How to remove scratches from a refrigerator: eliminating defects, polishing
Content:
External defects definitely spoil the appearance of household appliances. Knowing how to remove scratches from a steel-colored, white or silver refrigerator, you can return your equipment to its original appearance at any time. After eliminating the damage, it is necessary to polish so that the restored area does not stand out against the general background. Scratches can be removed using professional and folk remedies. Such work will not take much time and will please you with its results.
Causes of scratches
Damage to the external surfaces of the refrigerator may occur due to careless handling. Sometimes the lack of space in the kitchen takes its toll. Most often, scratches appear under the influence of the following factors:
- transportation without protective packaging;
- moving in tight spaces with many protruding corners;
- installation next to interior doors;
- use of abrasive cleaning products;
- washing with wire wool.
Scratches can also occur when accidentally touched with a sharp object, such as a knife blade.Refrigerators are often scratched by children and pets. It is advisable not to leave damage to enamel surfaces for a long time, otherwise the scratched areas may suffer from corrosion, which will complicate subsequent repairs.
Removing scratches
Professional products will help you deal with scratches quickly and easily. Their only drawback is the relatively high price. If you don’t want to spend money, you can use folk remedies for restoration. They are selected on a case-by-case basis based on the color and material of the surface.
Specialized means
Before using any compositions, the external surfaces of the refrigerator should be washed. The unit is disconnected from the network and wiped with a soft cloth soaked in a detergent solution. Then the remaining dirt and soap composition is washed off with clean water, rinsing the rag several times. After this, the refrigerator is wiped dry. If there are traces of grease on the door and walls, you can remove them with a solution of table vinegar mixed half and half with water. Now you can begin restoring the damaged areas using one of the purchased specialized products.
"WD-40"
The product is designed to protect metal from corrosion. It can be used to remove scuffs and scratches on a stainless steel refrigerator. The composition is available in the form of an aerosol, which makes it easier to apply. The product is sprayed onto the scratched surface, which is then wiped with a paper napkin. The procedure is repeated until the result is obtained.
"RUNWAY"
The products of this brand include polishes and pastes for car body repair. The RUNWAY scratch remover is also suitable for removing defects on the surface of the refrigerator. The product is sold in the form of a special pencil.With its help, you can restore the attractive appearance of scratched and worn surfaces and restore shine. Refrigerators of any color can be treated with polish.
"SONAX"
Another car polish that you can use. The paste is squeezed out of the tube onto a foam sponge and rubbed into the damaged area. SONAX is suitable for white and colored refrigerators and is used for minor scratches and abrasions.
Repair kit
On sale you can find a special kit for the restoration of metal surfaces. With its help, you can easily tidy up your stainless steel refrigerator. The kit includes several types of sandpaper, special lubricant and a sanding block. So that the buyer does not have any questions, the manufacturer supplies the set with a disk with visual instructions. It's best to use fine-grain paper first. If the damage remains, use sandpaper with a coarser grain. At the last stage, the entire metal surface is polished. You need to act by sliding up and down in the chosen direction.
Folk remedies
If the damage is small and looks like scuffs, they can be easily removed using folk remedies. Usually, everything needed for this is already in the house, so there is no need to buy anything.
Baby oil
You can polish the refrigerator after unsuccessful cleaning with abrasive powder using baby oil. You will need very little of it. Apply a few drops of oil to a clean, soft cloth and rub into the surface in a circular motion. The product must be distributed evenly, and its excess must be removed by blotting with a dry cloth. Instead of baby oil, you can use body, hair, or cuticle oil.After this treatment, the damage will become invisible.
Toothpaste
Toothpaste is often used for other purposes than its intended purpose. It is used to clean shoes and silver jewelry, mask holes in walls, and paint windows. The hygiene product is also suitable for restoring refrigerator surfaces. Toothpaste with large abrasive particles will not work. The composition should have a mild effect. Of course, do not use colored toothpaste, only white. It is convenient to apply it with an old toothbrush. The composition is distributed over the entire area of the damage and allowed to dry. After this, the surface is polished with a piece of rag.
Wax
If you have a wax-based polish in your home, you can use that. A little polishing paste is heated in a water bath and rubbed into the scuffs in the refrigerator. This technique allows you to hide roughness. If it was not possible to obtain the desired result the first time, the procedure is repeated. The fabric should be soft and lint-free.
Painting scratches according to surface color
Of course, the restoration product is selected taking into account the color of the surface. To make scratches on colored, gray and silver refrigerators invisible, use colorless compounds - oils, wax, grease. These substances fill the grooves and make scratches invisible. Of course, the effect will be achieved if the damage is minor.
