City driving comprises many things. You will get a lot of traffic, noises, and unwanted dents in your car. While you can manage noises and traffic with some tweaks and intelligent driving, dents can cause havoc, especially if you’re rolling your new Jaguar or any other luxury car for the first time.
Although you can take your car to a repair shop and fix dents, the charges for repairing dents may surprise you. So is there a better option? Yes, sometimes a little know-how can help you fix this problem, and in this article, we will tell you how a bowl of boiling water can save your time, effort, and money.
How To Remove Dent with Hot Water
- Boil water in a teapot or other utensils
- Let it come to a proper rolling boil
- Wear a glove
- Pour the hot water into the dented area
- After pouring the water, use your hand or any blunt tool to release the dent. Pro Tip – Use a plunger
- After you have the bumper in the original position, pour some cold water to help it to retain the shape
Since the plastic/metal is warm and soft, you should be able to remove the dent with this simple DIY technique. Usually, for plastic bumpers just pouring hot water once is enough to fix the dent. For metal, you may have to repeat these steps multiple times to remove the dent.
If all goes well, you will be able to remove the dent without putting in too much effort, time, and undoubtedly free of cost.
Why Does It Work?
Boiling water can soften your car’s surface, allowing you to work your way out and repair the dented area.
Since most cars today have plastic bumpers, removing dents is more convenient. Plastics are more supple than other materials, so removing or releasing dents in vehicles with plastic bumpers is easier.
Will Boiling Water Damage Car Paint?
Boiling water can cause serious harm to different surfaces, including plastics. Hot water can change a plastic’s chemical composition, which can be harmful. Since you are using boiling water to release dent, you might think that it might harm your car’s paint.
If this thought is daunting to your DIY project, don’t worry! Car manufacturers have got your back.
Since manufacturers cover their car’s paint with finishes that keep it protected and shiny, pouring hot water will not harm the paint. These finishes coat the paint with a thicker layer that allows liquids or other substances to slide over the surface without affecting the paint.
So it is safe to pour boiling water over a bumper without damaging your car’s paint.
Is It Safe to Remove a Car Door Dent by Using Hot Water?
Technically, hot water will fix most dents in your car. You can follow the above process to remove or release dents from your car’s door. It is one of the most convenient and effortless methods of removing a dent.
So are there any caveats/dangers? Although hot water succeeds in fixing most dents in your car, we would not recommend using boiling water on your car’s door. Hot water might help you get rid of dents in your car’s door, but it can damage other portions of your car, including your windscreen or lock mechanism.
For instance, when you apply hot water to remove a dent from your car’s door, there is a sudden shift in the temperature. Since your windscreen rests inside your door, it may develop cracks or cause internal damage to its sliding mechanism.
Your car’s doors also house the lock mechanism, and boiling water can cause technical faults in it. If your windscreen or lock mechanism fails, you may end up with more damage to repair, which might cost you more. You can include these problems in the boiling water dent removal fail list.
It would be best not to use hot water to repair dents on your car’s doors.
Does Boiling Water Get Dents out Of Metal?
Apart from removing dents from plastics, boiling water can repair dents on metal. However, it depends on metal construction and the amount of dent it has received. For instance, if the dent is on the hard metal portion of your car, hot water will be of no use.
Here are the steps you need to follow to get dents out of metal bumpers:
- Boil water in a teapot or other utensil
- Heat the water to the boiling point
- Pour the water over the affected surface until you heat the metal
- Continue till the metal flexes
If all goes well, the metal should return to its original shape. However, ensure that you don’t apply pressure, or it may tilt to a different position. Additionally, wear gloves and take all safety precautions before dealing with hot water and metal.
Does Hot Water and Plunger Remove Dents?
Yes, both plunger and hot water are practical tools for removing dents from your car. While you can use both of them independently, you can combine them to get better results. For instance, you can use a plunger instead of your hands to pull out a dent after pouring hot water on the affected surface.
How to Remove Bumper Dent with Hot Water?
Hot water is an effective technique for removing or repairing dents from your car. You can follow the above steps to repair dents from plastic and metal bumpers.
