Stupid mistake please help!

Cutting Compound and Cutting Pads should take care of that kitchen sponge damage without a problem if using proper technique and products... what products, pads, machines, etc were you working with?

From your description, it sounds like you may have gone through the clear. Rub some Ultimate Compound on it with a white or light colored MF. If your MF starts turning red, you've gone though the clear. I'll be crossing my fingers hoping for the best!!

really man? You used a kitchen sponge with the scrubber side...and you expected it to turn out ok? Im sorry if im coming off a bit harsh but common sense here people...

Sounds like you just need the power of a machine instead of working by hand.

Pbcrazy said:

I can take pictures if needed

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Pictures would help. I'm guessing you don't have a paint gauge. Measuring it would help. If you did take off the clear the best you can hope for is to spray some clear and do a spot repair. It's tough to lend in clear but other than a respray it's about your only alternative.

As erichaley said if you polish the area by hand with a cloth or pad and the color comes off you know you went through the clear. I prefer not to do this because you'll take off some or all the color coat but leith out measuring the paint your choices are slim.

Good luck.

I am having a hard time following here.

You spilled black paint on your red car paint?

A simple wipe you should have done the trick. How long dod you let it sit? (For the most part)

Pictures, is the best I can do

Next time something like that happens try using a solvent like paint thinner or enamel reducer. Never use anything abrasive like a scrub pad or steel wool on paint.

I doubt you went through the clear with a scrub pad. Stop, dont do anything else.
You need to locate a quality detailer and have it fixed.
Rubbing it by hand isnt going to get those deep scratches out. I dont suggest buying a polisher and learning on something lime this.
Perhaps an AG member has a shop or mobile setup near you.
Where are you from?

That fade in your paint can probably also be corrected. Dont live with faded paint. Thats just insane man!

Pictures!!!!!

statusdetailing said:

I doubt you went through the clear with a scrub pad.

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^^ This :iagree:

Any update? Pictures? I think everyone would like to actually see the damage so you can get more accurate advice. As was already stated, DON'T do anything else yet.

I doubt you rubbed through the clear with a scrub pad, we're talking the Scotchbrite material correct?

You'd have to rub like a mad man and spend some time before you rubbed through any factory clear in good shape.

I have seen a LOT of cars in my life where people have scrubbed their paint with kitchen scrub pads using the Scotchbrite side. It's always with "good intentions".

It's not till the person wipes the paint clean that they see the damage they've caused. It's not till they try to remove it till it sinks in how hard clear coats are.


Couple of comments...

It's going to be a lot easier and faster to remove this by machine, specifically using a rotary buffer with a good compound and a skilled professional.

If you want to try to remove it by hand here's a tip...


Most people don't move their hand fast enough or press hard enough when working a compound by hand. I know because I've demonstrated for decades how to use a compound by hand and every time I've done this I hear the same comment...


Also, application material can make a huge difference. Foam is softer and less aggressive than microfiber or terry cloth. When working a compound by hand you're trying to REMOVE PAINT. That is "level" the surface. You need everything working for you and that means your application material.

In most cases I will start with either a microfiber hand applicator or a piece of high quality terry cloth toweling cut into a piece about 6" square and then folded in half.

Work the compound with a "fiber" applicator first and the fibers will increase the cut of the compound/process.

After you have removed the scratches to your satisfaction then re-compound using foam to remove any "toweling marks".

Then hand polish and then wax.


I alway say,


"It takes more skill to work by hand than machine"


Heck, anyone can turn a machine on and stand there and let the machine do the work. For a person to actually work by hand, abrade the paint and remove a defect AND have the paint LOOK GOOD when they're done is a REAL SKILL.


I don't have a video showing how to work a compound by hand but here's a picture that will give you the idea... Also, you can really only work small areas at a time, like about 8" squarish or so for deep scratches.


This pictures are from my article here,

The Rule of Thumb

These pictures in context are about removing sanding marks in areas that could be risky to machine compound, same principals would apply to removing ANY type of below surface defects.

Mostly, LOOK at how my hand is a blur.... that's because I'm moving it very fast and pushing down very firmly in order to FORCE the abrasives to take bites out of the paint and thus remove the sanding marks.

Mike Phillips said:

The Rule of Thumb
The rule of thumb I use is with my thumb, mostly because I always have it with me.

I use the distance from the tip of my thumb to the end of my thumbnail, which I just measured and it's about 3/4 of an inch and that's about how far away I stay from edges and raised body lines when I sand by hand or machine.

Actually a 1/2" is a pretty good rule of thumb the bigger idea is to not sand paint where you cannot safely buff with a wool pad, a cutting compound with a rotary buffer.

This is a technique I teach in our wet-sanding classes to give students a simple method or a simple guideline they can use to know just how far to sand when sanding near a hard body line or the edge of a panel. This is a simple technique that works for me but feel free to come up with your own method.



Show Car and Perfectionist Sanding and Polishing
For those of you wanting to do perfectionist sanding and polishing, first make sure you're getting paid well because you can sand right up to an edge but removing your sanding marks has to be done carefully and this means it will require you to invest more time into the project.


How to sand right up to an edge and remove your sanding marks by hand
There is a fix for the issue of sanding right next to an edge or a raised body line and that's by carefully sanding and then using Meguiar's M105 Ultra Compound by hand to remove your sanding marks. Another way to remove sanding marks next to an edge or to a raised body line is to use Spot Repair Pads on a rotary buffer using a technique I call Edging.

Because M105 is aggressive, (rated at being able to remove #1200 Grit Sanding Marks on fresh paint), and recommended for use by hand, you can easily remove sanding marks by hand if you're willing to put a little passion behind the pad.

There are a lot of compounds that can be applied by hand to remove sanding marks, but it's the ability of the super micro abrasive technology, (SMAT), used in M105 that gives it both its' cutting ability and the ability to polish out clear and glossy that makes M105 Ultra Compound a good choice for carefully rubbing out sanding marks right up to an edge or a raised body line by hand.

Note: The blue line you see in the pictures below is vinyl tape applied over the top of a body lines on the hood of this 1969 El Camino to make it easier to see and protect them. You can also do this with the edges of a panel.

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The below are from my article list...


Factors that affect how aggressive or non-aggressive a product is


How to use a hand applied abrasive polish or paint cleaner by hand


Both are good reads...


This defect you're trying to remove is a perfect example of a great time to do some surgical buffing...


Surgical Buffing