DIY Fixes for The Most Common Scuffs and Dents at Home

Small details make all the difference. We’ve all marvelled at dream interiors on Pinterest – from flawless floors to lush carpets. What’s the secret?

Whether you’re looking to spruce up your home, are expecting guests, or just love the thought of living in a flawless abode – you’ll thank us for these super-quick touch-up tips that will minimise the appearance of some common imperfections.

Is there anything as satisfying as a smooth and perfectly polished hardwood floor? Maybe, but we still hate those nasty dents that heavy furniture can leave behind. Luckily, there’s an ingenious solution for the more minor dents.

1. Wet the dent and place a wet cloth/paper towel on the area.
2. Apply a heated iron to the towel and move it over the dented area in a circular motion.
3. Ensure plenty of steam is being generated and that you keep the iron moving, so as not to burn the wood.
4. Keep steaming and checking the progress until the wood fibres have expanded to fill the dent.

We recommend testing this method on a hidden area of flooring to check that the heat doesn’t affect your floor’s finishing.

It’s normal for hardwood floors to pick up scratches as time goes by. Luckily, you can easily minimise the appearance of the lighter, surface scratches.

1. Thoroughly clean the area. You don’t want to get dirt into the scratch, which can make it appear more obvious.
2. Lightly rub fine sandpaper on the scratch, in the direction of the wood grain.
3. Rub a wax stick over the scratched area OR apply wood stain with a small brush. Apply light layers, allow to dry for a few minutes and add more. Repeat until the colours match up.
4. Wipe away any excess stain before it dries

SOURCE: ehow.com

We’re all familiar with the ugly, stubborn indentations that furniture can leave on our carpets or rugs. “If I rub it with my toe and it doesn’t disappear, it’s doomed right?” Wrong!

The next time your coffee table leaves a crater in the carpet, open up your freezer and grab an ice cube. Yup, that’s right – ice.

1. Place ice cube in dent and allow it to melt (the ice, not the dent).
2. Grab a toothbrush to gently fluff up the area.
3. Dab dry. It should look good as new!

Wallpapers are a delicate material and can sometimes be torn by sharp objects. The good news is that minor rips can quite easily be repaired.

1. Carefully pull back the torn section of paper.
2. Use a small brush to apply white glue/border adhesive to the wall. Be sure not to get any on the patterned side of the wallpaper.
3. Use a slightly damp sponge to smooth it back into place.

SOURCE: truevaluepaint.com

It can be difficult to mix up a new batch of paint to match the exact colour of your wall. So the next time you paint a wall, set some paint aside for those future touch-ups.

Mason jars are perfect for the job. Small blemishes on the wall can easily be fixed by the following.

1. Ensure paint is thoroughly mixed.
2. Clean and lightly sand the area.
3. Apply paint with a small sponge brush. Feather out edges with a dry brush if necessary.

There – good as new!