scuff marks

[quikkik]

i was just wondering if anyone knows of a good cleaning solution for scuff marks. i think, its when something scrapes the car, and leaves behind a scuff. i can use my fingernail and some good ol' fashion spit and rub it off, but i thought, "there has to be a better way." so i thought i could hit the minds of millions. any suggestions and where i can get it?

[pcs15394]

Haven't tried it but I've read somewhere that this works (most likely on this site or Fresh Alloy) This would be for inside scuff marks on the plastic. For outside on the paint, a rubbing compound or swirl remover might work:

[quikkik]

i'm not sure who posted it...but if you ever these black rubber scuff marks. toothpaste is the answer. i'm so suprised how well it worked. a little toothpaste and bam those marks were gone. and i'm sure the paint has a little more cavity protection. awesome.

[Phatty McPatty]

Originally posted by quikkik
i'm not sure who posted it...but if you ever these black rubber scuff marks. toothpaste is the answer. i'm so suprised how well it worked. a little toothpaste and bam those marks were gone. and i'm sure the paint has a little more cavity protection. awesome.

BAM! Thread From The Dead!

I work in DC and am forced to valet park my MO. I'm not thrilled about leaving her in the hands of a stranger, but there are zero self-park garages. Anyway, over the weekend I noticed a rather large, black scuff across the rim. Luckily it's not scratched, I think it's only a superficial rubber rub. Looks like a tire rubbed across it, but thankfully didn't seem to dent or scratch the surrounding body. Soap won't remove it, and since the rim has a clear coat, I'd like some advice before I proceed. And I happened upon this thread... Does toothpaste really work?? Could I damage the clear by using it? What if i haven't been religious about flossing between road trips?

Thanks for the help!

Patrick

[Warhammer]

Yea...this thread is a bit funky smelling! Where's the stain remover?!?!?

I would use laquer thinner, mineral spirits, and a good non scuff dish sponge (one of those with a sponge on one side and a blue scrubber on the other).

I don't think that the rims have a specific clear coat. I'm thinking that they're powder coated which is multiple times tougher than regular paint and clear coat.

[njjoe]

Warhammer-

I may be wrong, but I think the rims do have a sealant or clear-coat on them.

-njjoe

[oscarkegel]

Hi,
some scuff marks, the superficial ones can be removed by using rubbing compound and an orbital polishing machine. My wife scuffed my other car and I took the scuff marks off with my polisher and rubbing compound. Make sure to use some wax in the area where you clean up the scuffs so it doesn't look so dull.

Good Luck

[gnotti211]

Originally posted by oscarkegel
Hi,
some scuff marks, the superficial ones can be removed by using rubbing compound and an orbital polishing machine. My wife scuffed my other car and I took the scuff marks off with my polisher and rubbing compound. Make sure to use some wax in the area where you clean up the scuffs so it doesn't look so dull.

Good Luck

I wouldn't use rubbing compound on the rim as I think it'll be too abrasive and might damage the finish.

I am not sure what the scruff looks like or how severe it is, but you might want to try to start off with basic stuff first.

I would try using Goo-Off first, then maybe even a cleaner-wax if that doesn't work. Either of these will not damage the finish of the rim and might work just fine.

Let me know what works for you.

[Phatty McPatty]

Thanks for the suggestions. In the end I was able remove the scuffs with a micro-fiber towel, soapy water and some good ol' elbow grease.
I was initially hesitant to scrub the rim (especially using abrasives), hence the post. It took quite a bit of detailed scrubbing, but all of it eventually came off with seemingly no damage to the finish. I kept the rag saturated in soapy water for the duration. I think had the rim not been protected with some sort of smooth clear coat this task would have been much tougher.

Patrick

[Corin]

Just for future reference, I got tar on my rims once, and I could NOT get it off with soap/water. My brother suggested that I use a little bit of gasoline, and it worked great! Dissolved the tar almost immediately and no damage to the rim finish.

Doesn't take much, and I would rinse it off and dry thoroughly afterward, but it seems to be pretty good at cleaning up both the rims and paint without damaging the finish on either (if you're careful).