Every motorist wants his vehicle to look solid and attract the attention of others. To this end, cars are regularly washed and cleaned, but are these actions always enough or is a more serious intervention necessary?
If the car is new, then it should not have serious damage, but over time, the same interior is overwritten, and scratches appear on the plastic trim elements. It's easy to fix them, all you have to do is have them on hand. necessary tools and materials. What applies to them, and what methods of plastic restoration exist, you will find out in a few minutes.
Removing scratches using a hair dryer
There are several ways to remove scratches in the car interior, including on plastic, but when choosing the option that is most suitable for you, you should always consider the depth of damage. So, for example, to eliminate small scratches is perfect building hair dryer, but if this was not found on the farm, then you can use the usual household appliance for drying hair. The principle of operation of this method is extremely simple: under influence high temperature outgoing air, edge small defects melt a little and stick together, thus tightening the scratch.
If you do not know how to remove scratches on the dashboard of a car, then in this case it will come in handy hair dryer. However, before heating the area of interest, the plastic must be washed well, thereby cleaning it of all contaminants (it is better to use detergents). Preliminary cleaning will relieve scratches from accumulated dirt and dust, which will contribute to their rapid tightening under heat.
After the panel is dry, turn on the hair dryer at minimum power and direct it to the area in need of restoration. If after a while you do not see any changes, then you need to increase the exposure temperature by switching the device mode.
Note!When repairing scratches on the plastic of a car with a hair dryer, you should not hold the tool at only one point, as this can cause the plastic to overheat and only aggravate the situation.
Having correctly completed all the steps, you will see how minor damage is quickly healed, and if the scratches were deeper, then in the future it will be easier to remove them with a special polish. You can touch the surface only after it has completely cooled down.
We use a lighter
Another way to eliminate scratches on plastic by heating the damaged surface is the "open fire" method, which involves the use of lighters. However, in this case, all actions are carried out doubly carefully, since there is a serious possibility of damage to the coating.
What is required of you? Briefly hold the lighter close to the plastic and sweep the flame several times along the scratch, observing the condition of the material. After that, wait for the plastic to cool completely, and then find a cotton pad, soak it in alcohol and remove the soot that the flame left. If after the first procedure the damage has not disappeared, then it makes sense to look for another way to repair the scratches on the plastic.
Important!The described method of dealing with scratches on plastic interior elements will be effective only when you are dealing with a smooth surface. If we are talking about a part with a "pimple" texture, then it is better not to use it, since there is a possibility of its distortion, which will adversely affect the appearance of the plastic.
The most simple and in a safe way elimination of defects in the cabin vehicle is the polishing of the damaged area with the help of special abrasive compounds. In this case, to remove scratches from plastic parts car, you should use only tools specially designed for working with soft plastic. Pastes intended for coatings, cannot be applied.
Polishing can be done both manually and with a grinder, while monitoring compliance with minimum speed work. There is nothing complicated here, and even a fragile woman can cope with the task.
Elimination of damage from the plastic parts of the car takes place in the following sequence:
1. Wearing rubber gloves, wash well work surface, giving Special attention areas with old stains of dirt and big amount dust.
2. Dry the material and apply abrasive paste to small scratches.
3.
Now take a small sponge or piece of foam rubber and start rubbing the product into the damage. In order for the paste used to work, it must be left for a while (the exact timing is described in the instructions for use).
After the composition becomes white, you can proceed to direct polishing. Residues of abrasive paste are removed in a circular motion with periodic cleaning of the resulting dust.
At the end of such a "plastic surgery", it is necessary to wash again plastic panel. Only this time, proceed even more carefully so as not to contribute to the appearance of new damage and scratches.
It should be noted that polishing the plastic will not be able to completely eliminate all scratches, but will only refresh appearance material. In addition, on a rough and matte surface, it is completely inappropriate, and thresholds and door holdings cannot be repaired (they immediately change to new parts).
Did you know? The history of plastics begins in 1855, when the English metallurgist and inventor Alexander Parkes created a new substance called "parkesine" (later - "celluloid"). The opening was presented to the general public at the Bolshoi International exhibition held in London in 1862.
In search of an answer to the question of how to remove scratches from the panel of the car and other plastic parts of the vehicle, it is worth considering the option of disguising them. Modern market can offer you a lot of tools to get the desired result, but one of the most popular is a special pencil. Of course, it cannot be called the cheapest way to deal with damage to the plastic coatings of the interior, but you always have to pay for quality. Moreover, one such pencil will last you several times, so once you spend the money, you will get a fairly profitable purchase in the future.
