If you have scratches on your furniture or cabinets, you won’t believe how easy they are to almost completely get rid of with this one common household ingredient: Olive Oil.
It’s a good thing my cats are cute because they have completely scratched up the leather sofa we have in our family room. The scratches were so bad, I could see them from the other side of the room. I’m a bit of a nit-picker so it was driving me insane!
After discovering that a little oil is the secret to disguising them, I decided to also give this little trick a try on some of my scratched up doors and cabinets. Worked like a charm on both!
HOW TO REMOVE SCRATCHES ON WOOD
Simply dab a cloth or rag in olive oil and give your scratched up wood surface a good rubbing, paying special attention to the scratched areas. Keep in mind, this only works on real wood, not the manufactured kind with a thin layer of veneer.
Helpful Tips
Do other types of oils work as well? Yes! I’ve found that canola or vegetable oil works, too.
What about vinegar? I’ve heard that a little vinegar with the oil helps to cut through dirt, but in my experience it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. If you’d like to try it, mix white vinegar in with the oil using a 1:4 ratio (more oil than vinegar).
Does this work on all wood surfaces? For some reason it doesn’t work on my dark stained dining room table. I believe that has to do with the type of wood and color of stain (I used these furniture markers instead). However, it works really well on all of my built in cabinetry and doors.
HOW TO REMOVE SCRATCHES ON LEATHER
Ok, not 100%, but it sure does make a difference! You can use the same oil method on leather furniture, however, because there are so many different types of leather, you’ll want to do a spot test first to make sure it doesn’t stain. A light colored leather may really soak it up and cause it to darken.
Once you’ve got your spot test done, spread a little olive oil very sparingly and evenly onto a cloth or rag. Don’t let a large amount of oil sit on any one spot for very long. You want to work fast and spread a small amount of oil around as evenly as possible so that it doesn’t have a chance to absorb too deeply. The key is to use more elbow grease than oil on leather. A little goes a long way!
As you can see, it made a world of difference on my couch. However, if you have a large area to cover or are concerned about the type of leather you’ll be treating, be sure to test it out on a part of the couch that can’t be seen first.
Olive oil has so many wonderful uses! Here are some other unexpected ways to use olive oil:
- Removes eye makeup
- Moisturizes your skin (I put a few drops in my bath)
- Repairs cracked heels
- It can be used as a hair mask for dry, split ends
- Helps remove sticker residue
- It can also be used as a shaving cream substitute
What else can you use olive oil for? Let me know in the comments below.