With the increased demand and usage of smartphones, the maintenance cost of an average mobile phone has also increased. It is usual for mobile repair shops to receive a smartphone full of scratches or in fact, a completely smashed one on a daily basis. Because the glass screens and aluminum finishes (plastic in some cases) are very easy to scratch.
The gigantic market for mobile phones these days inspires many people who buy smartphones for the purpose of reselling and making a profit off them. And 80 percent of the phone’s resale value depends on the condition of the hardware of the mobile phone. Scuffs and scratches can result in a price decrease.
If your phone has gotten a scratch (or many scratches), here are some precautions that you must take before you get rid of them:
- Clean your phone.
- Unplug any cables that are connected to your device. For example, charging cable, earphone etc.
- Power off your mobile phone, and remove the battery (if possible).
- Remove the screen protector to check if the scratch is on the actual screen of the phone or the protector.
- Seal all the ports and holes of your smartphones. You can use a tape or anything that works.
- Use a lint-free cloth or cotton swab and be gentle with the cleaning process.
- Do not use liquid or compressed air on the phone to avoid any damage to the display.
- After everything is done, apply a new protector to the phone to avoid any further damage.
Now, once you have taken the necessary measures, use one of these hacks to remove scratches from your smartphone:
Toothpaste
Toothpaste works surprisingly well on glass. It is very popular for this kind of stuff, as it can cure small marks or scratches from the glass of your phone. Toothpaste also has great cleaning abilities. Follow these steps to remove scratches from your phone using toothpaste.
- Apply a small amount of toothpaste on a cotton pad or a lint-free cloth.
- Rub it onto the affected area of the screen.
- Gently continue rubbing in a circular motion until the mark/scratch disappears.
- Then, use a mildly dampened cloth to remove the access toothpaste and clean off the screen.
*Note: This only works with actual whitening toothpaste and will not work with gel-based toothpaste.
Baking Soda
Baking Soda has many healing and cleaning properties. It’s one of the best and most used products for lifehacks. It can even clean old jewelry and make it new. Baking soda does wonders when mixed with vinegar, water, or lemon. In this case, we’re going to be mixing it with water.
- Prepare a mixture by adding ⅔ of baking soda and ⅓ of water and form a thick toothpaste-like paste.
- Apply the mixture onto a small cotton pad and rub it in a circular motion.
- Once the mark disappears, use a slightly wet cloth to clean any residues from the screen.
Sandpapers or Grill Grinders
Rubbing or grinding sandpaper can smooth out scuffs and scratches easily. But this isn’t a method that we would recommend using on your phone’s screen. You can smooth out the scratches on the body of your phone with sandpaper.
- Use the least abrasive type of sandpaper.
- Press it gently against the scratch and start rubbing.
- Be gentle while rubbing the sandpaper to make sure no damage is inflicted upon the mobile phone.
If you are not careful when using this method, you may end up getting even more scratches.
Magic Erasers
Magic Erasers also work surprisingly well on scuffs or scratches. Grab a magic eraser like the ones sold by Mr. Clea. Rub it gently on the scratch until it disappears. They can be abrasive so proceed with caution just like when using sandpaper.
Baby Powder (Talc)
Baby powder works wonders for removing scratches as it is talc-based. Get a bottle of baby powder from your nearby pharmacy or general store. (Any brand will do.) Use the following method to remove scratches.
- Create a paste using baby powder and just water, by mixing 1 part water and 3 parts powder.
- Then, apply the paste directly onto the scratch, and let it sit for a few seconds.
- Grab a lint-free cloth, start rubbing the paste in a circular motion with it, and make sure you do not put pressure or rub too hard.
- When the scratch disappears, clean the rest with a mildly dampened cloth.
You can also use technical talc as a coating to hide or sometimes even remove the scratches from your phone.
Vegetable Oil
Just like technical talc, vegetable oil can be used to hide minor scratches, but it is not a permanent solution.
- Dab a cloth or a cotton swab into vegetable oil.
- Rub it on the scratch.
- Use a dry cloth to remove the oil from the screen.
This will hide your scratch or can even remove it if it is a minor scratch.
Egg and Potassium Aluminum Sulfate
A mixture of egg whites and potassium aluminum sulfate can easily get rid of small scratches. To create this mixture you will need some egg whites, a microfiber cloth, aluminum foil, and alum.
- Heat a mixture of one egg and a teaspoon of alum in a pan up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dip a microfibre cloth and completely soak it in the mixture that you’ve just created.
- Place the cloth in an aluminum foil and wrap it.
- Then, heat the foil in an oven up to 300 degrees until the cloth becomes completely dry.
- Take the cloth out of the oven and rinse with cold water.
- Repeat the process two to three times. And then, let the cloth air dry for 2 days.
- Now, you can use this cloth to remove scratches.
Car Scratch Removal Creams
You can also rub car scratch removal creams on the scratches with a cloth to remove minor scratches from your phone. Creams like turtle wax, Swirl remover, 3M scratch, and others can help you get rid of these annoying scratches.
Car Polish or Wax
This method of scratch removal is the riskiest method of all. Use this method with the utmost caution, as sometimes polishes can remove the screen coating and result in getting even more scratches.
- Carefully pour the polish into a container or a bowl.
- Dab a soft lint-free cloth into the polish.
- Rub the cloth on the scratch in a circular motion until the scratch goes away.
- Use a wet cloth to clean the screen afterward, and get rid of any access polish.
These were the DIY ways to remove scratches from a smartphone. The safest and probably your best bet would be to visit a professional scratch remover company. If that isn’t available, only then you should resort to these methods. These hacks are to be applied with care so you do not harm your mobile phone.
Feel free to let us know if there are any questions or queries that you want to ask.