TikTok's Viral Hack For Car Scratches: Why We're Skeptical
With the rise of short-form video content, it's common for a video to go viral on TikTok or Instagram almost every day. More often than not, videos posted for fun resonate with tons of people and can quickly break hundreds of thousands views before you know it. Other times, strange life hacks using everyday household essentials surface on TikTok and Instagram Reels, and go viral.
One such example is a TikTok video created by @victordiastv, who has an audience of over 2.3 million followers on the platform. Victor Dias uses his platform to test out hacks and products, from testing out instant floor cleaning solutions to attempting to create a homemade 3D hologram projector. His videos break millions of views, and his recent TikTok video testing whether coconut oil and white vinegar can be used to remove scratches from a vehicle was no exception.
@victordiastv How to remove car scratches
In the video, Victor begins by aggressively scratching the back of his Range Rover. He then concocts a solution of coconut oil and white vinegar, stirs it well, and spreads it on his car using a microfiber cloth. While the hack seemed to work in his TikTok, you might want to think twice before attempting this yourself just to save a trip to your body shop.
Does the hack really work?
Unfortunately, you can't completely prevent your car's paint from chipping away. Habits like placing your car's metal keys on your car while you're holding four cups of coffee and takeout can scratch and ruin your vehicle's paint. Now, we aren't going to say that wiping a scratch with a mixture of coconut oil and white vinegar is totally ineffective. However, this hack only works on clear coat scuffs, which are superficial scratches that don't affect your car's paint.
When you apply the coconut oil and white vinegar mixture, the coconut oil fills the scuff marks, making the scratches less visible. However, once the mixture begins to wear off and the coconut oil evaporates, the scratches will reappear. As such, we recommend steering clear of this TikTok hack. Otherwise, all you'll be left with a greasy vehicle that needs cleaning. If you scrub too hard, you might even end up making the scratches worse.
While this hack will work temporarily for minor scratches, it won't work on deeper scratches that have penetrated your car's paint. While some DIY tricks for scratch removal can make a difference, we recommend seeking a long-term fix for anything that has permanently damaged your car's exterior by taking it to a professional auto body shop.