Removing the Dent

• The secret to making a softball dent pop out of a car body is to make the sheet metal do the work for you. Usually, paint is not damaged by something as large and round as a softball, and the sheet metal wants to return to its original shape on its own. It just needs a little help. The easiest way to do this is to make the metal contract rapidly, which happens when it goes from hot to cold quickly.
  
  One way to accomplish this is to use dry ice. Dry ice is available at most grocery stores and costs about $1 per pound. You don't need much, but you will need gloves to handle it. Use this method on a very hot and sunny day, especially if you have a dark-colored car. Rub the dry ice around the perimeter of the dent until you hear a pop. The cooling action of the dry ice will pull the dent out. If it's not a hot day, use a hair dryer. Heat the area for about one minute, then apply the dry ice.
  
  Another method is using canned air, like you use to blow dust out of keyboards. If you turn one of these cans upside down, it sprays out liquid carbon dioxide propellant. This propellant is 109 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Heat the dented area with the hairdryer for about one minute, then spray the canned air, holding the can upside down, over the dent for about 30 seconds. Watch as the dent pops out, then wipe the cloudy residue away.
  
  Do not allow the dry ice or propellant to contact bare skin. It can cause frostbite almost instantly.