A similar plastic scratch remover is a small container with special composition inside, which, when applied to the damaged area, completely fills the scratch, making it invisible to others.
Note!When choosing a pencil, special attention should be paid to its color, as it must completely match the shade of the panel. Otherwise, you will not be able to get the desired result, and it is likely that the existing damage will become even more noticeable.
If the panel of your vehicle has a standard color (black or gray), then there is nothing to worry about, because choosing the right marker is not a problem. As for the repair actions themselves, they are carried out in the following sequence: after a thorough cleaning of the damaged areas, the scratches are smeared, and after the applied composition dries, the excess product is removed using the above polishing. This will help to additionally hide defects by perfectly leveling the surface.
Scratch Remover Wipes
You can polish the plastic coating both with abrasive compounds and with the help of special wipes that perform several functions at once. Firstly, they perfectly clean the surface, and secondly, a special polish, which is part of the product, makes them a manual analogue polishing machine. In addition, there are wipes that work on the principle of heating and polishing: the surface of the plastic element is heated and the scratch is healed.
Interesting! First in the world plastic car appeared in 1942, thanks to the efforts of Henry Ford. The developer received an official patent for his brainchild, which, according to his idea, was to become a cheaper analogue of a car with a metal body. This idea never materialized in mass production, but this does not prevent different automakers from periodically presenting concepts or even trial batches of models from such an unusual material.
How to putty deep scratches
If everything is more or less clear with minor damage, then how to remove deep scratches on the plastic of the car, not everyone knows. It will no longer be possible to get by with only the methods described above, and for a quality result you will have to prepare Additional materials. First of all, you will need a small piece of plastic, ideal for the particular area being repaired. It can be taken from the inner surface of the plastic (from the partitions), so you will not do any harm to the design of the parts.
Then the resulting part of the material should be dissolved in dichloroethane or any other similar solvent (the choice depends on the type of plastic). The resulting solution is carefully applied to the scratch, and until the surface to be repaired is frozen, it is given any desired shape and texture.
Removing scratches on your own is not the only possible variant their elimination, since in many workshops and even at car washes, the grout of such damage is done much better, and you do not have to pay a lot of money for it.
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It's a shame when a recently purchased car has scratches and shabby plastic interior elements. The car is only a few months old, and because of a couple of scratches in a conspicuous place, it seems that the car has been taxiing for ten years. But get discouraged or go to the store to order new plastic, you should not rush, there are a couple of simple ways that allow you to remove or well disguise the results of inaccurate operation.
Of course, not everyone cares about the scratched plastic in the cabin, and indeed what is going on in it, the main thing for them is that the car drives. But for many, especially those who bought new car, things like that really piss me off. The easiest option is to drive the car to the service station in the hands of professional craftsmen. They will either restore or replace the damaged plastic elements. However, this option is also the most expensive. But for aesthetes, such a sacrifice is justified, especially if the plastic was originally with a pattern or complex texture, corrugation, then it will not be possible to restore the original appearance.
How to cover up scratches
For corrugated plastic elements There is one way to restore the appearance yourself - using a special masking pencil. But this is the case if the scratches are small. Pencil - doesn't sound like the instrument actually looks. Essentially, it is a container special liquid. The difficulty of using a pencil lies in the exact selection of color, it can be difficult to guess and hit the tone. This liquid fills the scratch, solidifies in it, and merges with the background of the plastic. That's it, the scratch does not catch the eye.
Masking scratches on plastic with a hair dryer
Be sure to rinse and degrease the place that is planned to be restored before starting the procedure.
If the plastic is smooth and the scratches are not deep, you can use a hair dryer to remove them. A powerful household appliance will do, but it’s better, of course, to get hold of an industrial model. The process of restoration with a hair dryer is quite simple, the mechanics of this action is based on the property of plastic to soften when heated and, like water, independently tighten small irregularities. The main thing here is not to be too zealous in heating so that the plastic does not accidentally flow. It is better to have a magnifying glass through which to carefully observe how the plastic softens.
Removing scratches with a lighter
If you are extremely economical, and your self-confidence is going through the roof, then you can turn this operation using ordinary lighter. The principle is the same, we heat the plastic, it softens and tightens the scratches. But the specifics of the method should be taken into account, since an open flame affects the surface in a slightly different way. It is better to practice on similar pieces of plastic first to be sure. Just in case, carry a fire extinguisher from the trunk so that a tragedy does not happen.
The interest of drivers in solving the problem of how to remove scratches on the interior plastic is natural and easily explained. Many people have to spend a lot of time in a car, even if they only drive to and from work: just remember the scourge of modern traffic - traffic jams and toffees.
