Can you polish out scuff marks?
Quick answer: Most scuffs are on the corners of bumpers and go all the way through the paint, so these can be polished out. However, if a scuff is just a collection of light scratches, it may be possible. In some cases, the scuff is merely 'paint-transfer' and can be removed with solvent.
As a general rule, you cannot polish out scuffs. It really depends on how you define a scuff.
What we would define as a scuff will usually have scored all the way through the paintwork. They usually happen on the corners of bumpers and will have broken the paint, cracked the paint, and revealed the plastic bumper underneath, and so will require a smart repair to repaint the area.
This is not always the case. Sometimes what appears to be a bad scuff is actually paint-transfer and can easily be removed. We can also often remove light scuff marks around the boot area of the kind caused by putting heavy objects on the boot lid.
It is always worth asking because removing a scuff by polishing is far cheaper than repair-and-repaint.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 23/09/2025 15:03