DIY Scratch Removal From Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors endure wear and tear on a daily basis. From pets and children, to shoes and furniture—they’ve seen it all. And there’s nothing worse than a blemish appearing on your beautiful hardwood floors. Even if it’s not that bad, just knowing it’s there can drive you crazy! That’s why the flooring professionals at Elegant Floor Services have come up with a few techniques to help you remove scratches from your home’s beautiful floor.

Camouflage Scratches

If the scratch is minor, it should be relatively easy to hide. Use wood floor stain-matching pens—or crayons, a Sharpie, wax sticks, etc.—to blend the scratch into the surface. Unless someone is getting up close and personal with your floor, they won’t notice any imperfections!

Homemade Polish

For a slightly deeper scratch you can create a homemade wood polish using two ingredients: olive oil and vinegar. Simply mix together equal parts and pour a little directly into the floor’s scrape. Allow the polish to penetrate the scratch for 24 hours, and then remove excess polish. Repeat this process until the scrape disappears. However, you may still need to use the camouflaging technique to match the color of the scratch to your floor.

Spot-Sand Deep Scratches

For lighter scratches, lightly rub fine steel wool along the grain of the wood to blend in the imperfection. If the scratch is deeper, use lightweight sandpaper to sand along the grain of the wood. Then, use wood filler on the surface. (Wood filler takes stain better than wood putty!) Once the filler has dried, use the sandpaper to remove excess filler. Finish the process by refinishing the wood with varnish, polyurethane, or a wood stain that matches the rest of your floor. (Need help buffing stains from hardwood floors? We have advice for that, too!)

Wood Flooring Services Throughout Maryland, Virginia, & Washington, DC

Looking to restore the sleek, polished appearance to your hardwood floors? Have minor scratches or dirt? At Elegant Floor Service, we set the standard for wood floor maintenance with our buffing, sanding, refinishing, restoration, and repair services, drawing on years of experience and training to provide a high-quality service throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

Don’t wait to eliminate any imperfections in your hardwood floors! Contact Elegant Floor Service or call us at (800) 417-3172 for a free estimate or to schedule hardwood floor restoration in the DC metropolitan area!