You can paint over a scratch on a white refrigerator with toothpaste. Deep damage can be repaired with a corrector designed to correct errors in the text, or with white nail polish.If the surface of a colored refrigerator is damaged and has deep scratches on it, it is better to completely repaint the unit by choosing acrylic paint for metal, automotive nitro enamel, polyurethane or epoxy paint.
The composition can be applied using a spray bottle or roller in 2-3 layers. It is convenient to use paint in a can. Each layer should dry for 40-50 minutes after application. Parts that should not be painted are protected from paint with cling film or masking tape. Before starting work, cover the floor and walls near the refrigerator with newspapers. If gloss is needed, the last layer is applied with acrylic spray varnish.
How to remove scratches from plastic parts
Plastic is a soft material, so it is damaged more often than metal. Over time, many small and sometimes deep scratches appear on the plastic parts of the refrigerator. Fixing defects is not at all difficult if you know how to do it. First, the surface with scratches must be washed with soapy water and dried.
You can polish defects with one of the following products:
- "Bon Ami"
- "Comet"
- "Ajax".
You can use GOI paste, wax, or a special marker for this purpose. To remove a deep groove, use not a scratch remover, but a regular lighter. It needs to be brought to the problem area at a distance of 1 cm and light a fire. The heated plastic will begin to melt and level itself, filling the depression. Do not bring the lighter close to the plastic part, so as not to make things worse.
Ways to disguise scratches
Sometimes there are too many scratches or there are chips on the surface that have a significant area of abrasion. In other cases, the refrigerator looks decent but has some spot damage. In both cases, you don’t have to bother with polishes and paints, but use decorating methods.
For example, a shabby refrigerator will gain a “second youth” if you cover it with a beautiful film. In construction stores, adhesive-based film coating is available in an assortment; it can be selected to suit any design. To prevent deep scratches from showing through the film, their edges are smoothed with sandpaper. Then the recesses are filled with putty. Before pasting, wash the refrigerator with a soap and soda solution to degrease the surfaces. Then you can start gluing the film.
If a chip or even a dent appears on the door as a result of an impact, you can use a decorative magnet, which travel and home decor lovers often decorate their refrigerators with. Vinyl stickers are used for the same purpose. Another option is to purchase a magnetic slate board. Essentially it's one big magnet. You can write on such a board with crayons and attach notes to it for your household. This idea will definitely interest young couples and families with children.
Replacing the door
If the scratches cannot be covered well or there are too many scratches, the door may need to be replaced. This is a costly and troublesome matter. You will have to contact the service center or the manufacturer of the unit to get the required part. Without the help of specialists, repairs will not be possible.
The feasibility of replacing the door should be assessed based on the cost of the spare part and the general condition of the refrigerator. If the unit is of a reliable brand, works well and has no other defects, it makes sense to update its appearance in this way.
Prevention Tips
If you are going to transport the refrigerator to another apartment, it is better to place it in the original packaging (if preserved), or wrap it in bubble wrap. You also need to move the unit in the kitchen with caution, avoiding contact with the corners and ends of the furniture. During transportation, the refrigerator is secured in a vertical position, tied to the wall of the van with straps. If the equipment falls, it can receive not only chips and scratches, but also damage to internal parts, which will lead to breakdown and further repair.
Do not wash the refrigerator using wire wool, hard brushes, or coarse abrasive powders. If the stains are old and cannot be washed off, apply a cleaning spray to them and wash off the dissolved dirt with water, and then wipe dry with a soft cloth. Today it is not a problem to buy mild but effective products for removing grease, limescale, and rust.
Before you cover your entire refrigerator with magnets, think carefully about whether you might want to remove the cute trinkets later. Magnets often leave scuffs and scratches on the surface, especially if you move the decor from place to place. To move a decorative element on a magnetic base, it is better to do this by applying a tearing force rather than by sliding it along the surface. Dark stripes after magnets can be easily removed using a melamine sponge.
It is important for any housewife that the kitchen looks neat. Clean and smooth surfaces of the refrigerator will add a pleasant impression, because this unit takes up a lot of space in the kitchen space. It is better to handle the refrigerator carefully, avoiding scratches, chips and scuffs.If external defects do appear, they can be eliminated using professional and folk remedies, and then the surface can be polished. The method is selected based on the color of the refrigerator. Plastic parts are treated with other means suitable for this material.