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With the advice laid out here, you should be able to fix a light scratch DIY and with relative ease.

One scenario that all car owners dread is seeing their beloved vehicle suffer a scratch. In many cases, they will be pretty minor, but in other cases, they can seriously impact the overall look of a car. Obviously, there's tons of ways for car scratches to occur. Potential causes include automatic car washes, poor parking, vandalism, and car accidents.

Besides depriving your car of its glossy appearance, the costs of getting professional bodywork done can put a dent in your wallet, especially if your car is among the most expensive ones to repair.

However, we've decided to make life that bit easier by compiling three straightforward methods for removing car scratches. Thankfully, at least one of these approaches should be able to get your car's shiny look back.

Before trying to repair a scratch, it's important to assess its severity first because the depth of a car scratch determines how difficult it will be to fix.

A lighter car scratch can easily be fixed at home, which would save you a lot of money. On the other hand, a deeper scratch would be far more difficult to fix, in which case it’s better to leave it to a professional.

Typically, a car’s paint consists of up to three layers, which are made up of more than a few coats. The toughest bottom layer (called the corrosion preventer) supports the shade. The top layer is made up of lacquer for a shinier finish.

To check the depth of the car scratch, run your fingernail over the scratch. If the depth of the scratch closely matches that of a piece of paper, that’s a light scratch. Anything beyond that point is considered a deep scratch. Don't forget to wash your hands with soap after performing this test, just to be on the safe side.

If you've confidently determined that your car has only suffered a light scratch, then it's time to get your tool kit out.

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No matter which route you decide to take, fixing a car scratch takes quite a bit of patience. But at the end of the day, assuming it's a small scratch, it is achievable.

Scratch repair kits are often the first method considered for repairing lighter scratches. A scratch repair kit should consist of a scratch-removal solution and a buffing pad or a microfiber cloth. You can find scratch repair kits at most auto supply shops or online.

First, apply the scratch-removal solution onto the pad or cloth, making sure that the product is distributed evenly. While a quarter-sized quantity is recommended, the amount of product that should be applied will depend on the severity of the scratch itself.

After the solution is spread on the pad, begin to rub it into the scratch lightly, using either a circular motion or going back and forth. Do this for a couple of minutes, making sure you’ve spread the product on the entire scratch. Be careful not to apply too much pressure or for too long, as this could damage your car's paintwork. Once finished, rub away the excess residue.

To top this up, you could also buy a touch-up kit, which comprises several spray lubricants, abrasive cloths, and wax. With these, you could polish over the repaired area in order to protect the applied product.

Rubbing compounds are easy to use and very similar to the scratch repair solution in how they are applied. As with the previous method, you need to apply the rubbing compound onto a buffing pad, then rub the formula on the scratch.

But unlike the scratch removal solution that sinks into the scratch, the rubbing compound is aggressively rubbed over the scratched area, often in a circular motion to remove the top layer of paint around the area of concern.

Also, the rubbing compound method takes longer but gives a more satisfying finish once a top layer of paint is applied.

Paint is the most effective way of dealing with car scratches and also the last step that follows the other methods mentioned.

If you plan on using paint as your primary method, you will first need to strip away the top layer around the scratched area using sandpaper. We recommend using 1500-grit or 2000-grit sandpaper. You should sand for about 15 seconds, and make sure to check your progress.

Once you’re satisfied with the sand job, rinse and spray sand primer onto the area once it dries up. The primer should take about ten minutes to dry, after which you should apply the primer again and up to three times.

You can then apply paint on top of the primer. Make sure to choose a color that closely matches your car paint, at the very least. Like the primer, apply a few coats of paint.

For a polished finish, apply wax to the painted area, and buff the area with a microfiber cloth using circular motions to spread the wax across the surface.

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Before you use any scratch repair products, make sure to read the instructions indicated. We recommend testing the product on another surface before you begin fixing the scratch, and ensure that you use masking tape when getting started.

All in all, with the advice laid out here, you should be able to fix a light scratch DIY and with relative ease, even if it will take a bit of time and effort. But, if all goes well, you'll not only revitalize your car's appearance but avoid an extra expense in the process.

Wilfred Nkhwazi is a screenwriter, actor, and sports car enthusiast from Blantyre, Malawi. He has written 2 feature films and a thriller trilogy. Wilfred is pursuing an Electric Car Technology program and spends a lot of his time writing for hotcars.com, penning down fast whips, celebrity collections, and everything else in-between. When he isn't writing, he loves to take long drives around the city, make music, and drink hot chocolate.