How To Remove Scratches In Acrylic

Scratches in acrylic may be annoying and seem impossible to remove, but the truth of the matter is that scratches aren’t always the end of the world. There are limitations of course, like if the scratches are extremely deep in the acrylic, or the entire surface is frosted over with a plethora of tiny scratches. But for the most part, scratches in acrylic are reversible. This guide will tell you how to remove scratches from acrylic using multiple different methods and a couple of tips for the process. 

The first step

You should ensure that the plastic you intend to work with is actually acrylic. Different types of plastic such as acrylic and polycarbonate react differently to different cleaning methods, so it is important to identify which type of plastic you’re working with before you do anything. 

Acrylic is used for furniture, splashbacks, picture frames, and toys to name a few. It is also almost 35% cheaper than polycarbonate, which is why it is used for cheap decorative pieces and toys. The easiest way to identify acrylic is by testing its flexibility. Acrylic can only be bent after it is heated, but polycarbonate will bend even when under no particular temperature pressure at all. 

Once you have identified whether the plastic you intend to remove the scratches from is acrylic or not, you can start the process. 

How to remove scratches from acrylic 

One of the best ways to remove scratches in acrylic is by using a specialised plastic cleaner. 

• Plastic Cleaner - We recommend using Vuplex Plastic Cleaner because the ingredients used to make it won’t damage plastic surfaces. Some of the benefits of this plastic cleaner is that it adds a thin wax layer to the surface of the plastic, fills any scratches, restores the shine of the plastic, and implements a natural water-resistant barrier all at once.
• Scratch filler - Scratch filler isn’t the answer to all scratches in acrylic. Scratch filler is only really intended for very light surface scratches and will do nothing for deep scratches. We recommend Xerapol Scratch Remover to fill scratches in acrylic. It is essentially a paste that you push into the scratches that dries and fills the dips. It is extremely effective against very light surface scratches and will make you forget that there was even a scratch there in the first place. 

How to restore shine

Removing scratches in acrylic provides you with the perfect opportunity to restore some shine to your acrylic. Most scratch fillers or plastic cleaners will add a little more sparkle to your acrylic, so you don’t need to worry about taking any extra steps. 

Preparation tips

The first tip concerning how to remove scratches from acrylic is ensuring that none of the cleaning products you use to prepare the surface contain ammonia. This will cause a chemical reaction that will make your acrylic look hazy. Generally, you should check whether the cleaning product you use is compatible with acrylic, or else you could run the risk of permanently damaging it. 

When getting rid of dust before filling the scratches or using plastic cleaner, ensure that you use a clean cloth dampened with clear water to do so. The presence of dirt or dust that could make its way into the scratches you aren’t quite finished working on, could make them look dirty and reveal their presence further. Attempting to wipe the dust away with a dry cloth out of convenience will embed the dirt in the scratches. 

Know that not all plastic is salvageable

Before you lose your mind trying to remove thousands of tiny scratches, or even one large, extremely deep one, you should consider that not every plastic sheet is salvageable. If the scratches in your acrylic are deeper than 5mm into the surface, they can not be filled effectively. Additionally, the labour required to remove all those tiny scratches may not end up being worth it. 

Sometimes it is easier to simply purchase more acrylic sheets than to spend hours asking yourself how to remove scratches from acrylic and labouring over a task that may prove unsuccessful. 

What can we do?

Here at Sheet Plastics, we have every accessory you could need for your acrylic sheet installation, maintenance, and repair. If you’re looking for something in particular that you don’t see on our website, please don’t hesitate to contact us!