When owning a car, you might notice different color paint and scuff marks than the one on your vehicle. This “paint transfer” can happen when two vehicle’s tap against each other from door dings, mirrors colliding, and more. This article and video reviews how to remove paint from your car bumper or body and what to do if the scratch is too deep.

How to Remove Paint and Scuff Marks from Car Bumper and Body Paint

1A Auto mechanic explaining how to remove paint transfer from a car body and bumper

Steps to remove paint from your car bumper and body

Dump Water Over the Area and Assess the Paint Damage
Decide if you need to do more body work or if you can buff the paint scuff marks out. If the scuff mark only damaged the clear coat, generally it’ll disappear when water is applied, meaning it can you can buff it out with no further repairs needed.
Paint the Vehicle in a Warm Area
Paint the vehicle in a warm ventilated area, like a garage or, if it’s outside, on a warm, sunny day, like around 70 degrees.
Clean the Area with Soap and Water and Let It Dry
Before buffing the area, clean it with soap and water and let it dry. This will remove any dirt or debris that can scratch the paint and mix in with the polishing compound.
Buff the Area with Polishing Compound
Pick a buffer that works best for the application. Some are designed to withstand higher temperature, and some are better for paint on the bumper or the body.

You can use a hand pad, buy a buffer pad that attaches to a drill, or use a buffer tool. The drill and buffer tool will buff the area faster, but they also weigh a lot. This might not be the best option if you’re buffing on top of an area sensitive to weight, like the hood or roof.

Press the buffing compound onto the buffer pad, and then dab the paint-scuffed area with both before buffing. While buffing, try not to damage the clear coat. Put the tool on the lowest setting and buff in slow circular motions. This will smoothen it out.
Wax in a Circular Motion to Seal the Area
Apply wax to a wax pad and wax the area in smooth, circular motions. This will seal the area.

Read more on how to wax car paint
Fix Deeper Paint Scuff Marks If Necessary
With the area buffed, you’ll be able to see if a paint mark needs more work. You might have to remove paint or rust from the area, prime it, add paint, and then buff the area.

If the scuff mark deeply cut a plastic bumper, it’s a cosmetic issue and doesn’t need to be fixed. If the scuff mark is on the body, you’ll need to fix it or it can rust, which can spread and eventually create a hole if not fixed.

Read more on how to fix deep paint scratches