One thing that most car drivers really dread is getting a dent in their car. There's nothing worse than coming out of a grocery store to find that you've got a dent in your door, fender, trunk, or even on the bumper. Regardless of where the gash is located, dents on your vehicle really suck, and they can be pretty expensive to fix too.
Luckily, there are ways you can go about fixing a car dent DIY. Of course, if the dent is quite big and deep, you may have to take it to a professional. However, if your ride hasn't sustained major damage, you might be able to take care of it DIY with just a few simple steps.
We've put together a one-stop-shop guide to fixing pesky car dents, whether it be from a parking lot incident or as a result of hitting those turns a bit too fast. So, without further ado, here's how you can fix a dent in your vehicle without the help of a professional.
There's Many Ways A Car May Become Dented
When most people think of car dents, they imagine them resulting from incidents with other cars. For example, it might happen if someone parks too close to you and clumsily knocks off your car with their door while exiting their vehicle. While this isn't too uncommon, there are many other potential sources of car dents worth considering. One major cause of these indentations is bad weather. This could come in the form of a large hailstorm or harsh windstorm damage. Vehicles can incur damage from falling rocks or other road debris.
The truth is, none of us are safe from the risk of getting dents in our cars. While many of us will take sufficient precautions to keep our beloved rides safe, there's no way to guarantee they'll stay dent-free. For this reason, even if your vehicle hasn't experienced a dent yet, it's great to know how you could fix one by yourself should an issue arise. This knowledge alone could save you time and money and keep your stress levels down.
Here Are Four Easy Ways To Fix A Car Dent
Of course, the method you should use will depend on the issue at hand and perhaps what equipment you already have at your disposal. Here are some common approaches that people use to remove dents from their vehicles:
The Hairdryer Method
It may sound a little ridiculous, but many car owners successfully use hairdryers to fix dents on their cars. This is possible because the heat applied to the metallic surface of a vehicle can allow the dent to pop out, thus fixing the problem (with a little help from some additional tools).
To achieve this, you're going to need a pair of rubber-coated gloves, aluminum foil, a package of dry ice or a can of compressed air, and a decent hairdryer. To begin with, you should heat the dent up using the hairdryer. Make sure to hold it at least six inches from the surface of your car.
Next, put the gloves on to protect your hands (the area will be pretty hot at this stage) before covering the dent with the piece of foil. Once you've achieved this, rub the dry ice over the foil covering in order to cool the spot. You could use compressed air instead of dry ice, but that's up to you. The rapid change in temperature on the already heated surface will allow the dent to deform. It should take around sixty seconds for this to happen.
You Can Use A Plunger
Another common way to fix a car dent is to do so with a plunger. You might already have one lying around your home, but we’re guessing you’d want to invest in a new one for this. Of course, this is best for particularly small dents since plungers are not that big.
With this method, you just attach the plunger to the dent and pour some water over both before pushing it down and then bringing it back up in the way you’d typically do so with a plunger. Repeat this a few times until the dent pops out. The good thing is this is likely to be far less messy than plunging a toilet.
Boiling Water Is Another Option
Some people simply use boiling water to fix dents. This method is best suited if the depression is present on a plastic bumper or even just another plastic part of your vehicle. With this approach, you need to boil a pot’s worth of water before pouring it over the dented area. Then, reach behind the affected area and push against the indentation. If it's a bumper dent you're dealing with, you may have to remove the bumper to reach it. After you've done this, pour a pot of cold water over the area where the dent initially existed.
Vacuum Cleaner And Bucket
The final method also uses common household tools, making it another easy approach to employ. In this case, you first need to cut a small hole in the bottom of a bucket (the hole should be big enough to support your vacuum cleaner hose). Next, cover the dent with the top of the bucket and put the vacuum cleaner hose over the hole at the bottom of the bucket. Lastly, turn on the vacuum and wait for the dent to disappear like magic.
Keep Your Car Looking Fresh
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Dealing with dents and other cosmetic issues with your car is never fun. But, as much as we value the performance of our prized road machines, we also want them to look good.
The methods presented here should ensure that small blemishes on your ride become a thing of the past in no time. If you find these methods don't work, though, then you may be dealing with a particularly stubborn dent. In that case, you'd want to go to a professional.
But, hopefully, you'll be able to fix your car's small dent DIY and get back to rocking the road with an impeccable ride in no time.