There are few things as frustrating as finding a large scratch on your car. The auto show professionals from Charlotte AutoFair in Charlotte, NC, know that repairing scratches can sometimes cost an arm and a leg, so they’ve compiled some tips to help you do it on your own.

Here are five steps for removing scratches from your car’s exterior from Charlotte’s auto show experts:

• Assess Damage: First, assess the damage of your vehicle. How deep is the scratch? Your car has several layers of paint, clear coat, and primer, which is why assessing the depth of the scratch is so important.
• Clean & Sand: Next, clean the area of the scratch thoroughly, then dry is using a microfiber cloth. After it’s dry, gently wet sand the area with 2000-grit sandpaper to ensure it will be filled in properly when you add the rubbing compound.
• Add Compound & Buff: After properly cleaning and sanding down the scratched area, you then need to add a rubbing compound to the area and buff it thoroughly; do so on the lowest level for around 10 seconds, then increase the speed. Once done, wipe it down with a damp rag.
• Wax: After buffing in the rubbing compound, the auto show professionals from Charlotte AutoFair recommend also buffing in wax onto the scratched area to ensure it remains in good condition.
• Wipe: Once completely finished with the process, wipe down the newly repaired area with a wet rag to remove any excess compound or wax and to ensure the scratch has been properly fixed.

For more helpful tips on how to remove scratches from your vehicle, contact the professionals from Charlotte AutoFair today at (704) 841-1990. You can also visit them online to learn more about the vintage and collector cars they feature at each event.