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Q&As since 1989


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Can I buff out swirly scratches?

I made the mistake of washing my truck recently with a sponge that was evidently a little too harsh and stiff on the paint. As a result, I have a number of small (not deep) swirled scratches all over my truck. It looks almost as if I had waxed my truck but missed a few spots in wiping the wax off. What can I do to easily fix this?

Jake E.
student - Pendleton, SC, U.S.
2003

The best thing is to take it to an auto paint supply store and have them look at it. They will recommend a rubbing compound [on eBay or Amazon]. Probably two, one being slightly more aggressive than the latter. You may have to to the whole hood or such as it will remove dead pigments. If it is a newer car, it may have a clear coat on the paint and that would complicate the process. Someone that can see the problem can give you a much better answer. Consider asking two or three stores. You may get an excellent answer from one of them.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2003