Hiding Scratches and Scrapes on Wood Floors

Written by Amy Gordon (last updated June 3, 2024)

Hardwood flooring, when property taken care of, makes such a lovely addition to any home. Over time the floor will begin to dull, which is something that can be taken care of with some simple cleaning techniques that are discussed in other articles. However, one big problem that cannot just be "rubbed out" (so to speak) is the scratches and scrapes that begin to appear on the hardwood floor. These marks can be disheartening, since they mar the beauty of the hardwood floor and they can really make the floor look old and worn.

If you want to extend the life of your hardwood floor and make it look good again, here is a little tip to hide those annoying scratches and scrapes that show up over time. The first thing that you need to do is clean the area of any major dirt and dust, which you can do using a mixture of vinegar and water or any other hardwood floor cleaner. After you finish with that, do not put the floor cleaner away yet. Get out some fine steel wool and dip it in your wood cleaner. If you do not want to put your cleaner in a bowl, you can also just spray the cleaner on your steel wool until it is fully wet; it should have the same effect.

After you have your steel wool saturated in wood cleaner, gently rub the scratch or scrape with the steel wool. Do not push too hard and do not rub other areas, or you may end up having more marks than you started with. Once you have cleaned the area thoroughly with the steel wood, dry the spot and polish it. This covers the scratch or scrape fairly well. If your floor has a wax finish, you will want to reapply the wax to that area so it looks uniform with the rest of the wooden floor.

Author Bio

Amy Gordon

Amy Gordon loves keeping things simple, natural, and safe so she can spend more time having fun. Every day she learns new things about making life at home easier and she loves to share it with you! ...

MORE FROM AMY

Removing Calcium Stains

When you have hard water, calcium and magnesium can build up and create stains on your sinks, tiles, and other fixtures. ...

Discover More

Removing Stains from Clothes

Clothing stains are common, but must be treated differently depending on the type of stain and clothing. Water and liquid ...

Discover More

Planting a Grape Arbor

Grapes are not hard to grow; they just need some training and sunlight. If you train the main vine of your grapes to grow ...

Discover More

Keep Your Hardwood Floors Like New Bona's hardwood floor cleaner is the #1 choice of professionals. The no-residue formula is specially designed to be safe for floors, families, and the environment. Check out Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner Refill today!

More Cleaning Tips

Restore Shine to Wood Floors

Wood floors can be a beautiful decoration in your home, but as they get older, they can become dull. To restore the shine ...

Discover More

Cleaning Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors are a beautiful and inexpensive option that more and more home owners are starting to use. Laminate ...

Discover More

Removing Candle Wax from Wood

Removing candle wax from wood can be tricky. Read more for tips on how to keep your wood floor looking nice.

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 3?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in Cleaning Tips from Tips.Net. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.