
Follow these steps to repair a minor scratch:
- Clean the surface. Use a quality wood cleaner to pick up any debris.
- Use steel wool on the scratch. Only rub the scratched area, and always rub with the grain of the wood.
- Buff the scratch.
- Blend the edges.
- Use a wax stick.
- Buff the area.
- Use a paste wax.
How to remove scratches from wood with vinegar?
You will need:
- Clean cloths
- Sandpaper
- Rubber gloves
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Salt
- White vinegar
- Non-gel toothpaste
- Petroleum jelly
- Bleach
- Water
How do I get scratches out of wood furniture?
- Clean the scratched area. Same as last time – use a soft cloth to clean up the damaged area.
- Rub mineral spirits over the scratch.
- Fill in the scratch.
- Remove excess filling.
- Sand excess filling.
- Seal the fixed area.
How to get small scratches out of hardwood floors?
Your Guide to Removing Scratches from Hardwood Floors
- Use polish on light scratches. Before you attempt any repairs, Brian Levy, a Lowe's store manager in Troutman, North Carolina, says that you should give your hardwood floors a good ...
- You'll need to sand away deeper marks. ...
- When it doubt, call a professional. ...
How to remove scratch on wood?
How to Remove Scratches from Hardwood Floors [5 Easy Methods]
- Superficial Scratches Can be removed with Varnish, Wood Stain Markers or Paint
- Minor Scratches Can be removed with Wax Stick, Hard Wax or Wood Repair Marker
- Deep Scratches

Can scratched wood be repaired?
You can rub out surface scratches in your wooden furniture with a paste made of mineral oil and pumice (available in powder form at hardware and paint stores). Use extra-fine-grade steel wool to rub the mixture into the scratched area. Then wipe it off and buff with a dry cloth.
How do you repair deep scratches in wood?
How to Fix Deep Scratches on Wood FurnitureClean the scratched area. Same as last time – use a soft cloth to clean up the damaged area. ... Rub mineral spirits over the scratch. ... Fill in the scratch. ... Remove excess filling. ... Sand excess filling. ... Seal the fixed area.
How do you get a scratch out of wood?
1:033:22TIP: Fixing Scratches In Stained Wood - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if you go a little bit too dark or a little bit too light all you need to do is go back over itMoreSo if you go a little bit too dark or a little bit too light all you need to do is go back over it with a little bit more of a darker lighter color and it'll blend that color to the perfect.
How do you repair scratched wooden furniture?
Squeeze a small amount of scratch remover onto the cloth. Be sure that the scratch remover chosen matches the wood, whether light or dark. Apply the scratch remover to the surface and buff it over the damaged area. Apply light to medium pressure, allowing the scratch remover to fill the tiny scratches.
Does vinegar remove deep scratches from wood?
A 1:1 mixture of cooking oil and white vinegar is the most effective way to remove scratches from wood furniture. Dip a rag in the mixture, and rub it on the scratch. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes before wiping away excess liquid.
How do I fix a deep scratch on my table?
1:143:465 Easy Ways to Fix Scratched Furniture - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can repair deep scratches or gouges using the fill stick. A fill stick is kind of like a bigMoreYou can repair deep scratches or gouges using the fill stick. A fill stick is kind of like a big soft crayon that you rub into the scratch.
Does Murphy's oil Soap remove scratches?
And stains, marks and scratches can be removed easily from waxed floors using Murphy Oil Soap.
What home remedy takes scratches out of wood floors?
A combo of baking soda and olive oil can help reduce and remove scratches from wood. Vacuum your floor thoroughly, then apply baking soda moistened with several drops of olive oil to marred areas. Wait five minutes, then buff in gently, using a soft sponge. Clean thoroughly with a damp cloth and dry with a towel.
How do you repair deep scratches in cabinets?
0:291:36How to Repair a Scratch on a Stained Wood Kitchen Cabinet - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPut the corner of it right into the stain. Just get a little bit on there. And then you're going toMorePut the corner of it right into the stain. Just get a little bit on there. And then you're going to put it on the scratch. And then you're going to wipe off the excess.
How do you remove scratches from varnished wood?
0:451:52HOW TO: QUICKLY Repair Scratches in Varnished Wood - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut if you're going from like straight white open wood to a more blended lighter brown it's betterMoreBut if you're going from like straight white open wood to a more blended lighter brown it's better than nothing especially if you don't want to spend your money and a bunch of wood treatment stuff
How long does it take to fix a scratch in wood?
How To Fix Deep Scratches In Wood. It's easy to fix scratches in wood, even if they are really deep. It will take about 20-30 minutes total to fix the scratches. Prepping the Wood. To get started I recommend cleaning the wood first.
What do you need to fill scratches in wood?
Materials You Will Need. To fill the scratches you will need these wood filler crayons. They not only do a great job of filling the scratches, but they are in different colors so you don't have to restain where you filled the scratch. The variety of colors should match most wood furniture you may have.
How long does it take to buff wax off a car?
Make sure you clean the area outside of the scratches to remove any wax residue there too. Let the wax dry for about 20-30 minutes and buff the area where the scratches were. Repeat If Necessary. If your scratches are really deep then you may want to go over the area a second time.
How to get rid of scratches on a car?
Gently run the wax crayon over the scratch. You will want to completely fill the scratch so this may take a few minutes. Once you have filled the scratched area then take a rag or paper towel and gently wipe away any excess wax from around the scratches.
How to get scratches out of wood table?
Take a damp microfiber cloth and clean off the table or whatever wood furniture you are working with. This really helps to get any dirt or grime out of the way before you fill the scratch. Make sure the scratches are clean of anything. You can use a q-tip if you need to remove anything from the scratches.
Can you use stain markers to fix scratches?
