You cannot polish a turd, so just start over.
polish a turd
idiomTo work on a time-consuming and ultimately pointless or impossible task; to try to perfect what is inherently bad.
The manager asked me to fix the broken software, but it is like trying to polish a turd.
Despite his exhaustive efforts to improve the disastrous manuscript, he eventually realized he was merely attempting to polish a turd.
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polish off
To finish completely, especially a food (polish the plate with one's tongue) or liquor.
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Polish parliament
A deliberative but indecisive institution.
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turd in the punchbowl
Something that ruins or spoils everything else; a nuisance or problem; an unpleasant or disagreeable detail.
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you can't polish a turd
Something inherently unfavourable or unpleasant cannot be improved.