How to Remove Scratches From Wood Furniture

Scratches on wood furniture can create an eyesore on an otherwise beautiful piece of furniture. The first step to fixing a scratch is knowing what type of scratch it is. A scratch to the finish is superficial and stays the same color as the rest of the furniture. If the scratch is a lighter color than the rest of the furniture, then the wood is scratched and other methods of repair will need to be employed.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lemon juice Olive oil Old English Iodine Denatured alcohol Nutmeat Eye pencil Crayon

For Scratches to the Finish

1. Create a mixture of equal parts lemon juice and olive oil. Rub the stain gently with the mixture on a nonabrasive clean cloth, being sure to rub in the direction that the grain of the wood is going. Apply more of the mixture as needed and rub until the scratch is gone.

2. Apply a commercial oil finish such as Old English. Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Rub iodine on a cotton swab for a finish stain on mahogany. For light-colored woods like maple or cherry use a mixture of 50 percent denatured alcohol and 50 percent iodine on a cotton swab and apply to the scratch until it is gone.

For Scratches to the Wood

4. Rub nutmeat diagonally into the scratch. Brazil nuts, almonds and walnuts work well for this.

5. Rub eye pencil into the scratch being sure to use the closest color match possible.

6. Color the area in with a crayon that matches the surrounding color.

Tips & Warnings

• After removing a scratch it is a good idea to polish or wax the area. If the scratch is too deep for repair, it is recommended to contact a professional, especially if the furniture is antique.