3 Ingenious Do-It-Yourself Ways To Fix Small Dents In Your Car

Dent repair can seem impossible without consulting a professional, which usually means making an even larger dent in your wallet. If you have a small dent in your car fender or bumper, take a look at one of the three following do-it-yourself methods. You'll save a great deal of time and money and more than a few headaches.

Using a Plunger

Using a plunger to pop out a car dent might seem almost comical, but more often than not it's a perfectly viable solution for larger dents above the rear wheel wells. Grab a regular rubber plunger and clean off the bottom thoroughly. Then simply place the plunger on the dent and apply moderate pressure before quickly pulling the plunger away from the dent. Repeat as often as necessary.

Using a Hair Dryer and Compressed Air

Another cheap way to remove dents is to use a hair dryer and compressed air. This method works best on small, shallow dents such as those caused by hail. Heat the dented area of your car with a hair dryer for at least thirty minutes. Then immediately apply compressed air to the affected area--up to half of a can--in order to freeze it. The dent should gradually pop out, and assuming you have a hair dryer lying around, you'll only be paying for the can of compressed air. A hair dryer can also be used to remove large bumper dents by simultaneously applying light pressure to the underside of the bumper with a hammer.

Wooden Grips

While this might be the most time-consuming method of the three listed here, it's also probably the most effective for larger dents. Purchase a long wooden dowel at your local hardware store and cut it into several sections, each measuring about four or five inches in length. Drill a hole through the midsection of each dowel and place a metal bolt through it so that both ends of the bolt are visible. Clean the dented area and heat it with a blow dryer for thirty to forty minutes. Then immediately apply hot glue to one end of each dowel and stick all of them (four to six, depending on the size of the dent) around the dented area. Let the glue cool for ten to twenty minutes and then pull off the dowels using the metal bolt for leverage. Carefully scrape off the glue after the dent has been repaired. 

Try these DIY tips to repair a dent, or opt for a professional fix from a car repair service like Foothill Service. 

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