Whether the family cat has been scratching at your desk or your youngster tried to decorate it with a fork, the scratches now marring your desk might not look pretty, but they aren't the end of the world. In fact, in just a few minutes, you can turn back the clock on those scratches and make it look like they were never there. And with a little extra elbow grease, you can even make the desk look brand new again with a glossy and polished sheen.
Paste Wax
Clean the scratched area of the desk. Use a lint-free cloth and wipe away any dust and debris.
Color in a very shallow scratch with a felt-tip marker designed for touching up furniture. Clean off any excess marker ink from around the scratch with a lint-free cloth, and then allow the ink to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions before using the desk (generally about 24 hours).
Put a little bit of black-tinted paste wax on a lint-free cloth if the scratch on the desk is deep, and use your finger to knead the wax a little to soften it.
Sand the scratched area of the desk with fine sandpaper if the scratch is deep, to smooth the surface. Apply the wax to the scratched surface of the desk and rub it in gently. Remove the excess wax with the cloth and buff the wax-covered area of the desk with another lint-free cloth to create an even sheen.
Epoxy Putty Stick
Clean the scratched area of the desk with a lint-free cloth to wipe away and dust and debris.
Break off a tiny piece from the epoxy putty stick and press it firmly into the scratch. Allow the epoxy to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Sand the epoxy smooth with fine-grit sandpaper. Color over the epoxy with the felt-tip furniture marker and let it dry for 24 hours. Alternatively, paint over the epoxy with the same paint that was used on the desk.