Best scratch removers 2023
These scratch removers promise to make evidence of supermarket scrapes a thing of the past – but which one is best?...
Returning to your car to find the trademark scratch from a supermarket trolley, or hearing a crunch as you scrape past a wall, is a common occurence for some drivers. Leaving scrapes, scratches and marks on your car's body panels isn't advisable and could leave lasting damage to the paintwork, so it's best to use a scratch remover to take care of them.
Before tackling a scratch on your car, it's worth running your fingernail over it to see how deep it is. If your fingernail catches on the scratch, then it's gone deeper than the top coat of clear paintwork, and will need the attention of a scratch remover.
However, scratch removers come in a variety of forms and at many different price points. Some are pastes which promise to fill in the scratch as you use them, while others are liquids which buff out the scratch to the point where it's no longer visible. In this product test, we've tested eight scratch removers to reveal the one which does the job the best – and the one which is best avoided.
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
1. BEST BUY: Meguiar's Ultimate Compound Colour & Clarity Restorer
Size 450ml
Not only did this compound go smoothly onto every surface we tried, buff to a lovely shine and last for a few weeks, but it also did a great job at tackling scratch removal. A noticeable tree branch scratch was dealt with very well, for example, to the point where you wouldn’t know it was there at all by the end. The Meguiar’s product is solidly in the middle of our set in terms of pricing, and can be used to tackle a range of scratch sizes, or as a general car polish, so it’s a versatile product as well.
What Car? rating Five stars out of five
How we found the best car scratch removers
To find the best scratch remover, we used our chosen products on a test car that had suffered its fair share of scuffs and scrapes in commonly hit areas such as the lower front bumper and bonnet. In each case, we followed the manufacturer’s instructions for use, and assessed how well they dealt with scratches both on the surface and deeper into the paintwork. We rated them on how well they masked the appearance of our scratches and, as always, factored price into our rankings.
2. BEST BUDGET BUY: Turtle Wax Scratch Repair & Renew
Size 207ml
Unlike most of the other scratch removers here, Turtle Wax’s product comes as a paste that you squirt onto your car before working it in with a microfibre cloth. While it didn’t eliminate larger scratches completely, there was a substantial improvement in the appearance of our test car, and smaller scratches all but disappeared. The shine lasted, too, even weeks after the first application. A keen price is the icing on the cake here.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
Other scrath removers to consider
3. AutoGlym Scratch Removal Complete Kit
Size 100ml scratch remover, 100ml polish
We like the idea of this kit, which contains everything you need to give your car some TLC after a nasty scrape. The scratch remover was good at treating even larger scuffs, reducing how visible any damage was, while the polish left our paintwork with a fabulous finish. The included applicator and cloth made applying and polishing easy, too. A high price stops it from finishing higher in this test, however.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
4. Liqui Moly Scratch Stop
Size 200ml
This product is a bright purple colour with a creamy consistency; be careful when applying it, because it’s all too easy to end up with too much on your paintwork. We found it worked effectively on smaller scratches and reduced the visibility of larger ones, but it couldn’t remove them completely. Although Liqui Moly says the product shouldn’t be used on mechanical joints due to its abrasive nature, it can safely be used on plastics and paintwork.
What Car? rating Four stars out of five
5. AutoGlym Super Resin Polish
Size 325ml
Although primarily a polish, AutoGlym says this product can also be used to tackle scratches. The process is the same as many here: apply with a microfibre cloth with light pressure, move it in a circular motion, and finish off with a straight line. We found it to be a good choice if you’re looking to improve the colour clarity of your paintwork or mask a small scratch, but it couldn’t get rid of any of our car’s blemishes completely. Any filler will last for only a few weeks, too, so it will need reapplying if you want to keep your car looking good.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
6. Sonax Xtreme Polish + Wax 3
Size 250ml
This product is another polish and wax, rather than a specific scratch remover. It's simple enough to use, just apply to the paintwork and polish it in with a decent amount of pressure – not enough to cause a sweat but enough to feel like you’re earning it. Lighter scratches on our test car were buffed out and almost unnoticeable after use, but it didn’t work very effectively on larger scratches, merely reducing their appearance rather than getting rid of them completely.
What Car? rating Three stars out of five
7. T-Cut Rapid Scratch Remover
Size 500ml
The T-Cut name is synonymous with scratch removers, and unlike some of the other products here, it’s specifically formulated to remove them from your car, rather than mask them with polish. That means you'll need to use a polish afterwards to finish off your paintwork.
Once you've cleaned your car, use it to target the specific damaged areas. Apply it to scratches and scuffs, and work using a circular motion. T-Cut can be used on metal, enamel, most plastics and glass. The T-Cut worked out a few light scratches easily, which we were pleased with, but it didn’t work well on deeper scratches, which was disappointing for a product specifically designed for the job.
What Car? rating Two stars out of five
And the insect remover to avoid...
8. Car Gods Pure Compound
Size 500ml
For restoring fading paintwork to its former glory, this compound from Car Gods worked a treat. It was also good at tackling light scratches, and helped a little to minimise the appearance of larger ones. However, it’s very expensive, and there are other product here which performed just as well, if not better, for less money.
What Car? rating Two stars out of five
The products or services referenced in this story have been reviewed independently by our experts. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. However, this will never influence our opinion or ratings.
For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here
