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How do you clean off car paint damage?

I noticed today my car has some paint damage. I think it’s from someone hitting me in my work's parking lot. How do get rid of the paint damage?

avatar
Will Baldwin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Parking lots are the worst for scrapes and damages! The good news is cleaning off scuffs and
removing paint damage
isn’t too difficult.
Before we get started, you’re going to need a couple of microfiber towels, a polishing compound, a scratch repair product, and or a mild adhesive remover. All of these things should be easily accessible at your local hardware store such as Home Depot.
To get rid of the paint damage, follow these steps:
  • Park the car in an area away from direct sunlight
  • Dab your towel with either your scratch or adhesive remover
  • Lightly rub the impacted area in small circles, slowly adding pressure as the remover spreads over the paint.
  • With a dry part of the microfiber towel (a different towel works as well), wipe away any excess remover and buff the area
  • Repeat the steps until the paint damage has been removed
In some instances, the damage may be too intense for at-home products. If this is the case, you’re better off bringing your car into an
auto body repair shop
. They’ll be able to get rid of any damage or repaint where necessary.
Since you care about your car, make sure you have the best protection for it as well by trying a roadside assistance membership with
Jerry
. Jerry’s roadside assistance membership protects you with their nationwide network of 55,000+ service providers.
View full answer 
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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