How do you hide dog scratches on hardwood floors? A Complete Guide

How to repair dog scratches on wood floors and furniture

Wood floors and furniture are beautiful. They’re also highly prone to scratches—from shoes, from general wear and tear, and of course, from your dog’s nails. Follow the steps below to save yourself the cost of refinishing and get your wood floors and furniture looking good as new.

How to repair dog scratches on leather furniture

We’ve been focusing on wood, but your leather furniture is equally prone to dog scratches. If you have a leather chair or couch and a four-legged friend who is allowed to snooze there, chances are high that you’ve got some scratches to take care of. Here’s how to do it.

What you’ll need:

  • Apply recoloring balmTake your clean rag and apply a thin layer of leather-recoloring balm in the shade that best matches your furniture.
  • Wipe away excess balmWipe away any excess balm using a microfiber cloth. A chamois cloth would work as well.
  • Apply leather oilCondition the repaired area by applying leather oil. You can buy it in a spray bottle, or apply it with a clean rag.
  • And there you have it. Note that if you use any chemical-based cleaners and/or stains when repairing scratches in wood or leather you’ll want to keep your dog away from the product completely until it’s set. Keep the windows open too, to disperse any chemical odors. It’s a good opportunity to go play fetch in the backyard (or head to the groomer for that much-needed nail trim).

    For shallow scratches

    What you’ll need:

  • Clean rag
  • Hardwood cleaner
  • Stain-filled wood marker or other type of pigmented wood polish
  • Shellac or polyurethane (if wood is glossy)
  • Brush for applying shellac or polyurethane
  • Clean the areaApply a small amount of hardwood cleaner directly to your rag and clean the area in and around the scratch. It’s important to remove all dirt and debris so that you provide a smooth surface for your stain to adhere to.
  • Apply stain to scratchApply a stain-filled wood marker or another type of pigmented wood polish of your choice (in the color of the wood you’re fixing, of course) to the scratch. Follow the directions on the specific product you’re using to ensure that you apply it correctly and allow it the right amount of time to set. If you’re using a marker, you’ll apply the product directly to the scratch. If you’re using a pigmented wood polish, use another rag to apply.In most cases, you won’t need more than one coat of stain to cover up a small scratch. Just be sure to let it dry completely before determining if you need to apply another coat, since the color may change slightly as it sets. Note that it’s better to start light and layer than to go to heavy-handed with your first coat.
  • Apply a finishIf your floors or furniture are glossy, add a layer of shellac or polyurethane over the stain to match the finish.
  • Removing dog scratches out of hardwood floors with the Screen & Recoating process in Alpharetta GA