How To Fix A Small Dent In A Car - J.D. Power

Do-It-Yourself Dent Repair

If a dent is small and there is no damage to the paint, some car owners may consider repairing it themselves. There are several do-it-yourself methods to fix dents using everyday household items. None of them are guaranteed to work, but they are all worth trying if saving money is a priority. If the DIY effort is unsuccessful, a specialist is just a phone call away.

Here’s How to Get a Dent Out of a Car Using Household Items:

The first approach involves boiling water and is geared more toward dents on plastic parts, such as bumpers. Pour boiling water over the dent and then push the dent out from the backside of it. This method will only work if you can reach behind the dent. If the dent pops out, pour cold water onto the same spot to quickly re-harden the plastic.

An ordinary plunger can also repair certain dents, especially those that are a little wider and shallower than the typical one-inch ding. Aside from clearing drains and pipes, a plunger's ability to act as a suction cup can potentially pull sheet metal back into place. Simply pour water over the dented area and use the plunger in a gentle push-pull motion. Continue this action until the dent pops out, but if it does not work within the first five or six pulls, move on to another method.

You can also use a vacuum cleaner to create a suction effect. First, make a hole at the bottom of a food storage container. Place the container over the hole and let the vacuum cleaner suck out the air through the hole. The dent should pop out in less than a minute.

Dent Removal Kit:

If none of the household methods work, it is time to invest in a dent removal kit. These kits are successful at popping most minor dents. Available in a range of designs and sizes, you can purchase a kit online or at an auto parts store. Not only should these kits cost far less than hiring a professional, but you can repurpose them to repair future dents as well. 

Dent repair kits range from $6 to around $200 depending on your needs. One of the more affordable options is the $13.99 Albrta Dent Puller which comes with 2.24-inch and 4.5-inch diameter suction cups and is designed for ease of use on flat surfaces. To start dent repair using this tool, clean and dry the impacted surface. Then, select a suction cup that is smaller than the diameter of the dent, place it on dent, and carefully apply pressure to the suction cup while closing the handles together. Complete the process by slowly removing the suction as you return the surface to its pre-dent level. 

There are more sophisticated dent removal kits such as the Fly5D Dent Removal Rods Kit which features 10 stainless steel dent rods, a T-bar puller, a rubber leveling hammer, and a 100-watt hot glue gun. However, this versatility comes at a price of $189.99 as of this writing. Fortunately, there is a plethora of more affordable kits available designed to treat the size and shape of your dent. 

As with all DIY processes, follow the kit manufacturer’s instructions carefully to get the best result.