The Best DIY Methods For Removing Dents From Your Car
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If you are a vehicle owner, chances are you might wind up getting an accidental dent or ding that you may have to cough up extra money to fix. Depending on the severity, you can spend an arm and a leg and take it to a professional body shop — or you can go ham and fix it by yourself (yes, it's totally possible). Believe it or not, there are many tried and tested, professionally-approved DIY methods that anyone can do to fix dents and dings in their car. It involves using simple tools that you find around the house and cost you little to no money (via Carvana). And, you don't have to be a car expert, either, for any of them to be successful.
These tips can help to restore your car back to its pristine state, so you don't have to stress or break the bank in the process.
Heat is key
Removing a dent in your car is sometimes as simple as pouring hot water on it. You may need to see it to believe it, but this is a proven method by car experts and people who've banged up their cars alike. Don't expect this to work if you smashed your car, but for minor dents due to parking mishaps, hail, and even accidental grocery cart collisions (more common than you may think), this method might save you a boatload of money.
There are two ways to go about doing this. You can either use a combination of hot water and a plunger, or your bare hands. If you are using a plunger, first fill a container with boiling hot water and pour it over the affected area. Then, take a wet plunger (it's important for it to be wet, so it can stick to the surface) and hover it directly on top of the dent. The plunger is a powerful suction tool, and you should be able to get the dent to pop out by pushing hard and pulling it. If you do it correctly, the dent should straighten out in a matter of minutes (via Solid Smack).
If you don't have a plunger available, your hands work equally as well. It may take a tad bit longer for it to work, though. Again, pour a container of hot water over the dent. Afterward, place your hands behind the car's metal wall, and push until you hear the dent pop out.
A blast of hot and cold
One of the most popular hacks on the internet to remove car dents is to use a hair dryer plus compressed air. However, it's been proven that this DIY tip is a dud, and will not work for most car dents. A more effective tip you can use is to ditch the hair dryer and get a heat gun that you can buy in any home improvement store. This tool blasts heat up to temperatures of 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit and is more likely to smooth over the damage.
All you have to do is heat up the dent, as well as the area a few inches outside of the dent to make it pliable. After about three to five minutes, spray the heated area with a round of compressed air. You'll see a layer of ice form over the dent, and when it starts to melt, the dent should pop out (via Car Capsule).
Use an all-in-one set
Many car owners swear by dent removal kits for the times when they want to avoid sending your car to the body shop. No car repair experience is necessary to use them, and only demand your patience and some of your time in order to see results(via Family Handyman). These kits work well on small and medium-sized dings and can save a lot of money and energy in the long run. And, the best part is that you'll still be able to drive your car around while you fix it.
They are inexpensive too. Most of these kits cost between $50 to $100 (via Amazon) and unless the dents in your vehicle are the size of craters or your vehicle is completely wrecked, they should do the trick.
These dent removal kits include tools that can remove blemishes efficiently such as a suction cup, glue gun, dent lifter, hammer, shovel, rod, and more.