Although stain markers seem like they would be easy to use and fix the wood scratches, the stain would quickly wear away and it never did anything to fill the deep scratches. I was so excited when I found a long term fix for the deep scratches in the wood. You can see how I do it in the video below. Tired of scratches making your furniture look old ...
Can you use a Q tip to remove scratches?
You can use a q-tip if you need to remove anything from the scratches . Because the scratches are in a table they sometimes get salt and little bits of food in them. Let the table and the scratches completely dry after wiping it down. Materials You Will Need.
How do I repair a crack in my floor?
Start by cleaning the entire area around the scratch. You will want to remove all traces of dust and grime on the floor before you begin any other steps. Pay close attention to the inside of the crack itself, which should be totally free of dirt, if possible.
Can you replace floorboards if you can't find matching floorboards?
If you can’t find matching floorboards, you can at least patch the affected area. Originally Published: June 27, 2019.
How to cover up scratches on wood?
Find a color that’s a tad darker than the finish of your wood (because it’ll dry lighter), then rub a bit of paint into the scratch. Just don’t use this trick with polyurethane-finished furniture.
How to get scratches out of wood table?
To rub out scratches on the surface of a wood table, make a paste with mineral oil and pumice ( in powder form, which you can grab from a hardware store). Take some steel wool (ideally, extra-fine-grade so you don’t damage your furniture) and rub the paste on the scratched area. Wipe it off with a damp paper towel, then buff with a dry one.
How to get rid of scratches on a table?
A more temporary solution: Grab a wax crayon that closely matches the color of your table, color in the scratched area in the direction of the scratch, and then blend with your finger. The scratch won’t actually disappear altogether, but it should be covered up. (The same trick will work with an appropriately colored eyebrow or eyeliner pencil.)
How to repair wood furniture that has been damaged?
To give your wood furniture a little rehab, rub a little peanut butter on, leave on for about an hour, wipe with a wet rag, then buff. Good as new!
Can you scratch wood furniture?
Scratching is a natural (albeit, mildly annoying) part of owning wood furniture. The good news is that you don’t have to live with these marks. There are actually a bunch of ways to repair a scratch, fill it in, or help to camouflage it. Here are a few of the most effective ways to revamp your wood furniture.
Can tea bags be used to stain wood?
This is probably the solution that comes up first if you’re doing an internet search. A spent tea bag can be used to stain a scratch. Just don’t let it (or any water) sit on the table for too long, as the water can seep into the scratch and cause more stains or, worse, warp the wood!
How to fix scratches on wood furniture?
You just need to smooth the area first. One way to spot-treat scratches or dents on furniture is by sanding the blemish along the wood grain with 180 grit paper. Then, clean off the dust and repeat with a 240 grit until you can’t feel the scratch anymore. Now it’s time to color the scratch.
How to cover scratches on wood?
Covering Scratches in Dark Wood 1 Mahogany or cherry wood: use iodine or shoe polish. 2 Darker woods like acacia: use damp coffee grounds. 3 Medium-colored wood: use black tea. The darker the wood, the stronger the tea you should use. 4 Ebony wood: use fireplace or wood ash mixed with a little water to form a paste.
How to remove dents from wood furniture?
To remove dents from wood furniture using your iron, very lightly dampen a thick white towel. (White will not transfer dyes to the furniture you’re fixing.) Place the damp towel over the dent and run a hot iron continuously over the spot for 30 seconds. Rotate the cloth, so you’re again working with a damp area, and repeat. Once you’ve lifted the dent, wait 24 hours to let the wood fully dry, then rub the area with olive oil to remove any haze.
What to use to remove scratches from wood?
Pecan, walnut, and peanut all work well. You can even use peanut butter or almond butter if that’s all you have on hand. The nut oil darkens the exposed wood and makes the scratch disappear. Once you’re happy with how it looks, press your fingertip over it for a minute.
How to get nut oil out of wood?
The heat of your skin helps the nut oil sink into the wood. Using olive oil and vinegar: Combine 1 part white distilled vinegar and 2 parts olive oil. Whisk until completely mixed, then dab the mixture onto the scratch.
Can you use sandpaper to remove scratches?
Using Sand Paper. Sometimes, there’s just no getting around the use of sandpaper to remove scratches or dents on wood furniture. If the item is painted, for example, any dents or scratches probably removed paint, too. But you may not have to refinish or repaint the entire piece, provided you’ve got more matching finish or paint.
Method 1: Walnut
The walnut method goes something like this: take a walnut, crack it in half, and rub the inside of the walnut on your scratch. Theoretically, the walnut oil both stains and expands the wood, filling the crack and blending it with the surrounding wood.
Method 2: Black Tea
I brewed a cup of black tea (and by brewed, I mean I heated some water in the microwave until it was boiling, then added a teabag.) I made it as strong as I could; the teabag sat in the hot water indefinitely, which was at least 20 minutes while I got everything ready for the experiment.
Method 3: Coffee Grounds
For the coffee ground method, I grabbed some instant coffee grounds, and mixed them with water to make a paste.
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Method 4: Iodine
This method works exactly how you’d think: take a rag, dip in in some iodine, then rub the iodine onto the scratch. Theoretically, the iodine should stain the wood, although I don’t think there’s any reason the wood would expand to fill the scratch.
Method 5: Oil and Vinegar
I’ll admit, I was really skeptical of this method. In theory, the oil expands the wood to fill the hole, while the vinegar stains it. The internet (and this article) have treated oil like some kind of magical wood expander, but honestly, the wood shrinks back down after the oil evaporates, so I’ve been a skeptic.
Final Results
Obviously, the oil and vinegar method was the clear winner. And just for the record, I tested it a couple more times on other scratches just to confirm it wasn’t a fluke, along with my 2nd place winner… the walnut!
