To repair a scuff mark on the paint of your car, determine the extent of the damage, wash the area to remove grime, sand the scuff by hand, apply a rubbing compound, and polish to restore the shine. If the scuff is relatively small, it is possible to complete the repair within an hour.
- Determine the extent of the damage
Gently scratch across the scuff mark. If you can feel the scratch but it does not catch your fingernail, the damage is limited to the clear coat and is easy to repair. Deeper scratches require sanding through the clear coat and applying touch up paint; this process requires several days for applying multiple coats with a 24-hour drying time between coats.
- Wash the area
Wash the area to remove any dust or dirt that could cause deeper scratches as you work. Dry the surface before proceeding.
- Sand to remove the scratch
Use an abrasive pad to hand sand the scratch. Take care not to sand through the clear coat.
- Apply polishing compound
Use a disk pad to apply paint compound to remove any scratches from sanding. Change polishing pads, and apply scratch remover to finish removing the fine scratches. Clean the panel thoroughly to ensure you remove all the compound.
- Protect the surface
Apply automobile wax to restore the shine and protect the vehicle's finish.