It is clearly more pleasant and comfortable to be in a well-groomed and tidy cabin than in a shabby and sloppy one. This is especially true of the torpedo: it is always in front of your eyes, and damage to the plastic begins to irritate and spoil the mood. In addition, if the scratches are deep and not healed in time, the edges will diverge, lengthening and expanding the defect.
As a result, over time, you will have to drag the affected element - if the owner does not agree to drive in a car that looks like abandoned ruins from the inside. And re-upholstery will cost more than repairs. minor damage even if you do it yourself.
How to remove scratches on the interior plastic, there are many ways, both official and developed by experimental motorists. Which one to apply depends on the scale of what happened.
Types of plastic damage
Conventionally, they can be divided into 3 types:
- small scratches. Most often, they form a whole web, since they arise in places that are constantly exposed to the same type of influences. It will be easiest to deal with them, despite their abundance;
- Deep scratches or cuts. They can show up anywhere, as they are the result of rough physical contact with something sharp, but most often appear on door linings as a result of loading a bulky thing. You can remove them, although in more complex ways than defects in group 1;
- Combination of damage types 1 and 2 with the effects of ultraviolet radiation. Burns out naturally dashboard. In combination with even small scratches, the look is terrible and cannot be removed with home remedies.
Temperature method
Smoothes even scratches with fairly sharp edges. A household hair dryer can be borrowed from a wife or daughter; it is undesirable to use construction materials - you can also melt a hole. The lighter, in principle, will also work, but the heating will be uneven, and you will spend unreasonably much time.
- The repaired area is washed and dried;
- The hair dryer turns on at a minimum and goes to the defect. It is not necessary to keep at one point - drive along the damage not quickly, but not too slowly.
Polishing
The method was sent to second place only because it requires investments: you need to buy a restoring polish. When buying, do not make a mistake and do not purchase an abrasive for paint and varnish coatings - plastic can warp from it.
- The surface is again cleaned with water and detergent and dried - the dirt that has accumulated in the defects will not allow them to drag on well;
- Paste with a soft washcloth for dishes or foam rubber is applied to the damage;
- The time indicated on the package is expected - usually about 5 minutes. The signal for readiness for polishing will be the formation of a whitish coating;
- It is better to polish manually: there are not so many plastic surfaces in the cabin, but strong heat grinders can damage them beyond repair.
Pencil way: Even more expensive than the previous one, as scratch masking markers are expensive. But they allow you to restore plastic very quickly and eliminate even quite deep defects. Color matching can be a problem if your overlays are of a non-standard shade - markers come in only 8 tones.
Working with them is extremely simple: the corresponding end of the pencil is drawn along the scratch, filling it with the mass inside, and then gently polished to compare the seal with the edges.
global recovery
If the defects are deep and there are a lot of them, you will have to do a major overhaul. The affected element is removed from the passenger compartment according to the manufacturer's instructions. Cleaning, washing, drying is carried out - as in all previous cases. The overlay is polished over the entire surface to smoothness - naturally, if it is not corrugated. You can use the finest grit sandpaper.
If there are too deep wounds that cannot be sanded, they are sealed with putty. Next, the element is treated with an aerosol primer designed specifically for plastic, and after drying, with paint. So estimate the volume. upcoming work and choose the most suitable way to remove scratches on the plastic of your car interior.
29.10.2016 5 76 935 views
Surfaces of all kinds of plastics surround us. They are comfortable and practical, but prone to deformation. Therefore, the question of how to polish plastic from scratches is always relevant. In order for your favorite smartphone, window sill or TV to retain an attractive appearance, you need to read our tips and, with the help of simple steps, turn them into almost their original appearance.
It is enough to look around to see how indispensable plastic has become in everyday life. It is made from: Appliances, communications equipment, kitchen utensils, automotive parts, Decoration Materials.
This material is light and cheap, easy to use and unpretentious, and also resistant to temperature fluctuations. The only negative is the relatively low density, which is a consequence of the appearance of scuffs and scratches on it. Because of this, it is too expensive to change the entire product.
Preparation
Getting started, it is necessary first of all to decide what we are actually going to do and what improvised means. Polishing is easy, you just need to know how. To begin with, it should be understood that jacks of all trades distinguish at least three different kind such actions:
- Thermal (using a hair dryer).
- Chemical (that is, acting on plastic with toothpaste, polish or GOI paste).
- Mechanical (using a drill or other polishing machine).
Initially, we assess how great the damage is, and based on this, we choose a methodology for further work:
- Remove scratches from plastic by hand polishing.
- Deeper damage can be overcome using thermal effects.
- After chemical treatment, the coating acquires the perfect shine, and your headlights will shine like new ones.
