Nobody wants their car to get damaged. While it's easy enough to find the best Paintless Dent Repair service near you, it can be harder to sort out your scratches. They're more permanent than dents and are therefore harder to repair. Not only does it add an unsightly finish to your door or bodywork, but it can be expensive to repair. Luckily, we've rounded up five tips for removing scratches from your car.

1. Use shoe polish to colour in the scratch

If something happens to your vehicle, you want to know that you're covered. In the case of a burst tyre, for example, then you can go to a specialist such as Wiltshire Tyres for a repair. When it comes to scratches, on the other hand, you have to decide whether you want to splash the cash or do it yourself. One method of removing scratches is using a shoe polish in a darker colour than the paint of your car, and applying it to the area of scratch to fill it out. After this, you can sand down the area so that it is smooth, and, if you have chosen the correct colour, the scratch should be barely visible.

2. Melt a candle to protect against weather erosion

Although this won't remove the scratches from your car entirely, it will protect against rusting and corrosion from long-term exposure to the wind and rain. Clean the area and add some wax to the damaged area, creating a protective seal and preventing further damage to your vehicle. Indeed, some people have managed to use hot wax to remove large dents in their vehicles, but it depends on the nature of your car and the damage that has been caused.

3. Find the right colour

If you're planning on sanding, priming and adding a new coat of colour to the affected area, then it's essential that you find the right colour code. Your car will have a code that identifies which paint has been used on the bodywork, and this can be found inside car doors, inside the engine compartment, and, in some cases, inside your boot. Your manual should explain where to find the colour code, which you can then use to find the correct paint shade for an accurate finish.

4. Try a home DIY kit to complete the job at home

The internet is packed with DIY kits that you can use to repair or remove a scratch or dent from your car. Simply type in your vehicle registration number or model, and you'll be presented with a pack that includes sand paper, primer and a perfect match of your car's bodywork colour. However, these kits are not always 100% effective, and you should follow the instructions carefully to avoid errors.

5. Get a professional to help

If you've read through these tips and don't feel confident in your abilities, then we recommend asking a Panel Beaters North Shore professional (or any similar expert in your area) to repair your scratch for you. There are thousands of companies for you to choose from, and many offer to come to your home or workplace to complete the job there and then. After all, it pays to have your car repaired professionally than to do a bodge job that causes further damage to your vehicle.