This scuff-removing hack is going viral on TikTok. But is it really worth risking your paint job?
Everyone loves a good, cheap car hack—especially when it uses items you might already have lying around. Getting a scratch professionally buffed out of your car varies widely. It can cost anywhere from $50 to upwards of $1,500, depending on the severity of the scratch, your detailer’s expertise, and the sort of paint you have underneath.
It’s no wonder a person might turn to a more cost-effective solution.
In a viral video with more than 1.9 million views, content creator Laiya (@laiya.xo) shared the cheap and easy way you can remove a scratch mark on your car. In the video, Laiya showed that her red Ford Fusion had minor white scratch marks from a hit and run she was the victim of.
She planned to get the marks off with a simple combo: Comet cleaning powder, a rag, and a bit of water.
“Let’s see if this [expletive] will work,” Laiya said.
She added a bit of water and powder to her rag and started to rub the mix on the front of her car. To her surprise, the scratches seemed to go away in an instant. But it also started to peel a bit of her paint off, so Laiya quickly reversed course and washed the mix off.
“I think this works,” Laiya said, smiling. “This hack actually [expletive] works. Wow.”
Laiya had some doubters who accused her of faking the results with editing tricks or said she lied about them being scratch marks when it was just something removable like dried bugs or bird poop. She assured her audience that these were real scratches from a hit-and-run.
In a follow-up video, Laiya showed that the results held up after two days. While the hack seemed to work beautifully, after it fully dried, the scratches were still there.
“Should you guys try this hack on your cars? No. Apparently, there are actual products to take out scratches in paint,” Laiya said.
“I think you guys should use those which are approved by actual detailers than trying a hack on TikTok like I did.”
“It’s not for cars with clear coats as it will scratch them and make the paint all dull and hazy. It’s the down and dirty way of removing oxidation,” a member of a car forum explained of the so-called Comet hack.
There’s a reason buffing comes with a higher price point. The buffing process simultaneously removes the scratch while polishing and cleaning your car underneath. This restores the car’s original glossiness and can help maintain its resale value.
“Be careful it might look great, but you are scratching the clear coat off your car that actually protects the paint from peeling DONT DO THIS!!” a top comment reads.
“I feel like that would make it worse cause it’s basically liquid sandpaper,” a person pointed out.
“Girl you’re BRAVE. Comet is abrasive as a cleaner this scared me,” another wrote.
Motor1 reached out to Laiya for comment via TikTok direct message and Comet via email. We’ll update this post if either responds.
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