Got a scratched up iPod Nano? Me too. After a few failed attempts to get Apple to help me out, I decided to fix the scratches myself. Here's how to remove the scratched from your iPod Nano for only $4.

So the story goes something like this: You save up a couple hundred bucks to buy your new iPod Nano. You take it home, open the box, and load your music. It's a beautiful thing.

Then disaster strikes! You decide to carry your iPod Nano in your pocket! Your pocket! How could you?! What were you thinking? An item as precious and delicate as the iPod Nano was not meant for portability. And the ungodly amount of scratches seen on my iPod Nano prove it.

It's tough to comprehend that carrying a device in your pocket can lead to as many scratches as my iPod Nano had.

Surely, Apple would back me up on this design defect, yes?

"It is not a design issue. It has more to do with obese Americans in tight pants putting the nano in their front jeans pocket, and then sitting for extended periods of time."
-Apple's SVP of Marketing Phil Schiller

Believe it or not, that is not a joke... it's a direct quote.

So, seeing that Apple wasn't going to offer much support here, I thought I'd take it upon myself and I bought a can of Brasso ($4), a couple cotton pads ($2), and a new iPod Nano case ($20). Of course, you'll also need a scratched Nano. I have that.

The Brasso I got from a local hardware store and the cotton pads at a pharmacy. I bought the iPod Nano "Skin Tight" case from Speck Products . There are a ton of iPod Nano cases out (see below) to choose from however.

Now it was time to test out the Brasso Theory. I inverted the Brasso can on the cotton pad just enough to get a little Brasso on there. I went in clockwise motion, wiping somewhat gently on the back of the iPod Nano for about 10 minutes. When I pulled up the cotton pad, I was disgusted yet pleased at the amount of black stuff on the back of it. I let the Brasso dry on the chrome, and then wiped it off with a clean pad. The pictures below do not give much justice to the results but I swear to you, scratches that were once there, were now gone! I only worked in the pad for 10 minutes. Had I gone longer (the recommended time is 20), more would have vanished.

I was happy with the results on the back but I was more concerned with the front. I didn't know how the Brasso would respond to the black plastic, nor if it would be able to get scratches out of the much debated fragile screen. I began working in the Brasso gently, for about 15 minutes and then let it dry for another 15 minutes. I came back and began wiping off the dried Brasso in hopes of a shiny pseudo-new Nano. It was like tearing off a bandage after surgery. I didn't know what to expect.

Saved!!
I really could not stop looking at my Nano after I wiped off the Brasso. Half because I just didn't understand how it worked, and half because I forgot how smooth and shiny it could be. Not only did it get most of the scratches off the front, it also managed to do a job on the screen as well.

Not ALL scratches come out and I didn't expect them too, but the ones that bothered me most (one right on the center button) were now history!

I was given a reprievement from either the Nano or maybe the Brasso gods and I wasn't going to let my shiny new Nano get scratched again. I purchased the Nano case from Speck Products ahead of time so that I wouldn't spend another day "carelessly" carrying the Nano around in my pocket.

iPod Nano Cases

"I have another quick tip to add to your article about fixing up your scratched iPod nano. Silicone cases are flexible, often with a large hole cut out for the finger wheel, and dirt can get under the edges pretty easily. After a piece of grit finds its way inside, it can grind into one spot for weeks, which can make for even worse scratching. I discovered a solution that works well for me. People sell die cut vinyl stickers for each model of iPod. They are cheap, about $5 each, and come in a huge variety of colors and designs. I picked white carbon fiber. In addition to being cheap, disposable and colorful, the sticker does not allow grit to enter under the edge and protects against all but the worst gouges. For me, the ideal situation is to put the vinyl on first and then put it into a traditional silicone case as well for impact resistance and easier grip." ~ Sierra