When the future strategy of action is determined, it remains to carefully prepare the product for work. Using the most conventional means for washing dishes or cleaning glasses, carefully remove accumulated dirt and grease stains. Surely the plastic has a frame made of a different material. These places are pasted over with masking tape, which will be removed after work is completed.
Sanding plastic
This method machining plastic surface is used if there are deep scratches that cannot be effectively removed in any other way. The material lends itself well to grinding, having low temperature melting. As a result of slow, careful work, we should get a uniform matte surface where there were deep scratches before. Here is the next range of actions:
- pre-cleaned material is placed where it will be convenient to deal with it;
- cooking workplace, remove all unnecessary items;
- as a processing material, we take several waterproof skins of various textures;
- a special grinding machine is useful as an auxiliary tool;
- if there is no machine, then it should be borne in mind that good effect gives polishing using soapy water.
We begin work using a skin that has a large texture. Grinding is a slow business, accuracy is required. We process the product in slow mode, monitor the temperature, it should not overheat. We methodically move from a large texture of skins to smaller ones. After using each of them, we wipe the treated area with a dry cloth, this allows us not to miss the remaining flaws.
How to polish plastic from scratches yourself?
There are several ways that removing scratches and scuffs will no longer be an impossible dream. At home, with the help of simple devices, you can make a shabby product perfect with your own hands.
If the plastic surface that your kitchen table has has stopped sparkling and is covered with scratches, then it will not be difficult to polish it to its original shine.
The same method will allow you to make the window slope as textured as it was a few years ago. A few hours of focused work will save you a lot of money.
hand polished
After getting rid of scratches, it's time to move on to the next laborious process - polishing, which makes the old part almost new. Services involving the removal of scratches are widely provided by car dealerships and mobile phone dealers, as well as specialized cleaning companies.
They are not cheap, the same work is easy to do with your own hands. After all special means and fixtures that professionals use are sold in all car dealerships. The main thing when choosing a polishing paste: do not forget that we will process plastic; in order not to miss the choice, you should consult the seller, who will give professional advice.
By the way, GOI paste has proven itself well with the chosen processing method. It should be familiar to those who served in the army and scrubbed a belt badge. With this tool, you can ideally polish objects that do not claim to be pristine transparency.
If we are talking about a TV that has scratches or a phone that has major abrasions, then it is better to use special pastes. Let them cost more, but the effect will be desired.
Hand polishing:
- optimally handles small parts and small surfaces;
- we take a homogeneous paste, impurities and grains are excluded;
- oil will give a special gloss;
- apply the paste on the surface with felt or felt
- use circular motions;
- the hand goes easily, the pressure is small;
- the whole process takes 15 to 20 minutes.
We use a polishing machine, which in the most budgetary version consists of a drill with a special nozzle:
- an inexpensive polishing nozzle is sold in the store;
- the best use of such a machine is the surface of the headlights;
- good savings are obtained by replacing the nozzle with a piece of ordinary felt.
This material requires a thorough fixing so that it does not jump off.
Polishing
Among the products purchased at a specialized store, do not forget about the polish. With it, the result of your work will be a glossy plastic, no different from the one we purchased in the store. The technology of work is as follows:
- The agent is applied to the surface in the form of a small uniform layer.
- It is necessary to thoroughly grind it with a special cloth or nozzle.
- Then, in fact, the process of work begins, which achieves the desired result, plastic to mirror shine will bring g polish.
- If the surface of the phone is polished, then, subject to periodic exposure to moisture, transparent plastic loses its color over time. achieved result and the process should be repeated.
- Repetition is necessary in any case if you see that your plastic is black and worn again.
Conclusion: to avoid frequent updates, protect household items from moisture.
Using a polishing machine
This is a completely professional tool that allows you to bring the restoration of the product to the ideal process. Such a tool is useful and convenient. It is especially recommended for motorists who from time to time perfect the headlights of their car, as well as its plastic surfaces. The main convenience lies in the speed, in a few minutes the amount of work is done, which manually will take, perhaps, more than one hour.
The consideration that guides a person who acquires such a technique is the need from time to time to put things in order in his household. Such a polishing masterpiece is not so expensive, it is available in stores selling power tools.
A few nuances that should be observed in the process of using the tool:
- before putting special tools into operation, it is necessary to remove the remaining dirt with a wet nozzle;
- when the action is nearing the end, one of the special pastes purchased in the store is used;
- to bring a special gloss to the product, a special nozzle made of foam rubber will help.
The whole method takes a few minutes.
