology, which means it includes an abrasive which gets finer over time, removing the need for compounding and then polishing.

The VSS works with any rotary machine and can also get hand rubbed. It makes it easy and fast to work on a car with only minor blemishes, since it includes a light abrasive, but you'll need something else for heavier scratches.

This offer is for a 4-oz bottle and the company also offers a 16-oz bottle, which is enough to polish an entire car and still have some left. There's also a 16-oz pack for less money and a 48-oz pack, made up of 12 pcs of the 4-oz bottles.

Editor's Rating: (4 / 5)

Turtle Wax is one of the most popular and oldest brands when it comes to car detailing and so many car owners depend on the brand.

The original Turtle Wax got made for cars without clearcoats, which was practically all cars made before 1990. Newer cars with clearcoats can benefit from milder polishes, which are plenty in the market but if you need something stronger, then give this a try.

This Turtle Wax offer is a light to a medium-strength cleaner that quickly cleans out any dull and oxidized finish, including painted metal and chrome finishes.

On the flip side, this scratch remover is a paste and not very easily removed after use. It's also meant for hand use, while other products are okay for both hand rubbing and rotary tool application. Its low price though makes it all worth it.

Editor's Rating: (4 / 5)

The Tibet Almond Stick is a simple stick used to hide scratches on furniture and glass items. The stick gets made from tightly-rolled cotton, which gets soaked in a secret formula.

Using this stick is simple. Just peel off the cover and rub it on the affected area to hide any scratches. It will hide scratches on bamboo floors, living room furniture, and glass items.

There is just one stick in the package but if you cover it well after use, then it's sure to last you for many years.

On the flip side, it does not remove the scratches as many car paint scratch removers do, it simply hides them. Still, you are bound to find lots of uses for such a wonderful and age-old solution.

Editor's Rating: (4 / 5)

There are times that all you need is to quickly and easily get rid of the very fine scratches that are ruining your paint's finish. In such situations, this Barrett-Jackson Scratch & Swirl Remover is exactly what you need.

Unlike other solutions that include an abrasive compound to work on the scratch and cover it up using abrasion, this solution simply covers it up and additionally polishes it for a premium look.

Your advantage here is speedy execution. Abrasive scratch removal removes the scratches permanently but needs time. This solution is fast to apply and wiping it off is fast and easy as well.

It removes fine scratches, swirls, and scuff marks, and is safe for use on all kinds of painted surfaces, clearcoat inclusive. It's, however, the best scratch remover for black cars.

Read More: 10 Best Swirl Removers

Its only let down is that it doesn't actually make scratches disappear, but rather just hides them. So you're bound to see those same scratches again after a while, but you would've already made your impression.

Editor's Rating: (3.9 / 5)

Mothers California Gold Scratch Remover is a good car scratch remover for those who need an abrasive polishing solution that's specifically designed for light and smooth surface scratches.

Unlike most other abrasive polishers, this one comes with very fine abrasives and this means two things. First, it means that you'll need to apply the compound a few times to get rid of most scratch marks.

Secondly, it means that you'll create a very smooth and glossy shine when you're done buffing with it and this also makes it the best plastic scratch remover.

Mothers California Gold Scratch remover is for those who know how to use it, because it may take its time to get the job done, but it does it very well. It's also only just a polish, so you'll need to additionally wax the surface to seal and give it a lasting protection.

Once you've decided to repair your car's paint job by yourself, you'll need to follow a specific process to get the job done properly. Following are these steps to follow:

#1. Assess the Problem

The first step is assessing the problem. You need to take a closer look at the scratch or scratches and figure out just how serious they are. The truth is that you can easily handle light scratches with a scratch removal system, but deeper scratches will need a different approach.

Every car has 3 levels of paint coat. The deepest is the primer, then comes the basecoat, and then the top coat, which has the job to protect the basecoat and make it durable. This is true for most cars manufactured after 1990, as earlier models usually lacked a top clear coat.

If the scratch is white, then it's probably a light scratch on the clearcoat and can easily get removed. Scratches to the basecoat can also get removed if they're small. For deeper scratches, you'll need to apply some paint or get professional attention to get the job done.

#2. Clean & Dry

Once you've determined that you can handle the damage, the second step is to clean and dry the area. You should wash it with soap if possible and get it free from all kinds of dirt.

#3. For light Scratches

If the scratches are light, then you'll just need to apply the scratch remover with a pad or hand towel and rub it in. Else, if they're deeper, then you'll need to do a little more work.

Most car scratches are light anyway and are just on the clear coat, making deep treatments unnecessary. You'll find lots of scratch removers designed exactly for this. They come with the right amount of abrasive and polish combination.

You can also apply certain scratch removers that just cover up the scratches. Do note though, that these offers only a temporary solution and that the scratches will become visible again with time. The only permanent scratch removal method is abrasion.

#4. Sanding

For deeper scratches, sanding of the area will be necessary. You can do this using either a sanding block, sandpaper, or a rubbing compound. Gently sand the area with very light pressure until the scratch has disappeared and the area looks dull.

#5. Apply Repair Compound

Now is the time to apply the repair compound. Apply a bit to a microfiber pad or any other application material and apply it with moderate force around the area. Remember to read the instructions and follow them.

#6. Polishing

A polish removes the roughness of rubbing compounds, to create a smother and glossier surface. So, even the best rubbing compound for car scratches is no good without a polish.

Your repair compound can contain a polishing compound as well, in which case you'll be done after applying the repair compound. Else, now will be the time to apply the polish under the manufacturer's directions.

#7. Waxing

Some polishing applications can include some sort of wax or not, so it's necessary that you go through its instructions. If your polish has no wax, then you should consider applying some wax.

What waxing does is to seal in your hard work and offer a protective layer over it, which makes your polish to last longer and your paint-job to look cleaner and glossier for a longer period.

Read More: 12 Best Car Waxes

Conclusion

We've come to the end of this best scratch removers review and you've seen the different compounds and polishes available to you, including those that come with accessories.

As each of these solutions and compounds has a specific task that it's designed for, it's therefore left for you to make a choice based on the exact type of scratches that you have on your car and how you intend to make them go away.