Debadge... What to do about the shadow left on older cars?

[JoshMcg]

I took off one of the badges on my car with the standard hair dryer / goof-off / elbow grease method but it left behind a tiny ring of dirt around where the badge used to be. There is also a similar line of dirt around the sunroof where the wind deflector used to be. To be clear, you can`t feel this dirt, it is almost like it has embedded itself into the paint.



What is the proper way to get rid of this ring of dirt?

[Domas]

Claying or wetsanding, then polishing.

[Accumulator]

JoshMcg- Welcome to Autopia!



Yeah, I`d try clay first and the a paint cleaner and or polish. IME you *always* have to do a bit of polishing after you debadge.



If the badges were on there long enough that the paint faded around the areas not covered (by the badges) then some ghosting might always be visible.

[JoshMcg]

I have tried clay, and it didn`t do much. I will give polishing a try. I don`t think ghosting is a problem, I`m pretty sure I just have some dirt built up around the edges.



I plan to do the whole car with M205 soon, do you think that would have enough cut?



I understand how polishing removes scratches, but I just can`t see how polishing is the right way to pull dirt off the paint. I`m not trying to say you`re wrong, I`m just a newb who would like an explanation.