How to Remove Fine Scratches From Furniture
You'd swear that the scratch on your coffee table wasn't there yesterday, and you can't remember how it got there. It could be something as simple as the plate holding your late night snack or the cat playing "get the mouse." Of course, it doesn't matter how it happened; the table has some fine scratches on it, and you need to know how to remove them without doing more damage to the surface. Depending on whether the scratches are lighter or deeper, there are some simple steps you can take to remove them. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- #0000 steel wool Hard paste wax Soft polishing cloth Furniture patching sticks Credit card or other stiff plastic
Instructions
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Light Scratches
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1
Rub steel wool over the scratch and a small area around the scratch. Avoid rubbing the steel wool over too large an area, as you will actually be removing some of the existing finish.
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2
Apply hard paste wax on the damaged area using the steel wool. Rub the wax into the wood very lightly along the grain.
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3
Use a very soft polishing cloth and buff the surface until it shines and the scratches disappear.
Deeper Scratches
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4
Choose a furniture patching stick that matches the color of your damaged piece. You may not be able to make an exact match, but get as close to the original color as possible.
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5
Rub the stick into the scratch by going back and forth over the scratch until it has completely filled in the damaged area.
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6
Take a stiff piece of plastic, such as a credit card, and scrape off any excess material from the patching stick.
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7
Buff the surface with a soft polishing cloth until the color has been completely blended in.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Rub the meat of a pecan or walnut over a scratch for a quick temporary fix. The oil in the nut will darken and temporarily hide the scratch. Shoe polish that closely matches the color of the wood can also be applied to temporarily cover fine surface scratches.
