How to remove scratches from a smartphone screen

What is important to know before removing scratches from a smartphone screen.

Table of Contents

Why do we see scratches

They have sharp edges that reflect light and make damage easily visible. That is why small abrasions are usually striking on an extinguished display, and when the backlight is turned on, they are hardly noticeable or not visible at all.

What scratches can be removed

A distinction should be made between the types of scratches. All tempered glass screens have a special oleophobic coating, thanks to which fewer prints are collected on it and fingers glide better. First of all, it is it that suffers: over time, a thin layer of spraying is erased from touching with hands, rubbing against clothes.

If you see small abrasions from a certain angle and they do not cling to your fingernail, then most likely these are not glass scratches, but an oleophobic coating. Fortunately, it can be restored.

Deeper lesions that are visible from any angle and can be clearly felt with the fingers may not be able to be removed completely. But they can also be made less noticeable by polishing.

Which methods work and which don’t

To get rid of a scratch, you need to fill it with something, smooth out sharp edges or cover it on top. There are not many ways to do this. In the first case, an oleophobic composition is used, which is able to clog shallow depressions. Smoothing is polishing with an abrasive paste. And to cover the screen to change the refraction of light and hide scratches, you can use a protective film or glass.

Toothpaste, baking soda , baby powder, vegetable oil and other tips that the Internet is full of do not work. And although there is a certain logic in them, the result is likely to be dubious. Paste, soda and dusting powder act as abrasives, and oil replaces oleophobic dusting. But what is the point of experimenting with improvised means if there are things specially designed for this?

What can be polished

Special polishing pastes and compounds are best suited. For example, GOI paste , well-known since the times of the USSR , was used for fine-tuning optics and processing jewelry. It is produced in the form of green bars, reminiscent of plasticine, and comes in different grain sizes: No. 1 is the finest, No. 2-4 – coarser.

Another option is cerium oxide powder . It is a specialized agent that is used for polishing car windows and in the production of glass products.

Also suitable are professional polishing pastes, which are used by craftsmen to treat paintwork in cars.

Will the display deteriorate from this?

Polishing has the greatest impact on the screen. After it, the oleophobic coating is guaranteed to be removed. Although it can be restored for a certain period of time and, if necessary, it is easy to repeat the procedure.

The sensor and display will not be damaged by polishing. If, of course, you are careful not to put pressure on the gadget as much as possible. This, by the way, is not necessary: such diligence will not affect the quality.

It is important to remember that if the screen protector is not made of glass, but of plastic, then it is better not to polish it or do it very carefully. The plastic can easily overheat, it will become cloudy and the display will be damaged.