Can You Really Fix Car Dents With Cheap Cans Of Compressed Air? (And Should You?)

Car repairs can be a real headache. Many of us rely on our vehicles on a daily basis, shuttling our kids to school or making the trek to the office and back. A repair that isn't urgent is easy to put off, and it can be tempting to try an at-home fix on your own. A dented bumper may look unsightly, but is it worth losing your trusty steed for several days?

There's also the cost to consider. Repairing a dent could run you anywhere from $50 to a couple of thousand, based on the complexity of the repair and if a paint job is required. Depending on your insurance coverage and how the dent occurred, you could be on the hook for the majority of that repair. If you're frustrated about the potential cost, you may seek an alternative method to fixing a dent — a can of compressed air.

The process is fairly simple. All you need is that can of air and a hairdryer. You heat up the dent with the dryer for a few minutes, making the metal softer, then shake the can of air, hold it upside down, and spray it over the dent. This cools the metal and, in theory, the dent should disappear. Does it really work? Unfortunately, no. This is one DIY method of removing dents from your car that rarely works in the real world, though some people claim to have had success with minor dents.

If there's the slightest possibility that this at-home technique might work, you may be asking yourself whether there's any harm in giving it a try, anyway. But be warned, using this method could actually cause more damage to your car. The risk is low, but you could overheat the adjacent plastic or rubber, resulting in unsightly blemishes. Concentrating the dryer on one spot for too long can also damage the paint, and the cold from the air canister could do a number on the paint or the clear coat. Most importantly, rapidly heating and then cooling the metal could make the dent worse, or create a new flaw. But most likely, you'll just be wasting your time. The standard household hairdryer does not produce enough heat to make sheet metal malleable.

If you're determined to try to fix that dent at home, consider getting a dent puller like the ones sold at Harbor Freight. Its cheapest repair kit costs about $16 and uses a hot glue gun to attach the tools, keeping your paint safe. It's only intended for small dings and dents, not big repairs. Although these kits seem to work for some people, they may only improve the appearance of the damage without completely erasing it. If you're too nervous to try an at-home repair kit, or you want to ensure the damage is perfectly repaired, you should visit a body shop. We recommend you call several to find the best deal, and look at reviews to see what other customers have to say and avoid getting ripped off.