Video: how to polish plastic from scratches with a polishing machine?
hair dryer
Another rather original method of getting rid of scratches is to use the most ordinary hair dryer. The meaning of the method is simple: plastic reacts vividly to sharp drops temperature, so heat treatment is optimal way"heal wounds" on the surface of your phone.
Two types of tools are used for work: an ordinary hair dryer used for drying hair, and a special building unit.
- Before working with plastic, impurities are removed.
- The process is best started with minimal power.
- We direct a jet of hot air to the desired area.
- If the scratches continue to remain, the power must be gradually increased, but without fanaticism.
- The main expected result is that the area with scratches will acquire a matte base, and they themselves will disappear.
- After cooling, polishing of the plastic begins.
Toothpaste
In some cases, there is no need to purchase expensive products. As practice shows, such improvised means as ordinary toothpaste can serve as an abrasive for polishing the same headlights. Despite the cheapness and extreme availability, the gloss of the surface, in the end, is no worse than when using a proprietary product from a specialized store.
How this tool works:
- with help detergents get rid of pollution;
- the composition of the product must be neutral;
- after degreasing, the product is washed and dried;
- the paste is applied to a piece of flannel;
- circular movements, clockwise or counterclockwise;
- periodically it is necessary to wash off the resulting slurry;
- the remaining paste is best removed with a damp sponge.
Obviously, using simple methods and a budgetary arsenal of funds, you can save a lot of money and get a truly brilliant result.
5 methods of polishing plastic from scratches and scuffs
4 (80%) 2 votes 2184 ViewsExternal equipment is important for many drivers, along with the condition of his engine and other important nodes, especially if we are talking about the front panel, since it is visible to the driver and all passengers. Therefore, if a scratch or several pieces have formed on the plastic, you need to know how to remove them from the car without the need for such an event as repair.
Damage types
Often found in car interiors small scratches, weaving into a web of damage. As a result, the appearance of the cabin deteriorates, which requires the search for masking techniques. Knowing the options for action, you can remove defects in a short time with minimal financial costs.
More serious costs will have to be incurred if you have to repair deep damage, since many defects cannot be hidden using simple techniques. The following are the most common methods that will help remove unwanted scratches, thereby improving the appearance of the car interior.
There are several options for scratching plastic in a car interior:
- Small cracks in the car, formed during the contact of the material with the keys and other personal belongings of the driver, which come into contact with the panel.
- Deep large cracks that require a more detailed approach to their destruction.
- Scratches caused by the sun as a result of its action. The fact is that after radiation, the surface becomes dull and loses its color.
The removal process is not always easy, you will need overhaul products.
Options for action
Based on the type of plastic that covers the panel, as well as the type of damage present on the surface, you can choose a specific method by which the repair will be carried out. For this, improvised devices such as a hair dryer, open fire, polishing, pencils, cleaning are used. Let's consider each of the options in more detail.
Using a hair dryer
A hair dryer is a proven tool for a car aimed at removing damage. Can be used not only special tool, but also an ordinary household hair dryer. Recovery is quite simple: in the car, prolonged damage becomes invisible.
To repair a torpedo with this method, it is necessary to prepare the surface by washing it, which will allow scratches to get rid of stubborn dirt. After passing through the drying stage, you need to polish air flow damaged place.
Lighter use
Open fire is the best plastic reducer in cars. Operations with a lighter is a proven process that does not require much time and money. To remove defects, you need to bring the lighter to plastic surface and run the flame along the scratch several times.
These procedures must be performed with extreme caution. After that, you need to wait for the plastic to cool, while you can not touch it.
Material polishing
If there are scratches in the car, it is not necessary to carry out expensive repairs (polishing), a polishing procedure may be suitable. In order for the polishing to be carried out qualitatively, an abrasive paste is used. The agent for varnish and paint is contraindicated. Simple polishing involves a set of steps:
- the surface is washed away from dirt;
- the treated area must be dried and cooled in a room without light;
- apply a special paste to the panel by hand;
- polishing begins.
Attention! Instant polishing begins only after the product has turned into a light-colored coating.
Thus, polishing is a proven method of eliminating problems with the interior of the car.
Using special pencils
Often used for instrument panel and instruments special pencils for plastic, designed to remove problems. This method does not belong to the budget options because markers are expensive. They are presented in bottles with a mixture that, when applied to the site of damage, will fill the recess of the scratch and eliminate it. Important role plays the choice of color according to the tone of the panel.
Capital works
If there are scratches on the plastic on the interior panel, repair may be required. The most difficult of these methods is the implementation of painting. IN this case you can achieve elimination of defects and bring the panels into proper condition. Next, the surface is polished, which allows you to hide irregularities and make the material as smooth and attractive as possible.
