How to buff out light scratches on wood floor

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Can you even fix scratches on your wood floor? 

Wood floors get scratched, it just the way it is. Rocks on shoes, toys, dogs, and usually moving furniture is the main cause.

As a result, the beauty of your wood floor diminishes within a single moment. To eliminate those scratches, you become crazy and 

 

googled “how to buff out scratches on the wood floor.”


But the result page fails to offer you proper guidelines to get the scratches out of your wood floor. 

 

So, how to hide scratches on wood floors? 

 

Yes, you can use a floor buffer for home use to take care of your wood floor. 

 

But it fails to stop or remove scratches. 

 

Fortunately, we are here to help you out by providing a step by step guide for repairing your wooden surface. 

 

How to fix light scratches on wood floors?

 

Try out the following easy-to-apply five steps to remove light scuffs on your hardwood surface. 

 

  1. Use magic eraser for scuff marks

 

For minor scratches, the magic eraser is the best scuff cleaner. Just add water to it to let the micro-scrubber stimulate.

 

Magic Eraser for Scuff marks

Apply it only on the affected spot. Then, wipe down the area, and you will see the scratches start lifting away like magic. Your really just cleaning anything that was left behind on the floor. Sometimes its not a scratch at all. Sometimes just cleaning it may help the scratch fade in and be less obvious.

 

However, the precaution to use it is- never use it rest of the floor as it is very abrasive and may damage the flooring finish. 

 

Therefore, never try to apply a magic eraser on these floorings: high gloss, polished wood, and other types of surfaces.

 

  1. Use crayons Or Stain sticks

 

I recommend using a stain pen/ pencil over a crayon, see video below

Use crayons Or Stain sticks
Color crayons are another best way to repair scratch from the wood floor. 

You can find this ingredient in your local store or on Amazon. According to your  floor color, find the crayons color or close match to it. 

 

Next, polish or rub the crayon into the scuff. With the help of a knife or a credit card edge, sweep away the excess wax. 

More:  7 Valuable Home Improvement Ideas For Your Pittsburgh Home

 

Finally, buff with a cotton cloth to hide the scratch. 

 

Though it’s not a permanent solution, this has no side effects and is safe for your wood floor. 

 

  1. Try rubbing a walnut

 

Rubbing a walnut over the scuff area on your wood floor may help you fix the minor scratches. 

 

To do so, coat the walnut over the affected area several times. Then, use your finger to rub the scuffed area. It lets the wood absorb the oil from the nut. 

 

Finally, use a soft microfiber pad to buff the scratches area. 

 

  1. Use a wet washcloth and a stain 

 

For a bit, deeper scratches put down a wet washcloth over the spot that gets scratches and iron the cloth. 

 

The steam lets the puff up the wood fibers and hides a lot of deep scuffed areas. Finally, get a stain pen according to the color of the scratches. Paint with it over the area and let it dry. 

 

  1. Coffee

 

Applying coffee to cover the scratches area is another safe and effective way to hide scuffs on the wood floor. 

Make a pot of strong coffee and with the help of a cotton ball or rag apply it over the scratches area. You can find the mark disappear within a minute. Indeed, the coffee works as a stain. 

 

How to remove deep scratches from the wood floor?

 

Removing deep gauges and scuffs will be a bit challenging and requires precise works. Applying coffee or walnut will not work in this case. To eliminate deep scratches, you need to follow some precise methods. 

 

If you don’t have enough DIY skills, then it will be better to hire a professional to do the task for you. 

 

However, if you are confident enough that you can do this, then follow the below steps. 

 

Firstly, get this equipment including, mineral spirits, a scouring pad, and polyurethane to fix the deep scratches.

 

Secondly, soak the pad with spirits and gently wipe the scratches area with the pad. 

 

Thirdly, wipe down the area with a soft dry cloth and leave it for drying. 

 

Fourthly, to get a professional finish, apply the polyurethane using a soft brush over the area. And give it 24 hours to dry it properly. 

More:  Cleaning Tiles and Grout with OxiClean

 

Keep in mind; you should never apply or use the wax coating over the polyurethane floors. 

 

Note: We recommend you to replace the wood floor if there is severe damage to your wooden surfaces. 

 

FAQs: fixing wood scratches

How do you get scratches out of hardwood floors without sanding?

You can get the scratches out of your wood floors without sanding by applying the following tricks: 

  • Using color match crayons
  • Trying out wax sticks
  • Applying magic eraser 
  • Using a paste wax
  • Blending coffee over the scratches

 

How do you get dog scratches out hardwood floors?

 

For light scratches created by your dog, follow the below steps. 

 

Firstly, clean the spot thoroughly you want to fix.

 

Secondly, get a stained wood marker from your local DIY store and apply it directly on the spot according to the direction. Make sure the wood stain you are going to use matches your flooring color. Then, leave it to let it dry. 

 

Finally, if your wooden floor is glossy, then add a layer of polyurethane over the stain to suit the color. 

 

Does vinegar remove deep scratches from wood?

 

Probably, not. However, you can use a cup of vinegar and mix it with oil to create a DIY solution. Then, using a soft cloth or pad, rub the solution over the scratches. Next, wipe down the area until the scuff marks disappear. 

 

Can you use a magic eraser on a wood floor?

 

Magic eraser is a type of abrasive ingredient. So, you can’t use it on a wooden floor, especially if your surface is high gloss or polished wood.

 

Final Words

 

So, how to buff out scratches on wood floors? 

Generally, the tricks of getting scratches out from wooden floors depend on the type of scuffs. 

 

If the scratches on your surface are light, try out any of the methods from the five we mentioned above. 

 

For deep scuff marks, follow the tricks we described. But, in this case, you should have minimum DIY repairing skills. 

 

Otherwise, it would be best to call a professional to do the task for you.