untarnish

You just want some of the glory and to untarnish your reputation a little.

Think Progress » Morning Joe crew rips Limbaugh: ‘Deplorable,’ ‘insensitive,’ ‘mean-spirited.’ 2010

I wondered when John McCain would realize that he's not a young man and he doesn't have a lot of time to untarnish what has been an enviable -- sometimes deserved -- reputation.

The Flypaper Theory 2008