A dent in a car's body can really ruin the look of the entire vehicle. Even if it's just a small ding,

it's hard to forget it's there, which is particularly upsetting f your car is your prize possession.

Despite how frustrating dents are, some people are put off having them professionally removed because

they don't want to pay out money for damage that's largely cosmetic.

Torn between saving money and getting the vehicle looking as good as new,

it can leave you stuck in a frustrating situation. Luckily,

there are a few ways you might be able to fix that bodywork yourself, using ordinary household objects.

Always proceed with caution to avoid making the damage worse,

and consider spending a bit of money on a professional fix if you're not able to sort it.

Hairdryer

The idea with this method is to heat and then cool the area of the dent,

causing the metal to expand and contract and the dent to pop out. First,

use the hairdryer to heat up the dent and its surrounding area. About 30 seconds should do the trick.

After heating, quickly cool the metal using whatever method you have available.

Holding an ice pack lightly on the surface often works, as does a cold water hose.

Plunger

An ordinary rubber plumber's plunger is a highly effective way to suck out a dent.

You may need to moisten the edges of the plunger to get a good hold on the metal surface.

Once you've achieved this, pump the plunger a few times until the dent pops out.

You should be able to hear this happen.

If you don't hear anything after a few pumps, remove the plunger carefully to avoid doing any damage.

Magnet

A strong magnet works wonders. You want to make sure you don't scratch your paintwork,

so wrap the magnet in a soft cloth and fix another layer of cloth over the dent to make doubly sure. Move the magnet

carefully over the area, looking and listening out for the surface to flatten.

Dry ice

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and is much colder than water-based ice. Make sure you're extremely careful when handling it,

and wear appropriate gloves to protect your hands.

All you need to do is put the ice against the dent, holding it for a few seconds, and most times the dent will be fixed.

It may take a few applications. If you're not having any success using dry ice on its own,

try heating the dent with a hairdryer first, as in the first method above.