Taking your car to the mechanic can be frustrating. You have to carve out time to bring in your vehicle, you never know when they’ll be finished, and they’ll run you an astronomical bill for the repairs.

It’s an experience that makes DIY dent repair methods tempting. However, not everything you see online is true – and in the case of these techniques, you’ll often find yourself creating more damage than you started with. 

We’ve compiled a list of three common DIY dent removal techniques and why you should avoid them.

Using a Hairdryer for Dent Repair

In theory, using the heat from a hairdryer is a quick and cost-effective way to pop a dent back  into place. 

Unfortunately, your hairdryer doesn’t actually get hot enough to make car metal malleable. If it did, it would burn your hair.

Hairdryers do give off enough heat to damage your vehicle’s paint, however. Avoiding this DIY dent repair method is key to preventing paint damage that will cost you more money in the long run.

Dry Ice for Dent Removal

Like the hairdryer technique, some folks have tried fixing their dents by heating the area and popping it out with dry ice.

We love a science experiment as much as the next person, but dry ice doesn’t work well for this purpose.

Autobody panels are flat steel; they don’t really “pop” back into place. Once the dent has formed in the metal, heating, and cooling alone won’t be enough to correct the damage.

It won’t do much for your dents, but dry ice can definitely affect you – and not in a good way. Dry ice can give you instant frostbite if it touches your skin, which is why we recommend leaving this dent repair technique behind.

Bumper Repair With a Plunger 

It might look tempting (and make for a funny story), but using a plunger for bumper repair isn’t an effective technique. 

Keep the plunger in the bathroom; otherwise, you’ll risk making your car’s damage worse than it was before. Unless you somehow manage to apply just the right amount of pressure, you’re likely to increase the dent. 

Lifehack dent repair methods can look convincing online, but they rarely solve the problem. Bumper Buddies will save you the time and money you’re looking for with DIY techniques but guarantee excellent results. Our mobile dent repair service gets you back on the road in just two to three hours; no more leaving your vehicle at the shop overnight! Submit your damage online or give us a call at (888) 711-5074 to connect with a team member.