We’ve all been there. You park up and sleep easy, knowing your vehicle is safe, then return to find a new ding taunting you from a panel of bright metal. Sometimes, the rage is justified! However, before you give up and spend a significant amount of money at the body shop, understand that you can remove dents on your own using this helpful how-to guide.

Important Note: Before attempting any of the above procedures, you must clean the dented area. Grease and grime can make it more difficult to work with and can even lead to scratches.

How to Remove Dents on a Car: Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

Try one of these two DIY denting techniques if the damage is shallow—the divots don't penetrate through to the other side—and it's probably the result of a minor bump or hail.

The Plunger Method: When it comes to dent removal, your local suction-plunger can be a superhero! For small, shallow dents, slip a plastic bag or cling wrap over the plunger head to provide a smooth surface. To create suction, press the suction cup firmly over the dent, then pull firmly but smoothly. If everything works out, the section will pop out!
The Hot Water Method: This involves heating the substance and then hoping for it to evaporate. Hot water will warp anything, so use it carefully and slowly. Only use heat-causing DIY dent pullers, such as plungers or compressed air cans, for plastic auto parts. Pour a teakettle's worth of boiling water on the dent, followed immediately by blasts of compressed air (from those cans available at any hardware store) aimed at the dent from several feet away. Temperature changes can cause the plastic to contract and force the pooch back out.

How to Remove Dents on a Car: Going a Step Further

For deeper indentations or those with sharper folds, the following may be more effective:

Dent Puller Kits: You’ll find these at most auto parts stores. Essentially, you take out one of the attachments based on the shape of the dent (there will be several included), inject hot glue into the center, screw a slide hammer attachment on top of the pull tab from the kits, and slowly pull. You don’t want to pull it too hard, or else the dent will get worse.
DIY Paintless Dent Repair (PDR): A little more skill is involved, but this can actually work well with practice. Following the paintless dent repair (PDR) method, you use a series of tools to access the back of the dent from the inside of the body panel and massage the dent out with leverage and pressure. DIY PDR kits are available, but this takes time and practice to master; if you have a lot of dents or they’re more complex, you might be better off having a PDR technician do it for you.

How to Remove Dents in a Car: When to Call in the Experts

There are times when professional help is best, and here's when to call in a dent repair specialist.

Major dents or large creases: After a DIY repair, a larger hole may not respond, or the metal may crack. Professionals have the equipment to set up your car.
Dents in curved body panels: Getting dents out of curved body panels requires the use of more specialised techniques and tools.
Damaged paint: Only a body shop can repair dents that have cracked or chipped the paint.

How to remove dents from a car: Prevention is key

Sure, it’ll give you a feeling of power to know about the nuts and bolts of dent repair, but avoiding the dent in the first place would be even better. So, let's start by avoiding the dreaded dent in the first place. Here are some great tips to help you keep your car dent-free.

Park Wisely: Whenever possible, park your car in a well-lit area of low traffic so that, if you are unlucky, your car door will only sustain damage from a door ding.
Buy car covers. If you park your car under the open sky, it deserves a car cover. This will protect your car against hail damage, falling debris, and even wayward stray balls!
Maintain a safe distance behind the car in front of you. Far enough away, anyway. It gives you precious seconds of reaction time for abrupt stopping (in the case of an errant truck) and a great big dent.
Beware of Tight Areas: Keep an eye out when you're taking your car into garages. Because it is so tight, it would be difficult if your vehicle got hit or if you made a turn that was a little too sharp.
Add protective trim: Unprotected areas of your car, like the door panels and bumpers, are like bullseyes on the expensive parts of your vehicle. For those, you might want to think about protective trim.

How to Remove Dents on a Car: A Guide to Living with Dents

The unfortunate truth is that things are going to happen eventually. If you decide to live with your minor dent, here’s what you should know:

Look for rust: Body dents can trap moisture, which can lead to rust. If you maintain the body's cleanliness, driving in this condition should be safe for a brief duration. However, check the dents periodically for signs of rust. If rust forms, acting quickly (e.g., touching up the paint) could prevent further damage.
Take cosmetic touch-ups as an example: a dent on your car might seem like a big deal, but if it doesn’t affect the outer structure of the chassis, you’ve got the option of camouflaging the blemish using touch-up paint.
Keep it in perspective: a little ding is just a surface-level thing. Embrace your car’s little scars as reminders of a beautiful, imperfect world.

The final word: how to remove dents from a car

Removing car dents can be a satisfying endeavour. For some minor dents, using the right equipment and following some basic techniques can return your car to its original smooth appearance. This is a progressive process, so try some of the simpler techniques before moving on to more involved methods, and know your limitations, unless you're already a master dent-remover. If the dent is too complex, enlist the help of a professional. Treating your car to that silky, smooth look is worth the effort. And keep your pride and joy looking their best!

Just remember to assess the severity of the dent and choose the right approach. Sometimes a minor dent is the place to try your hand at DIY; other times, you should leave the more challenging repairs to the pros. Either way, you'll have a car free of dents and a happy driver!

How to Remove Dents on a Car: From Minor Mishaps to Diy Magic