# Nail polish prevents rusting on cars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 27, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428 "2008-02-27T22:48:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![audreyayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@audreyayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audreyayn)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/1 "2008-02-27T22:48:53Z")
I’ve heard that clear nail polish can keep a down-to-the-metal scratch from rusting. Will it, and for how long? Sorry if this has been asked, my searches didn’t turn up anything. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/2 "2008-02-27T22:53:12Z")
The nail polish will help seal the scratch, helping to prevent oxidation, but I think a little automotive touch-up paint will do the job better. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/3 "2008-02-27T23:02:52Z")
Nail polish is a sealant so it should work until the weather and wind wears it down. You can also use glitter polish and give your car that metal flake effect. How cool is that! ---
**Author:** ![MissTskTsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MissTskTsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTskTsk)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/4 "2008-02-27T23:35:27Z")
Ohhhhh! I never even thought of that! I bought a new/used car two weeks ago, and while it’s in nearly perfect condition, I can tell someone tried to use a factory paint to touch up around the rear license plate. It’s barely noticable, but it’s flatish rather than the metallic red of the car (I think they used the flat red rather than the metalic, the car came in both but I’ve heard that even the correct metallic is a bad match). I KNOW I have a red nail polish that’s damn near identical to the color of my car… I think I’ll try it on the spot behind the license plate frame first to see if it’s any better than the flat on there now!! Cool! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/5 "2008-02-27T23:52:58Z")
Let us know how it works out for ya. Bling, bling! ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/6 "2008-02-28T00:33:06Z")
Nail polish has either an enamel base or a lacquer base, depending on the brand. It really is paint for nails! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/7 "2008-02-28T05:57:09Z")
[QUOTE=MissTskTsk] Ohhhhh! I never even thought of that! I bought a new/used car two weeks ago, and while it’s in nearly perfect condition, I can tell someone tried to use a factory paint to touch up around the rear license plate. It’s barely noticable, but it’s flatish rather than the metallic red of the car (I think they used the flat red rather than the metalic, the car came in both but I’ve heard that even the correct metallic is a bad match). [/QUOTE] Even with the correct paint, it would still need a clear coat and a good buffing to get a good match, or at least a coat of wax. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/8 "2008-02-28T09:59:07Z")
When my car got a nice big scratch down one door, a guy in a workshop suggested putting vaseline down the scar to stop it from rusting further while my insurance was sorted out. ---
**Author:** ![Carson\_O\_Genic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Carson\_O\_Genic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carson_O_Genic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/9 "2008-02-28T10:34:31Z")
Nail polish is invariably lacquer,as it dries quickly,even in the relatively unthinned form nail adorners use.Some luthiers use it to fill small defects in a lacquer spray schedule which might lead one to think it was nitrocellulose vs. the acrylic of auto finishes. How long to keep steel from rusting as an impromptu topcoat would depend on what condition the substrate is in and affinity to surrounding finish,but a couple weeks seems guaranteed. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/10 "2008-02-28T11:00:23Z")
Next time I scratch a rental car I’m heading to the cosmetics counter. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/11 "2008-02-28T10:58:56Z")
Next time I scratch a rental car I’m heading to the cosmetics counter. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/12 "2008-02-28T11:00:19Z")
Next time I scratch a rental car I’m heading to the cosmetics counter. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/13 "2008-02-28T11:00:23Z")
Next time I scratch a rental car I’m heading to the cosmetics counter. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/14 "2008-02-28T11:24:01Z")
1920s style car repair? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/15 "2008-02-28T13:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=Si Amigo] Next time I scratch a rental car I’m heading to the cosmetics counter. [/QUOTE] Apparently you feel very strongly about that? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/16 "2008-02-28T15:01:08Z")
Our milkman left me a nice [calling card.](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/myglaren/Xantiadamage3.jpg). I did nothing at all with it and drove the car for two years afterwards then scrapped it. There was never a trace of corrosion on the bare bits. The brownish areas aren’t rust but muck from the milk truck, washed off later. The photo was taken a about five hours after it happened at 03:40 a.m. Surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nail-polish-prevents-rusting-on-cars/439428/17 "2008-02-28T15:37:20Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] Apparently you feel very strongly about that? 😃 [/QUOTE] It’s obviously gonna take alot of nail polish because I’ll have to go back five times! :smack: Not sure how that happen. :dubious: I’m blaming it on the blackberry.