Are Bumper Stickers On Car Scratches a Good Idea? (Explained)

You must have seen some vehicles around with bumper stickers covering the scratches on their body. Indeed, this is a cheap way of covering up the scratch. But is it really a good idea? You’ll find that out on this page, including the easiest DIY ways to fix car scratches.

Here Is the Short Answer To Whether Leaving Bumper Stickers on Car Scratches Is a Good Idea:

Covering car scratches with bumper sticker is not the best idea. This is because while bumper stickers help to prevent the car from the ugly appearance created by the scratches, it could accelerate the formation of rust on the scratch and subject you to a bigger repair cost.

Is It Recommended To Cover Car Scratches With Bumper Stickers?

No one would recommend covering car scratches with bumper stickers. It is not the best measure to use. Using bumper stickers to cover car scratches is just a temporary fix to the ugly spot, and you shouldn’t rely on it as a long-term fix.

Most times, people resort to covering their car scratches with bumper stickers since it is a cheap measure, and it buys them time to fix the vehicle later. Of course, it is important to fix the scratches on your vehicle even if the sticker looks perfect on the dented spot.

This is because of the potential damage that leaving the scratch on the vehicle for a long period could cause. On this note, make sure you check the 9 rules of bumper stickers you must follow.

Can Bumper Stickers on Scratches Prevent Rust?

Bumper stickers cannot prevent rust. They can only cover the scratches on the vehicle to prevent an unpleasant appearance. That’s even if the scratch falls on a spot suitable for sticker use.

The truth is, bumper stickers can even accelerate the buildup of rust on the spot where you have scratches on your vehicle. This is because rust mostly occurs when metal comes into contact with water or moisture.

Truly, bumper stickers will protect the scratches while covering them against sun and rain. However, it could also endanger the dented spots when water or moisture eventually gets to penetrate into the scratched areas.

A buildup of moisture can occur if the water remains stored in the scratched area, as it is covered. If this happens, the dented area will rust faster to your dissatisfaction.

Is There a Risk That the Bumper Sticker Will Make It Worse?

Leaving bumper stickers on car scratches for a long time could actually worsen the dented situation. This happens, especially when you use bumper stickers with a weak tack adhesive.

Most car bodies are made of metal, and metal is no friend of moisture. When scratches occur on the body of a car, it exposes the metal underneath the body paint.

So, if you use a bumper sticker with a weak tack adhesive, it could eventually allow a buildup of moisture in the dented area. Even if you use stronger stickers, the sticker could eventually get punctured and allow water to creep into the scratches.

These are risky situations for the vehicle’s body, as it can lead to a quicker formation of rust on the scratched areas. On this note, make sure you read about how bumper stickers affect a car’s value here.

What Is the CHEAPEST Way To Fix Car Scratches?

The cheapest way to fix car scratches is using a nail polish and a sand paper.

Funny, right? You can actually use nail polish to fix car scratches that are not too deep. You might need a sandpaper to first smoothen the dented areas before applying the polish.

Here are the things to do:

• Smoothen the scratches with a sandpaper. It is important to do this gently to avoid damaging the vehicle’s body.
• Get a matching nail polish and apply it lightly on the scratch.
• Clean the excesses with a damp cloth.

Can You Fix a Scratch Yourself?

You can actually fix a scratch yourself as long as it’s not a very serious one. With either of the domestic tools mentioned above, a scratch remover, or a rubbing compound, you can fix light scratches yourself.

If the scratch is light, painting or polishing it can restore the vehicle’s neat appearance. You just have to first use a sandpaper to smoothen the dented areas.

However, if it’s a deep scratch, you’ll need to first sand fill the affected area before smoothening it with a sandpaper. It’s important to do these before painting or polishing the scratched area for best results.

What Are the EASIEST DIY Ways To Fix Car Scratches?

Aside from the use of a nail polish, here are three other methods you can use to fix car scratches yourself:

1. Shoe Polish

Applying a shoe polish on car scratches is almost the same as applying a nail polish. The only difference is that a shoe polish is best used to fix scratches on a black car.

Before applying the polish, you’ll have to clean the dented areas. And, after you’ve carefully covered the scratches with the polish, you might also need to clean off the excesses around the area.

You can use a sandpaper to do this. Just ensure you do it lightly to avoid further damage to the top coat of vehicle’s body paint.

2. Toothpaste

Tooth paste is one of the cheapest and fastest ways you can use to fix car scratches. Since almost everyone has a toothpaste, we could even argue that it is the cheapest.

Mind you, you can best apply toothpaste on light scratches, especially those that didn’t clear off the top coat on your vehicle. Toothpaste can help make such scratches less obvious.

All you have to do is:

• Get a whitening toothpaste.
• Clean up the affected areas on the vehicle’s body.
• Get a damp cloth and apply the toothpaste on it.
• Clean up the affected areas with the cloth, in a circular motion, until the scratch fades off or becomes less visible.

3. Scratch Kit

While this may not be as cheap as using the household tools stated earlier, it helps you save some bucks you’ll spend when you take your vehicle to an auto shop.

Scratch kits usually contain a sandpaper and a spray attachment. With the kit, you can easily smoothen the scratch surface with the sandpaper before painting or polishing the scratch to restore the vehicle’s appearance.

However, if it’s a deep scratch, you’ll have to first sand fill the affected area, smoothen it, before painting/polishing it.

You can also check the 11 best methods you can use to remove bumper stickers here.

Final Thoughts

You may have seen different people used bumper stickers to cover the scratches on their vehicles. That doesn’t mean it’s a recommended practice.

Using bumper stickers to cover car scratches is just like extending one’s woes to the future, which may eventually turn out worse.

While it’s cool to use this method for a short while, to enable you to get the right materials needed to fix the car, it’s risky to leave a sticker on a scratch for a long while.

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