Compared to a smartphone, scratches on the screen are much less common. However, whether it’s a PC monitor or a laptop screen, they can eventually show up, either from cleaning with the wrong or unclean cloth, or because you have pets with destructive tendencies. The thing is, if you’re in this situation, you probably want to fix it.
Can toothpaste really repair scratches?
That toothpaste is used to repair some scratches is a fact, although you should know first of all that not all toothpastes are used for this, some can damage the screen, and they do not work the same on all materials, for which depends on the type of screen you want to repair.
Toothpaste contains small abrasive particles, which can somewhat sand down scratches (and not fill in the gaps as many people think) so that they become reflective again, and not that whitish look that makes them noticeable. In other words, toothpaste is not going to help you repair scratches, but it can be effective in making them less noticeable.
We have mentioned before that not all toothpastes are suitable for this, and that they are not suitable for all surfaces either. As for the toothpaste:
- Use one that is of the paste type, not gel type. The typical completely white pasta, not the one that comes with colored streaks. We are looking for a type of white body that is as neutral and less abrasive as possible.
- Avoid toothpastes that have “pearls” in them, as they are harder than the rest of the paste and could cause the opposite effect and scratch the screen more.
Regarding the type of screen, this method usually works better on screens with a glossy finish (glossy) than those with a matte finish; This is because, in many cases, they have a glass above the panel itself and it is precisely the glass that has been scratched.
Now, the application method: with a clean and dry microfiber cloth, take a small amount of toothpaste (the size of a chickpea, more or less), and spread it over the scratch making small circles, as you can see in the image above, being careful not to apply too much pressure. Normally, about 60 seconds is enough, and we recommend you do this not only in the area of the scratch but in the entire surface of the screen as it will also create a small protective layer that will give the surface more shine (if not you do on the whole screen, it might not be homogeneous).
Then, remove all the excess toothpaste with a clean and dry microfiber cloth (it can be the same, of course, but in an area that is not stained with toothpaste) and check the result: if everything went well , you will see that the scratches have disappeared or have been quite hidden.
And with an eraser?
Another typical homemade solution to repair scratches on a screen is to use an eraser… the typical one that we used at school to erase pencils, and that in fact many pens and mechanical pencils incorporate on the back. For this method, rather than those erasers that are very small and also of poor quality, we recommend using a typical school eraser, Milan, Pelikan or similar that you can buy at any stationery store.
With the eraser, what we are going to achieve is to hide and smooth those indentations that remain with the scratches, but we are not going to be able to make them disappear as effectively as with toothpaste; therefore, this method would be for much more superficial scratches, and even then we warn you that it does not work so well. However, by trying you do not lose anything either.
The method is simple: first gently rub the eraser across the scratches in favor of the scratches for about a minute, then do the same but perpendicular to the scratches for the same amount of time. Be careful not to press too hard, you are not going to damage the screen. When you’re done, simply use a cloth to remove any remains that may have remained (the cloth can be slightly damp to better remove the remains) and check the result.
