How to Repair Blemishes in a Cherry Wood Finish

Repairing Alcohol Spots

• 1

  Repair damage from alcohol spots caused by such things as perfumes, medicines and beverages containing alcohol by rubbing the spot with paste wax, silver polish or boiled linseed oil.

• 2

  Use a few drops of non-sudsy clear household ammonia on a damp cloth for more severe spots. Rub the spots until they disappear.

• 3

  Use a mixture of rottenstone and a few drops of boiled linseed oil, lemon oil or sewing machine oil, mixed into a creamy paste, for alcohol spots that were not immediately treated. Apply the mixture with a soft cloth and rub with the grain of the wood.

Repairing Scratch Marks

• 4

  Hide minor scratches that have not penetrated the finish by applying paste wax. Rub the wax in well.

• 5

  Repair deeper scratches by rubbing a cherry colored wood stain stick over the scratch to stain the scratch. Rub the stain stick back and forth over the scratched area applying gentle pressure until the scratch is no longer noticeable.

• 6

  Fill in gouges with a wood filler blend stick, which will stain the wood as well as fill in the gouge. Rub the wood filler blend stick over the scratched area using firm pressure. Use both the wood filler blend and stain sticks on the scratch if necessary to make the stain disappear.

• 7

  Build up deeper scratch marks by filling in the depressed area with clear fingernail polish. Use the wood stain and filler sticks first, as described in the previous steps. Then apply one or two drops of clear fingernail polish. Let it dry and repeat the process until you build up the scratched area to the same height as the undamaged wood.

Repairing Burn Marks

• 8

  Hide minor burn marks that have not penetrated the finish by applying paste wax. If that does not work use a cherry-colored wood stain stick to stain the scorched area, or a wood filler blend stick to stain the wood and fill in the space of a larger area.

• 9

  Use a knife to scrape the area if necessary. Fill in the depressed area with one or two drops of clear fingernail polish. Let it dry and repeat the process until you build up the burned area to the same height as the undamaged wood.

• 10

  Use a knife or razor blade, taped on one side for safe usage, to scrape a more severely burned area if necessary.

• 11

  Remove loose dirt or charred wood and clean the area with a cotton-tipped toothpick dipped in turpentine. Wrap 4/0 steel wool around the point of a wooden skewer or an orange stick and rub the damaged area smooth, then clean that area again with turpentine. Use a cherry colored wood stain stick or wood filler blend stick to blend it with the undamaged wood.

Repairing White Spots or Rings

• 12

  Repair white marks, spots or rings by trying the mildest treatment first and advancing to other treatments. Rub the affected area with a cherry colored wood stain stick or wood filler blend stick to try to hide the white spot or ring.

• 13

  Rub the affected area with paste wax and 4/0 steel wool.

• 14

  Mix equal parts of vinegar, gum turpentine and boiled linseed oil. Dip a cotton cloth into the mixture, wring it out and then gently rub the affected area.

• 15

  Dip a small piece of cheesecloth into a solution of hot water and two or three drops of household ammonia, wring out the cloth and gently rub the white ring or spot. Alternatively, dip a cotton cloth into a solution of one part water and two parts household ammonia and gently rub the affected area.

• 16

  Place a piece of blotting paper or thin cardboard over the affected area and run a warm iron over it.