How to Fix Scratches on Sauder Desks

Dampen one clean, soft cloth with water. Wipe each Sauder desk's surface in the direction of its wood grain finish to remove dust and debris. A dirty surface can prevent the wax filler stick from adhering to the scratched area. If a desk's surface is covered with grease, oil or fingerprints, clean the surface with a cloth dampened with a solution of liquid dish soap and water. Wipe the desks dry with a clean cloth in the direction of their grain.

Rub a wax filler stick that is slightly lighter in color than the desks into each scratch until the wax fills most of the indentation. Rub a wax filler stick that is slightly darker in color than the desks into the scratches on top of the first wax filler you applied. Use enough filler so that the wax spills over the edges of each scratch onto the surrounding surface. Rub the wax into each scratch with the pad of your finger to blend the colors together and ensure that the indentation is filled completely. Using two wax filler stick colors helps to mimic the grain pattern of the laminate finish and helps the repair to blend with undamaged areas.

Hold a thin spatula or credit card at about a 45-degree angle to one scratch you filled with wax. Scrape the edge of the spatula or credit card over the filled scratch lengthwise, in the direction of the scratch, to remove excess wax filler from the surface. Scraping the filled scratch lengthwise prevents pushing wax out of the indentation. Use light pressure to avoid scratching the desk with the spatula or credit card edge. Repeat the procedure for each scratch you filled with wax.

Buff the repaired scratches with a dry, clean, soft cloth until you remove all excess wax and the surface of each Sauder desk looks flat and smooth. Use gentle buffing strokes and skim lightly over each surface in the direction of the wood grain finish. Do not press the cloth into a filled scratch or you could accidentally remove too much wax. Remove remaining excess wax by rubbing each desk's surface with a clean, soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits.

Repeat the wax filler procedure with a different color combination of wax fillers if you are unhappy with the final result. Remove wax filler from a scratch by using the edge of the spatula or credit card. Use a light touch to avoid scratching the surface further. Remove remaining wax with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits. Dry the area with a clean cloth. Select a new color combination of wax filler sticks, and repeat the procedure to fix the scratch.